Jagermeister is a highly sweet 70 proof German liquor containing minute quantities of deer blood. It is a reddish-brown cordial with a root beer-like flavor, and it is served extremely cold and syrupy.
In Europe it is imbibed primarily because of it's supposed medicinal value, as an after dinner tonic. There are apparently 56 herbs incorporated into the formula, which was invented in 1935.
The blazon of the deer is derived from the story of St. Hubertus, a patron saint of huntsmen. After the death of Hubert's beautiful wife Floribana, he wandered the forest despodently, hunting deer. On a Christmas Eve, he recieved a vision of a stag with a glowing cross betwixt it's antlers. He renounced his position as Duke of Toulouse and became a priest, eventually ascending to the position of bishop before his death in 727 AD. The word Jagermeister means Huntmaster, and the text which flows around the label is a traditional hunter's prayer:It is the Hunter's honor that he protects and preserves his game, hunt sportsmanlike, honors the Creator in his creatures.