Advocaat

What is Advocaat? Advocaat is a traditional Dutch liqueur built from egg yolks, sugar, and a neutral or brandy-based spirit, recognizable by its thick, custard-like texture and rich yellow color. Bottled at 14 to 20 percent ABV (28 to 40 US proof), it sits in the gentler tier of liqueurs, closer to a dessert than a stiff drink. Most drinkers know it through the Snowball, the Christmas cocktail that pairs advocaat with lemonade and a squeeze of fresh lime. The name itself is the Dutch word for lawyer, a quirky nod that producers have long enjoyed playing with.

Origin and History

Advocaat is rooted in the Netherlands, with the egg-and-spirit tradition traced back to the 17th century. The modern commercial story begins in 1828, when J.G. Cooymans set up the first dedicated distillery in 's-Hertogenbosch and developed an egg drink that became the template for what we now call advocaat.

The category spread quickly into neighbouring countries. In 1876, Belgian distiller Eugen Verpoorten created his own egg liqueur near Aachen in Germany, founding what is today one of the most recognised advocaat brands on the market. Alongside Verpoorten, the modern landscape includes Bols, DeKuyper, Warninks in the Netherlands, Filliers in Belgium, and Croatia's Darna Ovo Liker.

Production and Style

The classic recipe leans on egg yolks, aromatic spirits, sugar or honey, brandy, vanilla, and cream or condensed milk. That combination gives advocaat its signature smooth, custard-like consistency and deep yellow tone, closer in feel to a pourable dessert than a conventional liqueur.

Two distinct styles sit under the same name. The thick version, made without egg whites, is sold in jars and wide-mouth bottles and is the everyday format in the Netherlands and Belgium. The thinner export variety, made with whole eggs, is the one most international drinkers encounter on back bars and supermarket shelves.

How It's Served

In its home markets, the thick style is treated almost as a confection. It is spooned over waffles, pancakes, and ice cream, or served as a digestif eaten straight from a small glass with a spoon.

Internationally, advocaat is best known as the base of the Snowball: roughly equal parts advocaat and carbonated lemonade with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, strongly tied to Christmas and winter drinking traditions. The thinner export version is built for exactly this kind of long, easy mixing.