Genever (Holland Gin)

[Hassouni]

What's the newish Bols product? The one introduced to the US market in the last few years? Surely that's a jonge genever, and it's a far cry from vodka as far as I'm concerned

[EvergreenDan]

In Holland, I'm told that genever is served in tiny stemmed glasses, filled to the brim. You sip it before picking it up.

[brinza]

The first genever I ever tried was Boomsma Oude.  While I expected it to be different than gin, my initial reaction was "this tastes more like Irish Whiskey than gin."  Then a few years later I read about David Wondrich's formula for replicating genever using 10 parts Irish Whiskey to 8 parts Plymouth gin and a small amount of sugar.

[tanstaafl2]

What's the newish Bols product? The one introduced to the US market in the last few years? Surely that's a jonge genever, and it's a far cry from vodka as far as I'm concerned

 

If you mean the Bols Genever in the grey glass bottle and the Bols Barrel aged genever, they are both oude style and in fact use far more malt wine than required (>50%). The minimum is only 15% for oude genever. Jonge Genever uses less than 15% malt wine and the few I have tried are definitely vodka-ish.

 

http://www.bols.com/products/bols-genever/

Today, Bols offer two genevers: Bols Genever and Bols Genever Barrel Aged. Both are still made according to the original 1820 Lucas Bols recipe. The smooth, subtle, malty flavour comes from using over 50% malt wine, which is made from long-fermented rye, corn and wheat, triple-distilled in copper pot stills.

[Hassouni]

Yeah, I have the grey glass bottle, the clay bottle labelled Zeer Oude Genever, and I also have a clay bottle of Bols Corenwijn

[tanstaafl2]

Yeah, I have the grey glass bottle, the clay bottle labelled Zeer Oude Genever, and I also have a clay bottle of Bols Corenwijn

 

I would guess the Bols Zeer Oude Genever has a pretty high malt content as well. If you have the clay or "stone" bottle it is pretty old as those changed to brown painted glass about 10 years ago.

 

As I understand it Corenwijn is supposed to have at least 51% malt wine as compared to the at least 15% requirement for oude genever. But since Bols has at least 51% in their genever anyway I was never quite sure what the distinction was. Maybe it has even more malt wine content than the Bols genever. I do rather like the aged Corenwijns. I have a Bols 10yo that is quite tasty neat. A lot of places suggest refrigerating or even freezing it like gin but that is just a waste to me.

[Hassouni]

Nah, the Zeer Oude was picked up for me at an airport in the low countries in the last year, as was my Corenwijn. It's pretty much brand new. The only problem with the ZO is the crappy 35% ABV. Even the Corenwijn is under 40.

 

I haven't done a side by side tasting of the ZO with the Corenwijn, they seem pretty similar though.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Hassouni (log)

[Rafa]

I've had the recent Zeer and found it delicious on its own in a way the standard US glass bottle genever has never been for me. I didn't mind the proof.

[Hassouni]

Yeah it's a lot maltier

[tanstaafl2]

I've had the recent Zeer and found it delicious on its own in a way the standard US glass bottle genever has never been for me. I didn't mind the proof.

 

 

Guess I will have to look for that one when I pass through Schiphol in October! Was hoping the duty free had something interesting other than local spirits but I am not going to hold my breath. Most Duty Free shops are pretty lackluster.

[Czequershuus]

Improvised a genever cocktail tonight and was quite happy with the result. I have dubbed it the Magically Delicious, as the aromoa oddly remind me of Lucky Charms (YMMV)

 

Magically Delicious

1 Oz Genever (Bols standard American offering)

1 Oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica)

0.25 Oz Frangelico

2 dashes Boker's Bitters

Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

 

I am tempted to say garnish with a cereal marshmallow, because the aroma is oddly evocative of a standard breakfast for me at age nine. Regardless, it is a lovely tipple.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Czequershuus (log)

[EvergreenDan]

"Dear Czequershuus- You account on eGullet has been blocked because you added a marshmallow to a cocktail...."

[mkayahara]

"Dear Czequershuus- You account on eGullet has been blocked because you added a marshmallow to a cocktail...."

Nah, s'OK. I'm sure it was a marshmallow made with Lillet. (Or would it have to be "Fernet or better" around these parts?)

 

Strangely, I've made that recipe using Suze instead of Lillet, and now whenever I drink Suze, I think it tastes like marshmallows... 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

My introduction to genever is a death in the gulfstream, made with my recently acquired bottle of Diep9 Old.

 

Baker calls for the juice and rind of one green lime, added to a water tumbler of crushed ice, four dashes of Angostura, and filled with Holland gin.

 

Turns out Deip9 is Belgian gin.  Oh well.  That and my last two limes granted a scant 5 ml total.  (I figure what Baker and Hemingway were squeezing down off Key West were key limes, but probably ones with a lot more juice than mine.)

 

I did not have the courage to fill the tumbler.  Not that it's a small tumbler by any means.  And I cut the bitters down to two dashes.

 

But, you know, this is good!  I thought about a straw, since Baker was mute on that detail.  Then I thought of Hemingway.  I'm not sure Hemingway knew what a straw was.

[Melinda Staros]

Hi Jo, 

 

The drink sounds nice! .. and I think you're right about the straw.  But FYI, Holland Gin and Belgian Gin are one in the same --> they are both Genevers. In fact, Holland Gin originated in Belgium and only came to be known as Holland Gin when it was imported into the US before the prohibition. Check out this book about it... http://cocktails.about.com/od/bookreviews/fr/Genever-VanAckerBeittel-BookReview.htm

 

Cheers! 

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thank you!  I put in a request for the book from the library.

[brinza]

I just acquired a crock of Peket de Houyeu Genever via the PALCB's online ordering store.  I would highly recommend it.  It's very malty up front and has a decidedly but subtle juniper finish.  It's "rested" in oak casks and has a nice straw hue.  Made in Belgium.  According to the manufacturer, "peket" is Walloon for genever.  I will definitely be ordering more.

Edited February 24, 2015 by brinza (log)

[mhdousa]

(Crossposting this to Chowhound)

 

I'm in Amsterdam currently and looking to bring some Genever back home. I can get the standard Bols easily at home. What should I bring back? Something that might work well on its own or do well in an old-fashioned or negroni variation.

[cdh]

Zuidam aged genever is good.  Stuff made by Rutte is also tasty.

[Quadriga]

Zuidam aged genever is good.  Stuff made by Rutte is also tasty.

Absolutey. The Rutte Paradyswyn is excellent.

[cdh]

Absolutey. The Rutte Paradyswyn is excellent.

Totally correct.

[tanstaafl2]

I have enjoyed the Van Wees Roggenaer 15yo. 100% rye malt and more like a whisky than a genever to me.

 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/137753-what-did-you-buy-at-the-liquor-store-today/?p=1882896

 

Might have to look for the Rutte Paradyswyn! Is that likely to be found in duty free at Schipol? Seems like Bols products tend to dominate there.

[cdh]

I got some of the Paradijswijn from Ton Overmars a year ago.  Not on the shelf... but they had some if you ask.  Pain in the neck that they don't take credit cards... so bring cash unless you've got a debit card from a Dutch bank.

Edited June 10, 2015 by cdh (log)

[tanstaafl2]

(Crossposting this to Chowhound)

 

I'm in Amsterdam currently and looking to bring some Genever back home. I can get the standard Bols easily at home. What should I bring back? Something that might work well on its own or do well in an old-fashioned or negroni variation.

 

When at the airport as I noted above the Bols products seem to dominate. That said the 10yo Bols Corenwyn was pretty good. But if you are out and about in Amsterdam then your options improve considerably. Unfortunately I rarely do more than pass through the airport.