Seminar originally taught by Philip Duff at Tales of the Cocktail 2019. "Everything you always wanted to know about the national spirit of the Low Countries, the original ingredient of the Collins and the Martinez, and maybe the spirit that makes for the tastiest boilermaker on the planet! Join fluent Dutch speaker (and 17-year Holland resident) Philip Duff, the world's most respected English-language genever expert, to learn the history, rules, high times and low depths of genever, the spirit that is the unchanged ancestor of whisky. (And no, it ain't gin)."
3. What Is Genever?
The word
“Genièvre” (French) = juniper
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
4. What Is Genever?
The word
“Genièvre” (French) = juniper
“Genever” (Dutch) = distilled spirit with
juniper
(word later becomes “jenever” in Holland)
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
5. What Is Genever?
The word
“Genièvre” (French) = juniper
“Genever” (Dutch) = distilled spirit with
juniper
(word later becomes “jenever” in Holland)
“Gin” = English attempt to pronounce
“genever”
(word later comes to describe a completely
different product in English)
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
6. What Is Genever?
The Liquid
- Typically grain-based distilled spirit
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
7. What Is Genever?
The Liquid
- Typically grain-based distilled spirit
- May contain only maltwine (the pot-still distillate)
which is very rare, or
both pot-still + column-still distillates (very common)
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
10. What Is Genever?
The Liquid
- Typically grain-based distilled spirit
- May contain only maltwine (the pot-still distillate)
which is very rare, or
both pot-still + column-still distillates (very common)
- Must contain very small amounts of juniper
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
11. What Is Genever?
The Liquid
- Typically grain-based distilled spirit
- May contain only maltwine (the pot-still distillate)
which is very rare, or
both pot-still + column-still distillates (very common)
- Must contain very small amounts of juniper
- May contain small amounts of other botanicals
-
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
12. What Is Genever?
The Liquid
- Typically grain-based distilled spirit
- May contain only maltwine (the pot-still distillate)
which is very rare, or
both pot-still + column-still distillates (very common)
- Must contain very small amounts of juniper
- May contain small amounts of other botanicals
- Typically unaged, but may be aged
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
15. What Is Genever?
Holland
- 98% of sales in Holland
are jonge (new-style,
yung-uh) genever.
Rest Of The World
- Virtually all sales outside
Holland are oude (old-
style, ow-duh) genever.
16. What Is Genever?
Holland
- 98% of sales in Holland
are jonge (new-style,
yung-uh) genever.
- Jonge is often based not
on grain but on
sugarbeet neutral spirit.
Rest Of The World
- Virtually all sales outside
Holland are oude (old-
style, ow-duh) genever.
- Oude is virtually always
grain-based.
17. What Is Genever?
Holland
- 98% of sales in Holland
are jonge (new-style,
yung-uh) genever.
- Jonge is often based not
on grain but on
sugarbeet neutral spirit.
- Jonge typically contains
1-3% maltwine, and in
any case no more than
15% maltwine.
Rest Of The World
- Virtually all sales outside
Holland are oude (old-
style, ow-duh) genever.
- Oude is virtually always
grain-based.
- Oude typically contains
17% maltwine or more,
and in any case no less
than 15% maltwine.
18. 1269
"He who wants to be
rid of stomach pain
Should use juniper
cooked in rainwater.
He who has cramps
Cook juniper in wine
It's good against
the pain"
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
19. 1552, Antwerp
“Een Constelijck Distilleerboec” , Philippus Hermanni
“genever aqua vitae”
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
20. 1582, Holland
A Guide To Distilling,
Casper Jansz. Coolhaes.
Korenbrandewijn...
“in aroma and taste is almost the
same as brandy-wine”
and is
“not only named brandywine but also
drunk and paid for as brandywine”
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
21. 1611, Plat’s Delights for Ladies
[To make] Usquebath (whiskey), or Irish aqua vitae:
To every gallon of good aqua composita, put two
ounces of chosen liquorice bruised and cut into small
pieces, but first cleansed of his filth, and two ounces
of aniseeds that are cleaned and bruised…
Whiskey
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
22. Franciscus “Dr. Sylvius” de le Boe
1606: “Distilled wine, genever water,
fennel & anise water” taxed in
Amsterdam
1614: Sylvius born (Hanover)
1623: “Genever” (the spirit) first
mentioned in print in
English as “Geneva”
1658: Sylvius becomes a professor
(Leiden)
famed as an iatrochemist
1672: Word “genever” commonplace in
Dutch
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
23. 1623: Philip Massinger
The Duke of Milan (London play)
“An officer preaching of sobriety,
lo unlesse he read it in Genevaprint,
lay him by the heels”
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
26. 1688: King William (England)
- Banned French import spirits
- Lowered distilling license fees
History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
27. History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
Whiskey (originally)
Flavorful grain base
Tiny amount of botanicals
Small number of botanicals
Sometimes lightly sweetened
Unaged
Genever
Flavorful grain base
Tiny amount of botanicals
Small number of botanicals
Sometimes lightly sweetened
Unaged
28. History
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
(English) Gin
Neutral base
HUGE amount of botanicals
Large number of botanicals
Heavily sweetened (Old Tom gin) until
end of 1800s and birth of “London Dry”
gin style
Unaged
Genever
Flavorful grain base
Tiny amount of botanicals
Small number of botanicals
Sometimes lightly sweetened
Unaged
38. Udolpho Wolfe Aromatic Schiedam
Schnapps
1818: Founded, Hamburg
1832: HQ in NY
Mid-1800s: $1m ad budget
1911: Also sold bourbon in same bottles
1918: Sold to Blankenheym & Nolet
1970: B&N bought by Bols
History: rise…
51. Genever 101
Price Wars of the 1970s & 1980s
Filliers, Belgium (near Ghent, and, indeed, near
Nazareth)
Survival
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
52. Genever 101
Rebirth of 100% Maltwine Genevers with the Seal of Schiedam
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
1986 1998 2017
53. Genever 101
How To Make It: Step 1
Maltwine
(i) Ferment a multi-grain mash
(ii) Distill 3-4 times in pot still
(a) 1st distillation “Ruwnat”, c. 12% abv
(b) 2nd distillation “Enkelnat”, c. 24%
abv
(c) 3rd distillation
“Bestnat”/Moutwijn”,
46 – 48% abv.
(d) Optional 4th distillation “korenwijn”
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
54. Genever 101
How To Make It, Step 2
Maltwine Genever
2.
(i) Redistill some of the moutwijn (maltwine) with
juniper,
(ii) Combine the “straight” moutwijn (maltwine) with
the redistilled juniper moutwijn
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
55. Genever 101
How To Make It, Step 3
Korenwijn, Oude (old-style) & jonge (new-style)
3.
(i) Redistill moutwijn (maltwine) OR neutral
alcohol with botanicals
(ii) Blend with the right % of “straight” moutwijn
(iii) Add sugar (optional)
(iv)Age in vats of at least 700 liters for at least 1
year (optional)
(v) Filter & reduce to bottling strength
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
57. Genever 101
2014: UNESCO Register of Intangible Cultural
Heritage
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
58. Genever 101
Old Duff Genever, distilled at Herman Jansen,
Schiedam
(T & IG: @oldduffgenever)
Style: 100% maltwine with Seal of
Schiedam
Grains: ⅔ rye, ⅓ malted barley, fermented
5 days, then whole-grains distilled 3 times
Botanicals: Juniper, English Bramling
hops, all redistilled with maltwine
Strength: 45% abv #RealDutchGenever
59. Genever 101
Old Duff Genever, distilled at Herman Jansen,
Schiedam
(T & IG: @oldduffgenever)
Style: Oude (old-style), 53% maltwine
Grains: 53% maltwine (⅔ rye, ⅓ malted
barley, whole-grains distilled), 47%
neutral grain (wheat) spirit.
Botanicals: Juniper, lemon peel, orange
peel, coriander, star anise & liquorice,
all redistilled with maltwine
Strength: 40% abv #RealDutchGenever
60. Genever Mixology
- Real genever is a masterful grain distillate;
whisky cocktails are the best template for
genever cocktails
- Maltwine % and the dominant grains used
will hint at which “whisky” a genever most
resembles. E.g.; 100% maltwine genever with a
majority of rye will taste close to a rye whiskey.
- The higher the maltwine content, the better it
will pair with creamy/viscous ingredients such
as dairy, horchata, etc.
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
61. Genever Mixology
Classic: The Martinez/Manhattan
1883: First mentioned in Chicago as “Manhattan, made with
whiskey or gin”, “gin” then meaning “genever”.
Recommended recipe:
2oz vermouth di Torino
1oz oude genever
1 barspoon maraschino liqueur
3 dashes Boker’s/Bogart’s bitters
Stir with ice
Strain straight up
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
62. Genever Mixology
Classic: The Collins
1826: Brought from NY to London by Stephen
Price, theater manager, who popularized it.
Recommended recipe:
2oz. oude genever
1oz. fresh lemon juice
½oz. rich sugar syrup (2:1)
Shake with ice
Strain into ice-filled longdrink
Top with soda
Garnish: lemon slice
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
63. Genever Mixology
Contemporary: The Kingsman
(Nathan O’Neill, The NoMad Bar, New York)
1oz. Old Duff Genever 100% Maltwine Genever
½oz. rye whiskey
½oz. agricole rum
½oz. oloroso sherry
5ml banana liqueur
½oz. brown butter falernum
Stir with ice
Strain over an oversized ice cube
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever
64. Thank you!
Genever 101
This deck, and Genever Timeline: www . slideshare . net / philipduff /
genever-101
@philipduff @philipsduff
#RealDutchGenever @OldDuffGenever