Classic Dutch jenever is made by distilling grains and malt wine. Different grains can be used like barley, wheat, rye and corn. The taste of Dutch jenever is rather neutral with a hint of juniper, a bit like vodka. Dutch gin has an alcohol percentage of at least 35%. Dutch gin (jonge jenever, see point 3) is best drunk very cold. The transition of grains into a fermented wash and distilled malt wine: Takes place in a place called the “Branderij”. This is a typical Dutch word which does not exist in English, i.e. it is simply translated as “Distillery”. Also the malting process of the grains took place in the “Branderij”, and was not performed by a specialized company as we see in modern times. LaBrie JW, Boyle S, Earle A, Almstedt HC. Heavy episodic drinking Is associated with poorer bone health in adolescent and young adult women. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2018;79(3):391–398. doi:10.15288/jsad.2018.79.391 So the name, “Dutch Courage,” is attributed to a possibly apocryphal story about the origin of gin in England. Supposedly when the English were fighting alongside the Dutch in the 20 years war, the Dutch took a swig of a spirit before rushing into battle. This spirit made them bold! Made them powerful! Made them courageous. Hence the name “Dutch Courage.” The stuff they were drinking? Genever. The ancestral spirit which led to the development of gin. And ostensibly— Zuidam Dutch Courage.

Dutch entrepreneurs and brothers Noah Duijst and Siward de Groot, who have extensive experience in the wine and spirits industry, are behind the acquisition. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. There is a distinction between oude jenever (old gin) and jonge jenever (young gin). Oude jenever is produced in a much older procedure (before 1900). Jonge jenever was developed during WW II, when the ingredients needed for jenever were in short supply. Instead, molasses and sugar beet were used. The different procedures and ingredients give old jenever a softer and sweeter flavour. It’s more yellow of color and often a higher percentage of alcohol. If you are looking for the best Dutch gin brands, here are the 3 best results from a tasting session: In either case, a second process will follow where juniper and other herbs are steeped in the base spirit before being distilled. While gin can sometimes be made using vapour infusion, most brands will undertake the same process. Orav A, Kailas T, Muurisepp M. Chemical investigation of the essential oil from berries and needles of common juniper (Juniperus communis L.) growing wild in Estonia. Nat Prod Res. 2010;24(19):1789-99. doi:10.1080/14786411003752037

Alexander: " As genever was originala Dutch drink many Dutch gins are strong on juniper berries and many herbs are used. Additional The Netherlands is a very sea focussed country and coastal gins are very popular where botanicals are used which are available near the coastal areas." As for gluten, many brands and experts will argue that the distillation process removes gluten from the grain. However, people with celiac disease are probably better off not taking the risk as there have been reports that it causes adverse reactions. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Ninth Edition. The story of Dutch gin begins with its primary ingredient, malt wine, which is essentially a very strong beer distilled to create a potent, flavourful base. This malt wine base gives Dutch gin a much deeper, almost whisky-like flavour compared to the lighter, cleaner base of its English cousin. To this base, distillers add a carefully crafted blend of botanicals, with juniper berries being the most prominent, lending the spirit its distinctive piney, peppery profile. Steiner JL, Crowell KT, Lang CH. Impact of alcohol on glycemic control and insulin action. Biomolecules. 2015;5(4):2223–2246. Published 2015 Sep 29. doi:10.3390/biom5042223

Made by historic London wine merchants Berry Bros. & Rudd, the six-botanical spirit took two years to develop with Dr David Clutton – a man who holds a PhD in gin (yep, that exists). It was worth the effort. Also berries and fruits can be added during the distilling process. Some became a hit and are now a brand of themselves. Examples are Bessenjenever (Sloe Gin), distilled from raspberries. Bessenjenever has sugar added and is very sweet, with less alcohol. Citroen (‘lemon) jenever, (also named ‘ Citroentje‘, ‘a small lemon’) has lemon added. 5. Dutch ginis not very sexySmoking juniper berries and juniper wood was used to disinfect a room infested with the plague. 3. Oude jenever and Jonge jenever There are many different “jenever cities” in the Netherlands like Schiedam which is perfect for a daytrip, Groningen, Delft, and (of course) Amsterdam. After learning about the history, let’s talk a bit about the taste. What is it like and where do those flavours come from? Since we are better at drinking than investigating on this one, we’ve asked for a little bit of help and teamed up with Damrak Gin! When life gives you lemons (or oranges in this case) make a G&T. Image: Damrak Gin How jenever is made depends largely upon the intended type as those described above. Overall, however, the manufacturing process isn’t altogether different than gin save from a few techniques that are reminiscent of whisky. As far as we’re concerned, there’s no right or wrong way to drink jenever as long as you enjoy it. Nevertheless, there are certain traditions in the way jenever has been consumed in its home country.