History
Jenever is the ancestor of modern gin, developed in the Netherlands in the 17th century from distilled grain spirit flavoured with juniper. Oude jenever retains significant malt wine content and is aged in small oak barrels; jonge jenever is a 20th-century lighter style. Utrecht's brown cafes serve jenever as the centrepiece of the borrel, the Dutch informal drinks culture that defines the city's cafe life.
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Common allergens: Gluten in some malted varieties
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 100ml oud jenever (Bols Corenwyn or Rutte Old Simon if available)
- 100ml jong jenever (Bols or Ketel 1)
- 2 small tulip-shaped jenever glasses
- 2 bottles Dutch pilsner (Heineken, Amstel, or Grolsch), well chilled
- Optional: 4 small slices of cured Dutch sausage (osseworst), to nibble
Method
- Chill the jenever bottles in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving; the spirit should pour viscously.
- Place two tulip glasses on the bar and fill each to the brim with oud or jong jenever. The fill must overflow the glass tension slightly.
- Pour the pilsner into a separate beer glass beside the jenever.
- The drinker leans down without lifting the glass and sips the meniscus off the top of the jenever in one motion. This is the kopstootje.
- Take the rest of the jenever in a slow second sip, then drink the pilsner chaser.
- For a tasting flight, serve a 3-year, 5-year, and 8-year oud jenever side by side and compare the malt-and-barrel progression.
- Pair with thin slices of osseworst or aged Gouda.
Tip from the editors. Never drink jenever from a cocktail glass; the tulip is sized so the first sip must be taken hands-free, and that is the entire ritual.
Where to eat jenever (dutch gin)
Jenever (Dutch Gin) in Rotterdam
Proeflokaal Reijngoud ★ 4.7
A subterranean 19th-century proeflokaal stocking over 100 Dutch genevers and Belgian jenever, passed by thousands of tourists who never find.
Why locals goTucked below street level behind an unmarked door, most tourists walk past it entirely
Jenever (Dutch Gin) in Utrecht
Kafe Belgie ★ 4.8
Utrecht's late-night institution on the Oudegracht serving until 04:00 on weekends. Belgian fries, over 200 beers and a chaotic, popular interior since 1980.
TryBelgian fries with andalouse sauce
Ledig Erf ★ 4.7
Historic brown cafe on the Tolsteegplein open to 02:00 on weekends. Forty Dutch and Belgian beers, bitterballen and a legendary local atmosphere.
TryBitterballen and Dutch bar snacks
More cities are in research. Want jenever (dutch gin) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.