NETHERLANDS: Low country of canals, dikes, Rembrandts … and Genever
In 1969, just 18 years old and hitch-hiking from Northern Europe to Scandinavia, like many young Americans I was captivated by Amsterdam, my teenage eyes opened by the hashish in the coffee shops, the red-light district, and the psychedelic music scene at the Melkweg club. Another memory that stands out among those experiences is sitting in a “brown café” and being introduced to Genever. Not a drinker of spirits at that time, I amused the bartender with a reaction not unlike a kid’s first drag on a cigarette. I didn’t ask for a second, but I also did not forget that encounter with the ancestor of Gin, and recently returned to Amsterdam, with a mission to re-evaluate with a more experienced palate, and to determine if this spirit would be something of interest to American drinkers.
Genever is a spirit made from distilling malt-wine and grain alcohol, with botanicals added, chiefly juniper. The two types – Jonge and Oude (young and old) – are not distinguished by aging but by the malt-wine content. Young Genever was developed in the 20th century, must have a malt-wine content not greater than 15%, and has little taste but a very strong kick. Old Genever, however, made since the 17th century with a much greater malt-wine content, is far smoother. Storing in oak barrels also adds to the taste, aroma, and drinkability.
Most Genever distilleries are located in southern Netherlands and Northern Belgium. Before driving south, however, I acquainted myself with the spirit in several in bars in Amsterdam. Still served in the traditional way – at room temperature in a small tulip-shaped glass, poured full to the brim – the young Genevers I tried immediately recalled my encounter 50 years ago. I was not impressed. The old Genevers, though, were far more palatable. But I felt sure that I wasn’t having the best the country had to offer; I was ready to go to the source.
My research prior to this journey led me to believe that if any of this spirit that is little-known to Americans would be worth importing, it would be produced by Zuidam Distillers BV. I hoped the family-run business would live up to its online portrayal as a company dedicated to artisanal production methods using all-natural, primarily locally-sourced ingredients to create not only the finest quality traditional Genever (and other spirits), but taking it in some interesting directions as well. I could not have been more excited and impressed with my visit.
A two-hour drive south from Amsterdam, the distillery is in Baarle-Nassau, a small town that by an 1843 treaty is a jigsaw puzzle of plots of land that belong to either Netherlands or Belgium. As Gilbert van Zuidam explained, “Your country is determined by where your front door is.” Because Zuidam Distillers is a family business with a passion for its “farm to glass” mission, and its location in a rural village, I had expected a small operation, similar to the many micro-distilleries that are popping up like mushrooms. In fact, Zuidam is far larger than that, and is managing a very impressive expansion in capacity while adhering to its mission. As a waiter serving us later that day at a restaurant in the nearby city of Breda exclaimed, “Zuidam has a passion for quality!”.
We had the good fortune of touring the facility with Gilbert van Zuidam, who manages sales and marketing while his brother Patrick is the master distiller. Their father Fred, after long experience with de Kuyper Distillers, founded the company in 1975. We also had the very good fortune to meet their mother Helene, who designed the firm’s beautiful HQ building.
Gilbert explained that the fields surrounding the town and the distillery were the source of 60% of the corn, wheat, and rye used in the distillation process. The crops are overseen by an agriculturalist, and rotated to conserve the soil and ensure robust grains for the distilling process. Almost all the Old Genever is stored in American Oak barrels – Zuidam has the largest supply in the Netherlands. Some particularly mellow spirits are stored in rare Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels from Jerez, Spain (see notes of our previous journey to the Sherry Triangle in the south of Spain).
In order to expand their production capacity, Zuidam has recently purchased land a few kilometers from their current facilities, and will erect a large distilling shed there. When completed, all except two recently imported 30,000 and 50,000-liter pot stills – the largest made in Scotland – will move to the new distilling shed.
Past rows of huge storage tanks were sizeable tanks of the botanicals and natural fruits and flavorings with which Patrick van Zuidam creates an impressive array of liquors, some seasonal or specially produced for holidays, others for year-round production. Gilbert informed us that they even send some of their grain to be milled at local windmills, sacrificing some efficiency and cost-effectiveness to add that element of tradition and to give work to the few remaining operating windmills. Zuidam’s attention to detail and authenticity was also evident in the labeling process: the year, batch, and barrel number is handwritten on each label.
The climax of the tour, of course, was the tasting room. Here would lie the answer as to whether the adherence to a “farm to glass” ethos produces great tasting spirits. Zuidam is already a major producer of Genever for the Dutch market, where there is a long tradition of drinking this spirit. Will a drink that is unique to this small region of Netherlands and Belgium find broader appeal, particularly in the U.S.? It was with these two questions in mind that we turned our attention to a tasting of the various varieties of Zuidam Genevers.
From the first taste of the Old Genever, I realized the quality was definitely a cut above those I had tasted in Amsterdam. The absence of any chemicals, the ratio of malt wine (50%), the balance of botanicals, and the flavor of the oak barrels made for a smoother, mellower taste. But when I tasted the Genever that was distilled with rye (Rogge Genever), I was over the moon. This creation of Patrick van Zuidam adds a discernable resonance of rye whiskey. It is fantastic, and, I believe, will especially appeal to American drinkers.
Zuidam’s very first container of Genever bound for the U.S. was being prepared for shipment during my visit. They will include some Rogge Genever – that’s the one to look for! For those looking to learn about a really distinctive artisanal spirit, I heartily recommend getting off the beaten track and heading to this small town on the Dutch/Belgian border. You won’t be disappointed!
For more information about this great producer, visit: http://www.zuidam.eu/nl/home.htm
ICELAND: Descendants of Vikings, Distillers of innovative Arctic spirits
There is an abundance of reasons to visit Iceland. The geography is wildly beautiful: glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, thermal soaking pools, underground lava tubes, hiking trails along fjords, offshore whale and puffin watching. Culturally, the 21st century sophisticated and egalitarian society contrasts dramatically with its 10th century settlement by Vikings. In summer, the sun rises at 3:30am and sets at 11:30 pm – more than enough time each day to explore the countryside and fit in at least two meals of incredibly fresh fish or grilled lamb.
All that provided a sensational backdrop to our mission to explore a growing number of local distilleries, and sample the spirits being produced on this island country bordering the arctic circle.
By far the most intriguing spirits we came across were those produced at Foss Distillery, which specializes in distilling the syrup tapped from Icelandic birch trees with a high-quality corn-based spirit. Toffi Guttormsson, the Sales and Marketing Manager, compared tapping birch trees with the maple syrup production here in North America.
Foss utilizes the birch extract in the production of four different spirits – Bjork liqueur, Birkir Snaps, Borkur Bitter, and Bjarki Vodka. I was particularly interested in tasting the Borkur Bitter, as I sensed it could be a welcome addition to bartenders’ arrays of bitters, tinctures, and shrubs with which to mix traditional and new cocktails.
My intuition proved absolutely correct. The birch nose and flavor makes a bitter that would certainly mix very well with whiskey to create very appealing variations on standard cocktails.
As yet, you can’t buy these intriguing products in the U.S. But if you were waiting for just one more reason to visit Iceland…
For more information about Foss Distillery, visit https://www.fossdistillery.is