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Genever sparks new gin fever
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The original 1820 recipe for Bols Genever. Image courtesy of Lucas Bols.
Genever (rhymes with fever), a spirit that once dominated cocktails in the 1800s, languished for more than a century before the recipe and the original Lucas Bols brand were modernized and reintroduced in to a flourishing cocktail culture in 2008.
The precursor to gin, Genever is a spirit category unto itself. It's name comes from the Dutch word for juniper and at the bar, this unique spirit said to occupy the grey category between white spirits and whiskeys. Genever is produced by triple-distilling a mash of rye, corn and wheat along with and botanicals including the juniper berry (and others similar to those used for gin but the exact recipes is a secret) in copper pot stills to 47% ABV for a spirit that has a unique, malty flavor.
Genever was popularized by Professor Jerry Thomas, author of the world’s first cocktail book ‘The Bartender’s Guide’ where it was cited as one of only four basic cocktail spirits in1862. Present day author and mixologist David Wondrich applauded the return of Bols Genever as "the missing ingredient in the bartenders palette." In March, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition awarded the brand a Double Gold medal distinguishing it in the re-emerging Genever category.
Bols reintroduced the spirit which it has distilled in some form at it's Amsterdam distillery since 1664 in response to the growing demand for the authentic spirits upon which cocktail culture was built. Piet van Leijenhorst, Lucas Bols master distiller, who spoke at the launch event in San Francisco elaborated on the taste profile of the product which "has been lovingly reinvented for today’s taste, inspired by our original Bols Genever recipe from 1820 that conquered the world and helped define cocktails in their first Golden Age." In San Francisco, Bols Genever can be enjoyed at Absinthe, NOPA, Jardinière, Farallon, Zinnia, Bourbon & Branch and Elixir, and is available for purchase at John Walker & Co., CASK and Bottle Barn.
Old Sydney-Town Punch
H. Joseph Ehrmann
1.5oz Bols Genever
.5oz St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
.75oz lemon juice
.5oz orange juice
.5oz pineapple gum syrup
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, fill with ice and shake well for 10 seconds. Strain into a punch glass and serve up with a slight grate of nutmeg. To make hot, Strain above into a hot pot and then serve the same way. Or in lieu of ice, add 1.5oz of hot water and shake, strain and serve.
To batch for a punch bowl:
1 liter of Bols Genever
11oz of St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
11oz orange Juice
16oz Lemon Juice
11oz Pineapple Gum
Place a large piece if block ice in the bowl and let rest, stirring before serving.
For more info: Bols Genever outlets and cocktail recipes, www.bolsgenever.com
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