What goes with jenever
Jenever is the Dutch and Belgian grain spirit flavoured with juniper berries. Young jenever is light and neutral; old jenever has more malt wine and therefore more grain and bread in its flavour.
The difference between young and old is not about age but about the share of malt wine. Old jenever has more of it and therefore tastes fuller; young jenever is tighter and works better in a mix.
Korenwijn sits above that: at least several years on wood, and closest to what whisky does. You pour that neat, at room temperature.
How to serve it
- Glass
- The tulip-shaped jenever glass, filled to the rim.
- Temperature
- Young jenever cold from the fridge; old jenever and korenwijn at room temperature.
- Neat or mixed
- Neat, or as a kopstoot alongside a pils. Jonge jenever also does well mixed with bitters.
What it goes with
- herring
- aged cheese
- bitterballen
- smoked eel
- liver sausage and smoked sausage
- pea soup
- nuts
This applies to the type as a whole. What an individual bottle does is on the page of that bottle.
All 206 jenevers on the shelfAll recommendations from ’t Bockje
Combining
All 45 recommendations
Genever differs from gin through the malt wine: the share of distilled grain wine determines how much bread and grain you taste in the glass. Young genever contains little of it and stays light; it goes with herring, oysters and the drinks snack. Old genever and korenwijn contain a lot of it, often mature in wood and thereby gain enough weight for braised meat, pea soup and mature cheese. The rules behind those designations are laid down in the European regulation on spirit drinks.
Hete bliksem with Battumse Graanjenever
Hete bliksem with smoked sausage; the young graanjenever cuts through the fat and keeps the sour apple sharp.
To the bottle Battumse GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Hete bliksem with Battumse Graanjenever
Bitterballen with Bokma Jonge Graanjenever
Bitterballen made with homemade beef ragout; the neutral grain alcohol dissolves the frying fat and keeps every bite sharp.
Go to the bottle Bokma Jonge GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Bitterballen with Bokma Jonge Graanjenever
Oysters with Rutte Jonge Graanjenever
Oysters with shallot vinaigrette; young jenever takes away the sea salt and leaves the creamy heart of the oyster intact.
To the bottle Rutte Jonge GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Oysters with Rutte Jonge Graanjenever
Mussels with Ketel 1 Original
Boiled mussels with soup vegetables and white wine; the young jenever sweeps away the sea salt and carries the seasoning through.
To the bottle Ketel 1 OriginalTo the recommendation Mussels with Ketel 1 Original
Apple pie with Bols Corenwijn 10 jaar Gerijpte Genever
Classic apple pie with cinnamon and raisins; ten years of oak and 51% malt wine carry through into the caramel and the spices.
To the bottle Bols Corenwijn 10 jaar Gerijpte GeneverTo the recommendation Apple pie with Bols Corenwijn 10 jaar Gerijpte Genever
Cheese puffs with Zuidam Korenwijn 5 jaar
Cheese choux puffs made with mature cheese; malt and cheese umami lie on the same axis, and the alcohol cuts through the fat of butter and egg.
Go to the bottle Zuidam Korenwijn 5 jaarTo the recommendation Cheese puffs with Zuidam Korenwijn 5 jaar
Pea soup with Rutte Oude Graanjenever
Split pea soup with smoked sausage; the 40% malt wine echoes the pea and the alcohol cuts through the sausage fat.
To the bottle Rutte Oude GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Pea soup with Rutte Oude Graanjenever
Sauerkraut stamppot with Bokma Oude Genever
Sauerkraut stamppot with bacon bits, apple and walnut; malt lies beneath the lactic acid and the alcohol cuts through the bacon fat.
To the bottle Bokma Oude GeneverTo the recommendation Sauerkraut stamppot with Bokma Oude Genever
Jugged hare with A. v. Wees De Ooievaar Zeer Oude Genever 10 jaar
Jugged hare with red wine and bacon; ten years in an oak cask and 42% hold their own next to game and a reduced sauce.
To the bottle A. v. Wees De Ooievaar Zeer Oude Genever 10 jaarTo the recommendation Jugged hare with A. v. Wees De Ooievaar Zeer Oude Genever 10 jaar
Stewed shredded beef with Zuidam Rogge Genever 5 Jaar
Braised stewing beef in a gravy of onion, vinegar and ketjap; peppery rye and five years in cask cut through the sweet, reduced sauce.
Go to the bottle Zuidam Rogge Genever 5 JaarTo the recommendation Stewed shredded beef with Zuidam Rogge Genever 5 Jaar
Herring on rye bread with Wynand Fockink Rogge Jenever
Herring with onion on Frisian rye bread; rye comes by twice, baked in the bread and distilled in the glass.
To the bottle Wynand Fockink Rogge JeneverTo the recommendation Herring on rye bread with Wynand Fockink Rogge Jenever
Apricot and walnut dip with Hooghoudt Oloroso Cask Aged Jenever
Creamy dip with dried apricots and walnuts; seventeen years in an oloroso cask delivers exactly the same nut and raisin.
To the bottle Hooghoudt Oloroso Cask Aged JeneverTo the recommendation Apricot-walnut dip with Hooghoudt Oloroso Cask Aged Jenever
Hachee with Rutte Old Simon Genever
Hachee with five onions, vinegar and cloves; roasted nut and 40% malt wine seek out the caramelised onion.
To the bottle Rutte Old Simon GeneverTo the recommendation Hachee with Rutte Old Simon Genever
Mackerel rillettes with Old Duff 100% Moutwijn Jenever
Mackerel rillettes with browned butter; pure malt wine at 45% cuts through the fat and follows the nuttiness of beurre noisette.
To the bottle Old Duff 100% Moutwijn JeneverTo the recommendation Mackerel rillettes with Old Duff 100% Moutwijn Jenever
Waterzooi from Ghent with Filliers Oude Graanjenever 5 Jaar
Ghent waterzooi with chicken and cream; 38% cuts through the milk fat and five-year-old malt wine nestles up against the cream.
To the bottle Filliers Oude Graanjenever 5 JaarTo the recommendation Ghent waterzooi with Filliers Oude Graanjenever 5 Jaar
Dutch bar snacks with Bols Jonge Graanjenever
Skewers with ox sausage, liver sausage and mature cheese; the cold young jenever takes away fat and salt and leaves the acidity standing.
To the bottle Bols Jonge GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Dutch bar snacks with Bols Jonge Graanjenever
Kibbeling with Floryn Jonge Jenever
Home-fried cod bites with ravigote sauce; the cold young jenever cuts through the frying fat and lets the cod stay in the foreground.
To the bottle Floryn Jonge JeneverTo the recommendation Kibbeling with Floryn Jonge Jenever
Shrimp salad with Hartevelt Jonge Jenever
Dutch shrimp in iceberg lettuce with lemon mayonnaise; the neutral young genever lets the sweetness of the shrimp take centre stage.
To the bottle Hartevelt Jonge JeneverTo the recommendation Shrimp salad with Hartevelt Jonge Jenever
Stuffed eggs with Tukker Jonge Jenever
Stuffed eggs with aged cheese, mustard and chives; the lightly bitter young jenever cuts through the richness of the filling.
To the bottle Tukker Jonge JeneverTo the recommendation Stuffed eggs with Tukker Jonge Jenever
Beetroot carpaccio with Zuidam Jonge Genever
Carpaccio of red and chioggia beetroot with goat cheese and walnut; liquorice and aniseed pick up the earthy sweetness of the beetroot.
To the bottle Zuidam Jonge GeneverTo the recommendation Beetroot carpaccio with Zuidam Jonge Genever
Spicy fish balls with Notaris Jonge Graanjenever
Cod fish balls with lemongrass and red chilli; the dry, cold grain jenever puts out the heat without adding sweetness.
Go to the bottle Notaris Jonge GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Spicy fish balls with Notaris Jonge Graanjenever
Dutch borrel platter with Boomsma Jonge Pure Graanjenever
A board with sausage, mature cheese, rye bread and pickles; the cold young grain genever cuts through the fat without adding sweetness.
To the bottle Boomsma Jonge Pure GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Dutch drinks platter with Boomsma Jonge Pure Graanjenever
Asparagus Flemish style with Filliers Jonge Ambachtelijke Graanjenever
White asparagus with egg, butter and parsley; the unaged young grain jenever cuts through the butter and lets the asparagus stand out.
To the bottle Filliers Jonge Ambachtelijke GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Asparagus Flemish style with Filliers Jonge Ambachtelijke Graanjenever
Anchovy toast with Jonge Wees Amsterdamsche Graanjenever
Toast with anchovy and shallot butter; the soft, cold grain genever takes away salt and butter fat without adding sweetness.
To the bottle Jonge Wees Amsterdamsche GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Anchovy toast with Jonge Wees Amsterdamsche Graanjenever
Chicken satay with Bobby’s Jenever
Chicken satay with homemade peanut sauce; the ginger, clove and lemongrass in the genever carry the marinade on into the glass.
To the bottle Bobby’s JeneverTo the recommendation Chicken satay with Bobby’s Jenever
Fennel salad with Klarenaer Graangenever
Shaved fennel with radish, lemon and smoked trout; the spicy grain genever keeps smoke and sharpness in balance.
To the bottle Klarenaer GraangeneverTo the recommendation Fennel salad with Klarenaer Graangenever
Pork stew with Blankenheym Oude Genever
Pork tenderloin with mushrooms and baby potatoes from the roasting pan; the grain sweetness of the oude genever matches the brown crust.
To the bottle Blankenheym Oude GeneverTo the recommendation Pork stew with Blankenheym Oude Genever
Rabbit in mustard sauce with Boompjes Old Dutch Genever
Rabbit legs in cream and Zaanse mustard; malt wine and bourbon cask catch the sauce and lift the delicate meat.
To the bottle Boompjes Old Dutch GeneverGo to the recommendation Rabbit in mustard sauce with Boompjes Old Dutch Genever
Oxtail soup with Wenneker Oude Jenever
Oxtail soup with madeira; the malt wine in the aged jenever follows the caramelised meat and clears the palate again.
To the bottle Wenneker Oude JeneverTo the recommendation Oxtail soup with Wenneker Oude Jenever
Venison stew with Zuidam Oude Genever
Venison stew with dates, cinnamon and orange; barley, rye and maize in the old genever each hook onto a part of the plate.
To the bottle Zuidam Oude GeneverTo the recommendation Venison stew with Zuidam Oude Genever
Groningen eierbal with Hooghoudt Karaktervolle Oude Graanjenever
Homemade Groningen egg ball with curry ragout; the malt wine in the old grain jenever carries the curry and the breadcrumb crust.
To the bottle Hooghoudt Karaktervolle Oude GraanjeneverTo the recommendation Groningen egg meatball with Hooghoudt Karaktervolle Oude Graanjenever
Walnut tart with A. v. Wees Zeer Oude Genever
Walnut tart with caramel filling; the matured malt wine brings the same nut and caramel tone as the tart itself.
To the bottle A. v. Wees Zeer Oude GeneverTo the recommendation Walnut tart with A. v. Wees Zeer Oude Genever
Game terrine with Tukker Oude Jenever
Terrine of rabbit, pheasant and liver with pistachio; the malt wine softens the bitterness of the liver, the alcohol cleans up the pancetta fat.
To the bottle Tukker Oude JeneverTo the recommendation Game terrine with Tukker Oude Jenever
Boterkoek with De IJsvogel Oude Genever
Butter cake made with butter and muscovado; the vanilla from two years in a beer cask runs alongside the molasses sweetness of the cake.
To the bottle De IJsvogel Oude GeneverTo the recommendation Boterkoek with De IJsvogel Oude Genever
Cheese board with Boompjes Korenwijn
Three cheeses with fresh figs in Earl Grey syrup; the sixty percent malt wine catches the salt and the brie.
To the bottle Boompjes KorenwijnGo to the recommendation Cheese board with Boompjes Korenwijn
Wild boar stew with Hooghoudt Korenwijn Zacht en Moutig
Wild boar braised for an hour and a half in red wine; the full-grain korenwijn catches the tannin and leaves the game flavour standing.
Go to the bottle Hooghoudt Korenwijn Zacht en MoutigTo the recommendation Wild boar stew with Hooghoudt Korenwijn Zacht en Moutig
Cherry tart with Rutte Koornwyn
Cherry vlaai on yeast dough; the matured malt wine in the korenwijn lays a grain-sweet layer beneath the cherry acidity.
To the bottle Rutte KoornwynTo the recommendation Cherry tart with Rutte Koornwyn
Almond cake with Bols Corenwijn 2 jaar Vatgerijpt
Almond cake with mandarin syrup; vanilla from two years of Limousin oak and malt wine carry the almond and butter.
To the bottle Bols Corenwijn 2 jaar VatgerijptTo the recommendation Almond cake with Bols Corenwijn 2 jaar Vatgerijpt
Fried balkenbrij with Schermer Moutwijn
Slices of balkenbrij fried in butter with coarse mustard; the bread-like malt wine sits on the same level as the fried flour.
To the bottle Schermer MoutwijnTo the recommendation Fried balkenbrij with Schermer Moutwijn
Chicory salad with Rutte Paradyswyn 100% Maltwine Genever
Chicory with raspberries and smoked duck breast; one hundred percent aged malt wine absorbs the bitterness and follows the smoke.
Go to the bottle Rutte Paradyswyn 100% Maltwine GeneverTo the recommendation Chicory salad with Rutte Paradyswyn 100% Maltwine Genever
Groninger mustard soup with Zuidam Rogge Genever 1 Jaar
Groningen mustard soup with metworst; the peppery rye goes along with the mustard, the oak cask with the cream.
To the bottle Zuidam Rogge Genever 1 JaarTo the recommendation Groninger mustard soup with Zuidam Rogge Genever 1 Jaar
Oven-baked spare ribs with Kalkwijck Rogge Genever 3 jaar oud
Spare ribs with a syrup and apple sauce; the peppery rye cuts through the glaze, three years in cask keeps it round.
To the bottle Kalkwijck Rogge Genever 3 jaar oudTo the recommendation Oven-baked spareribs with Kalkwijck Rogge Genever 3 jaar oud
Dates wrapped in bacon with Kalkwijck Korenwijn 3 Jaar Single Cask Oloroso
Medjool dates in crispy bacon; three-year oloroso brings the same dried-fruit tone as the date.
To the bottle Kalkwijck Korenwijn 3 Jaar Single Cask OlorosoTo the recommendation Dates in bacon with Kalkwijck Korenwijn 3 Jaar Single Cask Oloroso
Plum chutney with Rutte Oloroso Sherry Cask Jenever 7 Y.O.
Plum and port chutney with mature cheese; seven-year-old oloroso sits on the same raisin and plum tone as the chutney.
To the bottle Rutte Oloroso Sherry Cask Jenever 7 Y.O.To the recommendation Plum chutney with Rutte Oloroso Sherry Cask Jenever 7 Y.O.
Smoked salmon with Hooghoudt Peated Cask Aged Genever
Smoked salmon on toast with horseradish cream; the smoky note from the cask picks up the smoke in the salmon.
To the bottle Hooghoudt Peated Cask Aged GeneverGo to the recommendation Smoked salmon with Hooghoudt Peated Cask Aged Genever
With every bottle of jenever a recommendation of its own
On the page of every bottle of jenever in the shop there is a recommendation of its own: something with the meal or drinks, a cheese and something for afterwards, with the shopping list and the preparation.