The term Dutch Courage and genever go hand in hand. While the Dutch and English soldiers fought side by side during the Eighty Years’ War (1568-1648). The Dutch soldiers had a daily ration of genever, and every morning before battle, they would take some big gulps of Dutch Courage to take the edge off. And since the English and Dutch fought side by side against the same enemy, they were willing to share their daily portion of genever.
We now also offer Cocktail Workshops and several tastings at Dutch Courage Cocktailbar.
We offer these every single day, from opening hour until 9 PM.
genever
Explore the stories behind their poetic names.
Genever
and cocktails
And it was not just the British. Dutch spirits have played a major role on the world stage for hundreds of years. Our traditional genever was widely traded and drunk all over the world. And during the American ‘Golden Age of Cocktails’ (1850-1920), genever was one of the four spirits used as a base in cocktails, alongside brandy, whiskey and rum. 25% of all classic cocktails are traditionally based on genever! At Dutch Courage we let our guests fall in love again with this Dutch spirit and other beautiful distillates, such as Dutch gin, rum and old-Dutch liqueurs. The Zeedijk, traditionally a neighbourhood where ships full of herbs and spices entered the country, is therefore the ideal location.
Ode to Dutch
drinking culture
Cocktail bar Dutch Courage combines 150 different genevers from the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany with an extensive range of genevers based cocktails and is an ode to genever and old-Dutch liqueurs. Foreign spirits, with stories that lead back to the Netherlands, are also available. Timo Janse: “We want to offer a good balance between a high-quality cocktail bar on the one hand and the cozy, ’gezellige’ and accessible ambience of the traditional local pub on the other. We therefore do not take reservations. In addition to a cocktail based on Dutch history, you can also enjoy a genever tasting flight or a qualitative ‘kopstootje’ with local beers.”
Discover the world of Dutch spirits through our guided tastings, hosted by our experienced bartenders. We take you through a carefully selected range of genevers and other local spirits, sharing stories, flavours, and history along the way. Whether you are new to tasting or already familiar with the craft, each session is relaxed, informative, and designed to surprise your palate.
All our team members are fully trained cocktail bartenders, ensuring knowledgeable service and confident advice at all times. We train regularly and are deeply specialised in Dutch spirits and classic as well as modern cocktails. Throughout the year, we also host free tastings, guest shifts, and workshops to keep learning and sharing our craft.
