A ‘koopstoot’ from Brewery ‘t IJ

7-10-2022

  • Een kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJEen kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJ
  • Een kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJEen kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJ
  • Een kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJEen kopstootje met jenever van Brouwerij 't IJ

A thousand bottles, a lot of beer, one genever. On 13 October, Brewery ‘t IJ in Amsterdam will launch its first own limited edition spirit. The kopstoot or in English heatbutt is a glass of beer with a genever and a typical Amsterdam invention. As an Amsterdam brewer, the choice to make genever (Dutch gin) alongside beer is therefore a logical one. Brewery ‘t IJ decided to distil beer and process it into genever, whose characteristic flavour is due to additions of celery and caraway seeds. A drink according to the standards of ‘t IJ: pure and smooth, with a soft spiciness that combines well with the beers of Brewery ‘t IJ.

2 minutes read

Distilling IJ beer for the genever in the ‘kopstoot’ from Brewery ‘t IJ

Brewery ‘t IJ got to work distilling their beer at two locations. At The Stillery in Amsterdam, where it is still maturing as malt wine to come to life later, and at Dada Chapel in Ghent. Some of the beer distilled in Ghent was made into genever. The team from ‘t IJ travelled to Belgium to fill and seal the thousand bottles themselves. All labels were pasted by hand. Now the genever is ready to be shared with aficionados. This special genever will be available from mid-October in selected cafés and liquor stores mainly in Amsterdam.

Enjoy the genever as a ‘koopstoot’ or single

Brewery ‘t IJ is enthusiastic about the new and somewhat surprising twist: “We have been brewing beer just fine for almost forty years, so why not try something different? After brewing, we sometimes have a glass of beer in an Amsterdam pub and, in line with Amsterdam tradition, we often have a small genever next to it. That started the idea of making our own genever. We contacted several distilleries and now the time has come: our genever is a reality. Perfect as a koopstoot (headbutt) in combination with one of the IJ beers or just to enjoy,” says Louis Croonen, brand manager of the brewery.

About Brewery ‘t IJ

The brewery was founded in 1985 by musician and Belgian beer lover Kasper Peterson. His own specialty beer, initially brewed in a squat, was a success and he converted the empty bathhouse next to mill De Gooyer into a brewery. A tasting room and terrace soon followed. Over 20 years later, Peterson sold his brewery, which not only continued to brew classics, but also introduced new styles and flavours to the market. Today, IJwit is Brouwerij ‘IJ’s best-known beer, but seasonal beers such as PaasIJ are also popular every year.

Website: Brewery 't IJ

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