KETEL 1 SHAKE OFF | Competition inspires bartenders and cocktail shakers

21-2-2023

  • Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023
  • Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023
  • Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2023
  • Winner Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2022Winner Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF 2022

KETEL 1 jenever (Dutch gin) mixes well and is gaining ground in the cocktail scene, according to distiller Nolet. To support establishments in the hospitality industry in their search for the perfect mix, the family business, which has existed since 1691, organizes a mixing competition, the KETEL 1 SHAKE OFF. In this annual competition, hospitality teams compete for the best hard lemonade based on KETEL 1 Jenever and sparkling water.

Reading time: 4 minutes

Jenever

Jenever, a traditionally Dutch product. The distillate has been recapturing its place behind the famous Dutch cocktail bars for years. Recapture indeed, as jenever was at the foundation of American cocktail culture decades ago and is an immensely popular mix product. Rightly so? According to award winning bartender and co-owner of cocktail bar Dutch Courage and Flying Dutchmen Cocktails Tess Posthumus, yes: “Jenever is a wonderful product. Thanks to the versatility of the drink, you can go in any direction while mixing it. In addition, jenever combines fantastically with the more complex flavors guests expect in a cocktail these days. We notice that jenever cocktails are immensely popular these days.”

Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF

In this annual competition, hospitality teams compete for the best hard lemonade based on KETEL 1 jenever and sparkling water. Winners receive a significant cash prize, an overnight trip and the KETEL 1 truck on their patio, with the winning hard lemonade on tap. “People who work in the hospitality industry are cut from a different cloth. Hard workers, little complaining and of course social. With the SHAKE OFF we want to stimulate hospitality teams to stay creative and get inspired for new mixes ourselves. We are extremely curious about the surprising combinations we will get to taste.” says Eugene Bode, business unit manager of Nolet. Registration for the SHAKE OFF is open until March 1.

Winner of SHAKE OFF 2022 | Lucky Lemonade by Twentytwo Cocktailbar

Twentytwo Cocktailbar won the 2022 SHAKE OFF, thanks to the surprising interplay of flavors of their Lucky Lemonade. A fresh drink, it features sage-infused KETEL 1 jenever, bacon liqueur, ginger syrup, lemon juice, saline and sparkling water. “With a name like Lucky Lemonade, of course we were going for the win. When we heard that we had actually won the competition, we were really euphoric. We had a great day with the team during the finals, and Lucky Lemonade is still a hit on our menu,” says Raf Duiker, manager of Roermond-based Twentytwo Cocktail Bar.

We wrote about the story behind Ketel 1 years ago.

Website: Ketel 1 SHAKE OFF

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