No Tonic Allowed
Genever, an 1800s-style gin, hits Chicago bars
Serious tipplers make a mission of recreating drinks from the cocktail's golden age.
But to be historically accurate, a gin cocktail from the 1862 Bartenders Guide shouldn't be made with Plymouth or Hendrick's. It needs genever, a Dutch-style gin that's making an American comeback.
In the mid-1800s, genever, or Holland gin, was America's go-to until the London dry style took over at the turn of the century. Genever is distilled from a grain-based mash; where London dry is smooth and herbaceous, genever is bold and malty, with flavors you'd expect to find in a whiskey.
The most popular modern versions you'll see in bars around town are Genevieve, a genever-style gin from Anchor Distilling, and Bols Genever, a new production of a historic recipe that relaunched in Chicago last month (Genevieve is available at Binny's and Lush Wine & Spirits; Bols is mostly available online for now).
One taste and you'll know: This gin isn't meant for tonic. Naha makes Dutch sangria with genever, lemon, red wine and apples ($11). At The Violet Hour, ask for a Devil's Playground--a mix of genever, ginger syrup, lemon, cassis and orange bitters ($12).
At The Drawing Room, Charles Joly and Tim Lacey serve a Martinez made with genever (click here to download the recipe). The historic drink was long considered a precursor of the martini, but the malty heft of genever brings it closer to a Manhattan.
