We had our first snow fall today, if that’s what you can call that pitiful shit falling from the sky. It was cold and wet anyway. But too wet to settle.

So what better kind of drink than something bright and fruity, that speaks of the Spring to come, just after we get through the next few long night/short days, to come.

So I went looking. Now, I was looking for a recipe to use my new Rye (Rogge) Genever, that is distilled here in Amsterdam by Wynand Fockink. A distillery that dates back to 1679, located in the Pijlsteeg, just off Dam Square, for anyone that wants to visit. Wynand Fockink is now owned by Bols. Bols used to label their stuff as distilled in Amsterdam. But that wasn’t quite true. So they acquired WF, so that they had somewhere here, in Amsterdam so they could legally claim that.
WF still distill lots of stuff there, in their 5? vats. I think it’s 5 anyway, from memory. We tend to take visitors there because it’s such an interesting thing to show people. You get samples as well, if you do the tour.

I wandered away from the original recipe fairly well, with ingredients, using what I had on hand.
I used avallen Calvados, from Normandy, ( and yes, it is spelled small a) which we purchased from a local supplier here, on good recommendation. Props to Cane & Grain as well 👍

I also veered away from the loganberry liqueur, substituting my own pomegranate one.
Then for the beer, I used what we happened to have in the fridge, which was a Zwaar Blond. It’s a beer that comes in at a hefty 7.5%, and produced by Brouwerij de Ambacht. It’s a brewery in Noord-Brabant , which is down towards Belgium. North Brabant being one of the provinces of the Netherlands.

Rye House Spring Beer Cocktail
I found this recipe on Liquor.com

• 22.5ml Bols Genever- I actually used Wynand Fockink Rye (Rogge) Genever
• 22.5ml Laird’s Applejack- I used avallen Calvados
• 15ml Clear Creek Loganberry Liqueur- I used a homemade Pomegranate Liqueur
• 22.5ml Lime Juice- or just a whole lime 😉
• 22.5ml Ginger Simple Syrup
• Lager Beer- again, I used something different- we had Zwaar Blond

Add the genever, calvados , pomegranate liqueur, lime juice and ginger syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
Strain into a highball glass filled with fresh ice.

Then 👉
Garnish
With a
Lime wedge