While Dutch people (being better marketeers) say jenever (or genever) is a Dutch traditional drink, the truth is jenever is made in Belgium too. So to put it more accurately: it's a lowlands (Belgium and the Netherlands) tradition.
In fact, more than 100 Belgian varieties exist.
Well known Belgian brands are Smeets, Hertekamp and Peterman.
The jenevers from Filliers (8 year old, 50 degrees), St. Pol (40 degrees) and Radermacher ('Green Apple' and 'blood orange') are my favorites. ...But when you visit Belgium you can find out for yourself on neutral grounds in 'the Vagant', a cafe in the historical center of Antwerp, owned by a Dutchman :-)
The combination of beer and jenever is not that unusual (especially on ones bachelor night in Belgium ;))
The belgian version of a 'kopstoot' (head-butt) (mentioned in another jenever writeup) is the combination 'Duvel' (devil), a strong belgian blonde beer (8 degrees) and a very strong old jenever (>35 degrees). This is a waste of a good jenever if you ask me.
I prefer a 'Duikboot' (submarine), which is an ordinary lager beer and a young jenever. It tastes better and makes you last longer ;)
links
- http://www.dist-radermacher.com
- http://www.smeets.be
- http://www.duvel.be (beer for a kopstoot)
- email jenevermuseum Hasselt: jenevermuseum@hasselt.be