EPISODE · Jun 17, 2026 · 7 MIN
The Dutch Gin Craze: How Jenever Built a Golden Age
from The Story of the Netherlands: Trade, Empire, and Innovation — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
Lucas and Luna explore the unexpected story of jenever, the Dutch gin that fueled trade, war, and daily life in the Netherlands. From its origins as a medicinal spirit in 16th-century Leiden to its role as a global commodity shipped by the VOC, jenever shaped Dutch culture and economy. Discover how the Bols family turned a pharmacy recipe into an empire, how the Dutch victory in the Eighty Years' War boosted grain imports for distilling, and how the English adapted jenever into their own gin craze a century later. Along the way, learn about the role of the Wisselbank in financing distilleries, the impact of the Navigation Acts, and why Amsterdam's distillers once protested a tax on malt. This episode touches on Dutch trade rivalry with England, the rise of mass production, and the surprising link between genever and the Dutch East India Company's spice routes. A toast to the spirit that built a nation. #Jenever #DutchGin #Bols #LucasBols #VOC #Wisselbank #Leiden #Amsterdam #DutchGoldenAge #EightyYearsWar #NavigationActs #Distilling #GrainTrade #SpiritHistory #DutchTrade #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
Lucas and Luna explore the unexpected story of jenever, the Dutch gin that fueled trade, war, and daily life in the Netherlands. From its origins as a medicinal spirit in 16th-century Leiden to its role as a global commodity shipped by the VOC, jenever shaped Dutch culture and economy. Discover how the Bols family turned a pharmacy recipe into an empire, how the Dutch victory in the Eighty Years' War boosted grain imports for distilling, and how the English adapted jenever into their own gin craze a century later. Along the way, learn about the role of the Wisselbank in financing distilleries, the impact of the Navigation Acts, and why Amsterdam's distillers once protested a tax on malt. This episode touches on Dutch trade rivalry with England, the rise of mass production, and the surprising link between genever and the Dutch East India Company's spice routes. A toast to the spirit that built a nation. #Jenever #DutchGin #Bols #LucasBols #VOC #Wisselbank #Leiden #Amsterdam #DutchGoldenAge #EightyYearsWar #NavigationActs #Distilling #GrainTrade #SpiritHistory #DutchTrade #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Dutch Gin Craze: How Jenever Built a Golden Age
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