The most hated drink of Amsterdam

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: The most hated drink of Amsterdam.

In the category of old-school alcoholic drinks, vieux scores quite high. But although the light brown drink is often found behind the bar, it is hardly ever ordered. Following the resurgence of the kopstootje, I advocate for the resurrection of vieux.

What the vieux
For the youngsters among us, or for those who haven't spent enough time in brown pubs: vieux is the Dutch interpretation of cognac. Cognac was too expensive for many, so an affordable variant was created, also known as Dutch cognac or Koetsiers cognac. In the 1960s, this name had to change when the authentic (French) cognac became a protected designation of origin. The new name: vieux.

Unlike cognac, vieux is not distilled from white wine, but is made from a neutral grain or melissa alcohol. Various herbal extracts and caramel for sweetness are added to it. A unique combination, I admit it immediately.

Old Amsterdam
Vieux is a bit like the Nickelback of alcoholic drinks: it is totally misunderstood and hated by many. Yet it still often appears on the menu. Especially in brown pubs, but you also see vieux in restaurants and cafés.

Such as in eatery Piet de Gruyter in Amsterdam-West, where I regularly stand behind the bar. Why do we have it on the menu? ‘It's just such an old Amsterdam drink that can still be found in every brown pub. That's where it belongs. At one point, I also got requests for vieux from a number of older regular guests, so I bought a bottle,’ says the owner. But in ten years at Piet de Gruyter, only about three bottles have been purchased...

Tonight a vieux
Vieux was until 1986, after young jenever, the most popular distilled drink in the Netherlands, quite impressive! Let's collectively try again. Order a vieux-cola instead of a gin and tonic or baco, or sip a vieux instead of a jenever.

Then we can also use that beautiful slogan from the 1960s again: ’And don't forget friends... Tonight a vieux.‘