Timeline
2021
After five years of cask maturation the whisky has finally been bottled and is ready for sale! Here you can read more about the characteristics such as colour, taste and aroma of this unique whisky from Woerden.
And even during the CoViD-19 pandemic we have not been idle. Distillery Keuris is now part of the Dutch Craft Route in the Utrecht region. Read more about it here (in Dutch).
Finally, in cooperation with our Surinamese business partner, we have started the first trials of fermenting exotic fruits.
2020
This year marks the addition of potato vodka to our assortment. The combined knowledge of the potato and the processes of fermentation and distillation, this vodka has been created in cooperation with a Frisian potato farmer. Read more about this potato vodka here.
New product additions require new labels and packaging material, which is why we have started to look for new ideas on how to design the packaging of our products.
Besides the development of potato vodka, we have also put in a great deal of time and effort into the harvesting and subsequent processing of apples and pears for our calvados: Walvados.
After extensive research we managed to successfully create a recipe for an alcohol-free herbal liqueur, with no loss of flavour compared to its alcoholic peer.
2019
The palm sugar (gula djawa) rum has now been aged for a year and is read for sale. It is a unique product we have been able to develop together with Paul Burgers. Read more about our palm sugar rum here.
Together with local café Drinkerij ’t Bierhuys we organised a tasting session with our assortment of Keuris distillates.
We travelled all the way to Friesland to purchase a particular type of potato. These potatoes will be used to produce a 100% Dutch potato vodka.
Distillery Keuris has designed a wooden “flavour carousel” containing a variety of samples from our liqueur assortment. The product is aimed at restaurants and cafes for customers to try different Keuris flavours.
In the pursuit of knowledge and for the exchange of new ideas we are taking part in a tasting session at distillery the Aura in Slovenia.
The studies for a wine certificate are ongoing, to further our skill and knowledge in the field of alcoholic beverages.
2018
Keuris Whisky nr. 3 sells out completely making this an absolute highlight of the year 2018.
After a pleasant meeting in Gouda, Distillery Keuris has now acquired an additional point of sale. Part of our assortment will be available at liquor store Den Gouwen Aar. What a great addition to the vibrant life of city Gouda!
In cooperation with a designer and cabinet maker we have created, with great attention to detail, a new designer package for our whisky.
A new fermentation tank has been designed and manufactured. Fermentation occurs prior to distillation and is of great importance to the ultimate yield of the product. Read more about it here.
The 2017 beetroot vodka was a great success. The next step towards the production of a beetroot liqueur has now been taken.
The art of distillation is a traditional craft which we happily share with you. Therefore, we now offer guided tasting tours in Woerden, as well as tasting sessions and liqueur workshops at our distillery. Read more about it here.
A herbal garden has been created nearby containing herbs specially grown for our Woerden’s herbal liqueur.
2017
Besides fruit and tubers, such as potatoes for our vodka, we now also distil vegetables. Earlier this year we selected beetroots suitable for distillation. And not long after we successfully created a truly unique beetroot vodka.
As a result of the expansion of our assortment, for which a variety of fruits of loca land national origin are being used, a new fruit press has been designed and manufactured.
The last components of a new unique type of still are now being purchased.
In 2017 we started experimenting with gula djawa, which is Indonesian for palm sugar, to produce palm sugar rum. The first successful distillate is put on cask for aging.
2016
In March we organized a tasting session with a selection of Keuris distillates at café Drinkerij ‘t Bierhuys in Woerden. From now onwards, tasting sessions are available for booking at the bar as well.
By mid-2016 we rebranded our products. Labels have been redesigned, our brochure is rewritten, and webpages have been updated with a clear, consistent, and more professional look.
The need for a new fermentation tank drives us to start its design and planning for the acquisition of necessary equipment. Moreover, we are looking to buy a new incubator as well. And finally, new oak casks are being purchased.
Later this year, a small batch of whisky is ready and is sold as Keuris Whisky nr. 2.
2015
The design of a new still has been finalized, and the manufacture of it is initiated.
This year saw the launch of no less than four new products. Apple gin and coffee liqueur, both of 27% vol. were launched first. Then we added the first non-alcoholic product to our assortment: apple vinegar. And finally, the first batch of Keuris Whisky is matured on cask and is ready for sale.
Distillery Keuris attends the event Harbour Days Woerden as well as a local slow food market.
During the holidays we travelled around Central Europe where we purchased new stainless steel fermentation tanks in Slovenia and oak casks in Hungary. The latter are used to age our new barley wine. Keuris barley wine has 38% vol. and is first sold in September.
Together with restaurant De Markies and tabacco store Van Vliet, we organised a combined liqueur and cigar tasting session, which was a success!
Distillery Keuris engages itself with the employment of people who struggle to find work, for example due to social or mental health issues. At a nearby farmhouse we established a cider workshop to introduce them to the craft of cider making.
2014
Increased sales volumes led us to scale up our operations and plans for a new still are being worked out. The design is completed in 2014 and will allow us to meet the demand in the foreseeable future.
Two new distillates have been added to our assortment. An orange liqueur with 27% vol. and a Woerden’s herbal liqueur were first presented to the public in May during the event Harbour Days Woerden.
Our pursuit of inspiration for new product ideas knows no borders. In Spring we visited several breweries in the Munich area in the south of Germany, and in Fall we were in England touring different cider houses and a gin distillery.
2013
This year we searched for and compared different suppliers for a variety of bottles, jugs and caps.
Distillery Keuris was officially opened by local councilor Bob Duidam on Saturday the 8th of June 2013. We celebrated this milestone with our guests and offered them a quick guided tour at the distillery.
2012
Our efforts are directed towards the design of labels and promotional material such as leaflets. Moreover, the website is launched and a Facebook page is created.
This year also marks the start of a new project. At our distillery, barley is being malted making this the first step of a long process in the making of an as of yet still confidential product.
Our facilities are being expanded to create suitable working places for each part of the production process for making a traditional distillate.
We visit several distillers and coopers in Scotland to further our knowledge of whisky making.
A new light liqueur with 14,5% vol is released suitable for sale at our local market,
2011
With the approval from the local council construction of a new distillery is now in full swing, and we have officially registered the business with the Chamber of Commerce.
As we are based in Woerden in the centre of the Green Heart region, we have access to many local fruit growers. After visiting some of these, agreements have been made for the supply of apples and pears to our distillery.
The distillery has been split in two parts. The front part offers access to the distillery, contains the workspace for the processing and fermentation of fruit. And the other part of the distillery is where the still stands.
Our still is made of copper and can hold up to 62 litres. It will be used to produce Apple Eau de vie and Walvados. Walvados is a calvados from Woerden, hence the name, and is made by aging an apple eau de vie on cask for at least 6 months.
We attended a multitude of local markets and events, which not only contributing to what local products are on offer, but also getting our name out. Moreover, we become a partner of Slow Food Green Heart and are products are being sold at local café Drinkerij ‘t Bierhuys and liquor store Una Mas.
2010
The official start of our story is the application at the local council for permission to start a distillery. The planned location for the distillery is at Barwoutswaarder 57 in Woerden.
Distiller John Keuris
Distillery Keuris is built upon many years of experience with beer brewing and distillation. The resulting variety of high-quality distillates that make up our assortment ultimately bears testament to this long experience as well as a drive to never stop learning.
John Keuris obtained his hospitality and catering diploma in 1980 with a passion for beer. By 1988 he started his own home brewery and soon after started competing in national brewing competitions. In 1995 John joined beer society ‘t Wort Wat, and by 2001 he changed roles from competitor to a permanent member of the jury in national brewing competitions. In 2006 John first started experimenting with distillation. It soon turned out to be a new passion and by 2010 it was acknowledged with yet another permanent jury for membership. This time it was for national liqueur competitions organised by the Federation for Amateur Winemakers and Brewers Guild. And most recently in 2020, a SDEN level 3 wine certificate was added to what has become quite the list of titles and diplomas.
