Amsterdam
A citrus and fruity gin cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 21.2% ABV ∙
The Amsterdam is a shaken cocktail built on Dutch genever, orange liqueur, fresh orange juice, and orange bitters, served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Oude genever 45 mlTriple sec 20 mlOrange juice 20 mlOrange bitters 2 dashes
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Shake with cracked ice for a full 12–15 seconds; that chills and dilutes the drink properly without watering it down.
History
The Amsterdam cocktail's earliest known printed recipe appears in "The How and When," a 1937 Chicago bar guide by Hyman Gale and Gerald F. Marco, built around Holland gin (genever), orange juice, orange liqueur, and orange bitters. The drink resurfaced decades later in Victor Bergeron's 1972 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, which historians note reproduced the earlier recipe nearly unchanged, giving Trader Vic's version much wider circulation and making it the source most commonly cited today.
The name reflects the use of genever, the juniper spirit historically associated with the Netherlands and its capital, though no documented account ties the drink's creation to the city itself.
FAQ
How do you make an Amsterdam cocktail?
Shake 45 ml oude genever, 20 ml triple sec, 20 ml fresh orange juice and two dashes of orange bitters with ice. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with an expressed orange twist.
What is in an Amsterdam cocktail?
Oude genever, triple sec, fresh orange juice and orange bitters. The genever leads with its malty taste; the triple sec and juice add sweetness and fresh orange.
Is an Amsterdam cocktail shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The orange juice needs the air and quick chill of a shake; stirred, the drink would be flat and under-diluted.
What glass is an Amsterdam served in?
A coupe glass, served up with no ice, garnished with an orange twist.
