JavaScript is not enabled!
For information on how to enable Javascript on your browser click here.

Kopstoot

Name: Kopstoot
Total time: 2 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 45 ml Oude genever; 1&frasl;2 pint Belgium dubbel abbey ale

Difford’s Guide

Discerning Drinkers (3)

Measurements in:

Serves:

Keep screen awake

Ingredients
1 1/2 fl oz	Oude genever (chilled)
¹⁄₂ pint	Belgium dubbel abbey ale

How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Shot and Beer glass

Method

Select and pre-chill a SHOT AND BEER GLASS.
POUR genever into chilled shot glass and beer into beer glass.
To enjoy, sip ice-cold genever then follow with a sip of beer. And repeat.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Kopstoot contains 240 calories

Alcohol content:

1.8 standard drinks
8.9% alc./vol. (17.79° proof)
25.4 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Belgium dubbel abbey ale — Cereals containing gluten

History

The traditional Dutch way to drink genever, Kopstoot (pronounced 'Cop-Stoat') translates as 'headbutt'.

The genever is served straight from a fridge or freezer in a small tulip-shaped glass and poured at the bar to fill the glass to the brim. The glass is filled to the extent that it can't be moved without causing spillage, and tradition dictates that the drinker bends down and takes the first sip of genever without touching the glass.

Review

In the worthy pursuit of responsible drinking I must stress that when enjoying a Kopstoot you should repeatedly take a sip from each glass – savour the combination rather than shooting the genever in one gulp.

Cocktail of the day:

28th September 2026 is Drink Beer Day

Comments & Discussion

Please log in to make a comment

Michiel 261 6y

As a Dutch native speaker, I'd say pronunciation is closer to cop-stoat and translates literally to headbutt.

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member 6y

Many thanks for letting me know. I have amended info above accordingly.

Michiel 261 1y

I'd also say that this is more usually a combination of a jonge jenever rather than an old and just a regular pilsener beer, whatever's on tap. The kopstoot is a bit old-fashioned I suppose, so I'm not entirely sure.
It's also costumary to have jenever, whether combined with a beer or not, straight from the fridge, poured right in front of the costumer to the very top of the tulip glass so there's a bit of a bulb at the top and the costumer has to bend their head towards the glass to drink the first sip so as not to spill. This part I'm sure of, since I was instructed to do so when I briefly worked in a bar in the Netherlands.

Simon Difford Continue thread (1 reply)

See more...

Classic/vintage cocktails