Timo Janse: “The most fabulous spirit for me is genever, it is heritage, it is craft, it is awesome”

Timo Janse is an owner of Flying Dutchmen Cocktails and owner of Perfect Serve Barshow Amsterdam. He finds pisco a spirit of the future, can’t sleep until his email inbox is empty and watches Spongebob Squarepants on a bad days. Flying Dutchmen team focuses on the drinks created by bartenders generations before them. They love good drinks, value the beauty of simplicity, and aim to highlight the unique qualities of every spirit on their 500 bottle backbar. We couldn’t wait until Timo comes to the BAROMETER on September 28-30 and already asked him some questions.

How many glasses a day do you usually serve (on busy Friday)?

300.

How many glasses a day do you usually drink?

3 I think on average.

How much ice do you use in the bar per Friday night?

240 kilo.

What is the funniest cocktail name you ever heard/invented yourself?

Put the lime in the coconut.

What is the most popular cocktail in your bar now?

Flying Dutchmen Cocktail.

What is the most unpopular (underestimated) cocktail these days?

Gimlet.

Have you ever heard a really weird/scary story from your guest? If yes, please tell it in brief.

Yes, we had the bartenders from street across come in (we worked at a speakeasy). Turned out there had been a shooting in their bar 5 minutes before and the shooter was still at large… in our street…

What you could name a spirit of the future (nearest or far)?

Pisco.

What was the weirdest cocktail you ever made/tried/saw in your life?

I did a LOT of cocktails with cheese or salmon I guess.

What is your ideal guest? What would he order?

Beautiful woman drinking Manhattans with shots of bourbon on the side. Well behaved, intelligent, knows her spirit but not a nerd.

What would you like to invent?

A way to make all spirits available to the whole world within 3 hours, 7 days per week.

What spirit is the most fabulous for you? Why?

Genever, it is heritage, it is craft, it is awesome.

What is the spirit/cocktail you could never make yourself to drink? Why?

There is none. I will literally drink anything.

What is the best part of bartending for you?

Being part of a group of the nicest, friendliest, most listening people you will ever meet.

What did your job teach you?

Patience.

What’s a bad habit you have?

I always have to have an email inbox with zero emails to the point that I cannot sleep until all my emails are gone.

What superpower would you most like to have?

Infinite life.

Or what is it if you already have one?

The ability to work without food, drink or toilet break for more than 24 hours.

What was the last picture you took with your phone?

Of our cocktail of the week.

What music do you listen now?

Hardcore Gabber.

When you’re having a bad day, what do you do to make yourself up?

Coffee or watch Spongebob Squarepants.

What kind of tattoo would you like to have? Or tell us about tattoos you already have.

I have a large flame on my chest.

Is there a life on Mars?

Not anymore.

By Kateryna Mykhailenko