Holland stands out for a few things – tulips, clogs and exceptional progress in the field of sustainability, to name three. The Dutch are known for bringing the world’s first plastic-free shopping aisle to a national supermarket chain, and for the Waste is Delicious initiative, which saves produce destined for the bin and transforms the ingredients into new edible items like soups, chutneys and beer. In short, when it comes to waste reduction, the Dutch are nailing it.
The Netherlands is continuing to show the world how to pull off zero waste, this time with vodka made from discarded volumes of the country’s iconic flower – the tulip.
Dutch Tulip Vodka is the creation of actor, filmmaker and entrepreneur Joris Putman, who set out to invent an entirely new product in 2014. Just four years later, his unique and distinctly Dutch vodka is a reality, stocked in upscale restaurants around Europe. The Dutch Tulip Vodka brand is growing steadily.
Its “Pure” vodka is made from just two ingredients – water and tulips – at the overarching Clusius Craft Distillery company, which is named after a French-born botanist famous for introducing the tulip industry to The Netherlands. Each “Pure” bottle (which is the brand’s premium offering) contains around 350 tulip bulbs, and markets for 295 euros ($AU 478). The vodka is distilled three times over three months, resulting in a smooth, clean-tasting spirit with complex botanical notes. Perfect for drinking straight, which is what the team at Clusius recommends.
The best part? According to Putman, the distillation process results in zero waste.
“We use 100 per cent Dutch tulip bulbs, cooked and fermented in a manual process,” says the Dutch Tulip Vodka website. “After making the alcohol, Dutch Tulip Vodka is made with water purified by a natural sand filter: the Dutch sand dunes. Water that is known worldwide for its purity, quality and crystal-clear taste.”
Any by-product from the distilling process is given a whole new life as a tasty snack for the friendly neighbourhood dairy cows.
“We buy organic tulip bulbs from a local farmer, then once our distillation process is finished, we bring the leftover mashed tulip bulbs to a nearby dairy farm for the cattle,” Putman tells Munchies.
Any by-product from the distilling process is given a whole new life as a tasty snack for the friendly neighbourhood dairy cows.
“The cows really love the tulip bulbs – they’re a special treat!”
Beyond that, though, the distilling process is kept under lock and key, ensuring this vodka’s one-of-a-kind status for as long as possible.
While it might be a little while before tulip vodka makes its way to Australia (it’s currently for sale online in certain European countries), we do have a vodka made with rose petals that we can call our own. It’s by Twenty Third Street Distillery in South Australia.
Waste-free spirits made with beautiful bulbs – we’ll drink to that.
No scrap left behind
The Aussie uni turning food waste into fertiliser
