Hasselt Jenever Museum

The Hasselt Jenever Museum (Nationaal Jenevermuseum) is housed in a former distillery at Witte Nonnenstraat 19 in the city centre of Hasselt, in Limburg, Flanders, Belgium. Jenever is a juniper-flavoured spirit and the ancestor of gin, and Hasselt has been a centre of production since the 18th century. The museum occupies a restored 19th-century distillery complex that was operated by the Smeets family, and it keeps its original copper stills, boilers, grain mills and wooden vats in working order. A route through the building follows the production process from grain to bottle, with explanations of mashing, fermentation and distillation, and displays of old bottles, stoneware jugs, labels, advertising and tools from the trade. Visitors can see the vaulted cellars and the steam engine room, and some demonstrations of distilling take place on selected days. The tour ends with a tasting of a local jenever in a small tasting room, or a non-alcoholic option for younger guests and drivers. A visit takes about one hour. Photographers will enjoy the copper stills, the stacked barrels and the brick vaulting. The museum is quieter in the afternoon on weekdays, and weekend afternoons can be busier with groups. It sits a ten-minute walk from Hasselt station, close to the Grote Markt, the Japanese Garden and the fashion museum, so it combines easily with a city walk. Opening is generally Tuesday to Sunday, and visitors should confirm times and tasting availability before going. Visitors should note that jenever is a strong spirit, and tasters are limited to a small measure.