This site outlines the history of the EFFEN brand, the personality and celebrated stories, and the distinguishing characteristics of the liquid itself.
The accounts and statements on this site form the timeless DNA of the EFFEN brand. These truths shape the brand and help to define its future direction.
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THE DECK
MOMENTS
‘WE WANT TO CREATE A CULTURAL REVOLUTION IN THE SPIRITS INDUSTRY WHERE FUNCTION DRIVES FORM IN EVERYTHING FROM THE LIQUID TO THE LABEL.’ – JOHN HORN, FOUNDING TEAM
In the early 2000s, the vodka market was becoming increasingly complicated, with a multitude of pretentious and homogenous brands focusing more on extravagance and energy than on the quality of the vodka itself.
A team of spirit and on-trade enthusiasts set out to create a super-premium vodka that could cut through the superficiality of the vodka market and EFFEN was born.
A team of spirit and on-trade enthusiasts set out to create a super-premium vodka that could cut through the superficiality of the vodka market and EFFEN was born.
Effen Timeline
2001
JStar Brands is formed by former KBA Marketing Partners, Jon Deitelbaum, Brad Trayser, and Daniel Stoothoff.
2002
JStar finds Hooghoudt and partners with them to create a smooth, balanced, and even vodka produced from Northern Holland wheat.
JStar prepares to launch their new product with Hooghoudt under the name ‘Naked Vodka’ when due to legal roadblocks around the trademark of the name, they are forced to delay the launch.
JStar prepares to launch their new product with Hooghoudt under the name ‘Naked Vodka’ when due to legal roadblocks around the trademark of the name, they are forced to delay the launch.
2003
Daniel Stoothoff travels to Holland and on his way to Hooghoudt distillery stops at every Dutch bar where every bartender inspires him to name the liquid EFFEN meaning smooth in Dutch
2004
EFFEN BLACK CHERRY LAUNCHED AS HOLIDAY LTO
2005
EFFEN purchased by the Chicago subsidiary of Constellation Brands
2009
Constellation Brands sold EFFEN to Sazerac Co., shortly after which EFFEN was purchased by Fortune. EFFEN is acquired by Beam
2015
The brand is repositioned to target AA males behind the 50 Cent partnership, Ciroc identified as key competitor
2020
A reorganization of the vodka portfolio positions EFFEN as a powerhouse brand, specifically targeting the LGBTQ+ and Black consumer
Stories
THE REAL VODKA
SIMPLY SMOOTH, MADE WITH AND FOR BARTENDERS.
THE WHY
Bartenders saw an opportunity for a simple, sleek, quality premium vodka to cut through a complicated and pretentious market and be relevant to the contemporary super-premium vodka consumer.
THE MAKING
Quality meant smoothness, leading to Northern Holland due to the smooth, balanced flavour profile produced in the region (inspired by Kettle One and Vox winning all blind tasting research).
THE NAMING
The word ‘effen,’ meaning smooth, even and balanced in Dutch, was used by Dutch bartenders to describe good vodka. Speaking to both the Dutch origins and the smoothness of the liquid, EFFEN became the brand name.
THE DESIGN
A simple, sleek and slim design that stood in contrast to the superficial vodka brands of the time, made with a PBC rubber sleeve to provide better grip for bartenders and ensure the bottle wouldn’t slip when wet.
People
Effen
THE ENTREPRENEURS
OUR FOUNDING TEAM
EFFEN Vodka was developed by Jstar Brands, a group of pop culture and nightlife aficionados determined to breathe new life into the homogenous world of spirits made by multi-national conglomerates.
Six entrepreneurs were involved in our founding team: Spirit experts Jon Deitelbaum, Brad Trayser, Daniel Stoothoff, and John Horn, supported by financial backers Kevin Berg and Steven Berg.
Before Jstar Brands, Jon Deitelbaum, Brad Trayser, and John Horn were at KBA Marketing Group, a premier nightlife marketing agency, ahead of its time in ‘trend influence marketing.’ Daniel Stoothoff was a former client of theirs from Diageo, with contacts in the spirits industry.
Over time, the Group had more than 1,100 bartenders in their network to activate clients with. They sold the agency in 1999, and some went into media, others into spirits. But after a few years, the team had an itch to work together again, reminiscing about their work with spirits.
The team started by looking at the world of vodka and saw a category that not only felt a little pretentious but was also homogenous – a sea of frosted glass and superficial images. So they set out to design a super-premium vodka brand from the ground up – one that delivered on quality, stood out from the crowd and was relevant to today’s super-premium vodka consumer.
Six entrepreneurs were involved in our founding team: Spirit experts Jon Deitelbaum, Brad Trayser, Daniel Stoothoff, and John Horn, supported by financial backers Kevin Berg and Steven Berg.
Before Jstar Brands, Jon Deitelbaum, Brad Trayser, and John Horn were at KBA Marketing Group, a premier nightlife marketing agency, ahead of its time in ‘trend influence marketing.’ Daniel Stoothoff was a former client of theirs from Diageo, with contacts in the spirits industry.
Over time, the Group had more than 1,100 bartenders in their network to activate clients with. They sold the agency in 1999, and some went into media, others into spirits. But after a few years, the team had an itch to work together again, reminiscing about their work with spirits.
The team started by looking at the world of vodka and saw a category that not only felt a little pretentious but was also homogenous – a sea of frosted glass and superficial images. So they set out to design a super-premium vodka brand from the ground up – one that delivered on quality, stood out from the crowd and was relevant to today’s super-premium vodka consumer.
BERT HOOGHOUDT
THE DISTILLER
The partners needed a distiller that was able to produce the premium spirit they were hoping to create. Their search lead them to the Hooghoudt distillery in Northern Holland, established by the baker Hero Jan Hooghoudt in 1888.
When they arrived in 2002, 4th generation Bert Hooghoudt was leading the distillery and beginning to focus more on vodka. His family had been distilling complex genevers for over 130 years, passing family recipes down through the generations.
They had a 120 year-old recipe that Bert’s father had initially tried to get to work in US, however years later, Bert was still struggling to break into the American Market.
When the partners came across Hooghoudt, they knew they had found what they were looking for. Hooghoudt’s vodka, produced from 100% wheat, gave the founder’s the smooth, balanced attributes they were after. They were given Hooghoudt’s 120-year old neutral grain spirit recipe, which they worked to refine for their vision for EFFEN.
When they arrived in 2002, 4th generation Bert Hooghoudt was leading the distillery and beginning to focus more on vodka. His family had been distilling complex genevers for over 130 years, passing family recipes down through the generations.
They had a 120 year-old recipe that Bert’s father had initially tried to get to work in US, however years later, Bert was still struggling to break into the American Market.
When the partners came across Hooghoudt, they knew they had found what they were looking for. Hooghoudt’s vodka, produced from 100% wheat, gave the founder’s the smooth, balanced attributes they were after. They were given Hooghoudt’s 120-year old neutral grain spirit recipe, which they worked to refine for their vision for EFFEN.
THE BARTENDERS
CHICAGO TO HOLLAND
In the development of EFFEN, John Horn interviewed 100 bartenders across 14 markets to understand the white space in Premium Vodka.
The bartenders expressed a need for a simple vodka that tasted good but was also neutral, and consistent to use in cocktails. In terms of design, they wanted a sleek bottle with a good grip, that would not slip out of their hands when wet.
With this insight and the 120-year-old Hooghoudt family, the partners tested and refined their vodka until it matched their vision. They came up with the name, Naked Vodka, and were about to launch when they ran into trademark issues.
Frustrated and distraught, Daniel Soothoff traveled to Holland. On his way to Hooghoudt distillery, he stopped at every Dutch bar he could find, speaking to the bartenders about vodka. Several of them mentioned the word ‘effen’ – Dutch for smooth, even, and balanced – also the perfect name for an American vodka imported from Holland.
Currently, there are 10,000 bartenders in the brand program.
The bartenders expressed a need for a simple vodka that tasted good but was also neutral, and consistent to use in cocktails. In terms of design, they wanted a sleek bottle with a good grip, that would not slip out of their hands when wet.
With this insight and the 120-year-old Hooghoudt family, the partners tested and refined their vodka until it matched their vision. They came up with the name, Naked Vodka, and were about to launch when they ran into trademark issues.
Frustrated and distraught, Daniel Soothoff traveled to Holland. On his way to Hooghoudt distillery, he stopped at every Dutch bar he could find, speaking to the bartenders about vodka. Several of them mentioned the word ‘effen’ – Dutch for smooth, even, and balanced – also the perfect name for an American vodka imported from Holland.
Currently, there are 10,000 bartenders in the brand program.
Place
MADE FOR THE BAR
ORIGIN:
NORTH HOLLAND
Hooghoudt distillery is located in the Northern part of Holland, near the town of Groningen. The founders came to this part of the country due to the specific flavour profile of the spirit produced in this region.
EFFEN is infused with pure spring water from a local Groningen reservoir and is made using a patented process that is true to its Dutch roots.
EFFEN is infused with pure spring water from a local Groningen reservoir and is made using a patented process that is true to its Dutch roots.
Even the name EFFEN is Dutch, meaning ‘smooth, even or balanced.’
SOUL PLACE:
BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS OF AMERICA’S LEADING CITIES
EFFEN was made for the bartenders and the nightclubs. Its soul place lies in the bars and nightclubs of America’s leading cities – with the initial launch cities: Chicago and New York City, to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Dallas.
HEADQUARTERS:
CHICAGO
The EFFEN headquarters was in Chicago, and the brand has always performed best in its hometown. With the Chicago bartenders in mind, they sought to create a brand that would stand out amidst the Vodka boom seen in Chicago, as well as across the nation.
The brand’s headquarters were in Chicago due to the founders’ ties to the city, having worked together at KBA marketing, a Chicago-based marketing firm specializing in on-premise marketing at restaurants, bars, and clubs.
The brand’s headquarters were in Chicago due to the founders’ ties to the city, having worked together at KBA marketing, a Chicago-based marketing firm specializing in on-premise marketing at restaurants, bars, and clubs.
Liquid
SIMPLY SMOOTH
EFFEN WAS CREATED FROM A TASTE VISION;
UNMISTAKABLE SMOOTHNESS. SIMPLY SMOOTH.
BASE:
100% wheat, delivering a very pure and smooth alcohol.
WATER:
The water is a mixture of ground water from the ‘Drentsche Plateau’ and water from the ‘Drentsche Aa National Landscape’, a national nature reserve park located just south of Groningen.
EFFEN’s water source ensures a very clean and pure water base, enabling an extremely smooth and pure Vodka.
EFFEN’s water source ensures a very clean and pure water base, enabling an extremely smooth and pure Vodka.
FILTRATION:
Filtered through active carbon, which has proven to be one of the best materials to eliminate any remaining impurities that could affect the pure character of the spirit.
A ‘bottom-up’ filtration prevents creation of air channels in the column, which in turn could cause non-optimal filtration.
A ‘bottom-up’ filtration prevents creation of air channels in the column, which in turn could cause non-optimal filtration.
FLAVOURS
In 2004, EFFEN entered the flavoured vodka market with Black Cherry. Over the years, several other flavours have been introduced, Yuzu Citrus and Rosé being the latest additions. EFFEN uses natural ingredients to create flavour profiles that are pure, balanced and singular, with an element of subtlety.
Experience
THE FIRST SIP
SIMPLY SMOOTH
EFFEN is an odorless, colorless, great-tasting vodka, specifically designed for bartenders.
Crafted for easy mixability, EFFEN inspires bartenders with its variety, whether it be enjoyed neat, +1, or in cocktails.
Crafted for easy mixability, EFFEN inspires bartenders with its variety, whether it be enjoyed neat, +1, or in cocktails.
Personality
EFFORTLESS & DELIBERATE
REAL: SUBSTANCE
HONEST, UNPRETENTIOUS, AND TIMELESS.
EFFEN strives to be a classic that never goes out of style. An honest quality product made from great ingredients and a great process, backed by the insight of 100 bartenders, and generations of distilling knowledge and expertise.
INSIDER: IN THE KNOW
QUIETLY CONFIDENT AND BOLD
EFFEN’s quiet confidence and premium speak to those who understand and appreciate true quality, people that are ‘in the know.’ EFFEN boldly sees past the pretentious façade of the vodka category, focusing on what really matters: the great liquid inside.
INVITING: GREAT HOSTING
INCLUSIVE, WELCOMING AND COLLABORATIVE
EFFEN is made by bartenders and for bartenders. A socially expressive vodka, it invites people in with its approachability, smoothness, and collaborative nature when it comes to mixing.
