Dutch beer: features, varieties and brands

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The Netherlands has a rich beer history. In the 14th century, Dutch brewers learned how to use hops and transfer their knowledge to other countries such as Belgium, England and France. In English, the word beer was derived from the Dutch een biertje.

The main feature of local brewing is amazing blending processes, long aging and unusual ingredients. The intoxicating drink was often made with herbs. This article provides a list of the best Dutch beers.

Heineken

In 1864, a young Dutch entrepreneur received a handsome sum from his we althy mother to buy and renovate an old brewery in the center of Amsterdam. A few years later, the plant began to produce a drink that was named after the creator Gerard Adrian Heineken.

Since then, this company has become almost synonymous with Dutch beer and perhaps the most recognizable product from the Netherlands. In fact, Heineken is one of the most popular drinks ever created, and itsSignature green bottles emblazoned with a red star are available in bars around the world.

The taste of the drink has a typical bitterness. However, beer is sensitive to light, and the proverbial green bottle doesn't protect against UV rays like the usual brown bottle. The drink has noble hops, but it remains insipid and somewhat “boring”.

Amstel

This brand of Dutch beer is also known to Russian consumers. The first batch of Amstel was released in 1968 under the auspices of the already popular concern Heineken N. V.

Amstel Gold 7% - a hoppy light m alt drink with slight notes of grains and leaves. It has an earthy aftertaste. The beer is very dry, with little bitterness. This is an incredibly aromatic drink, but you need to be prepared for the fact that after it there is a slight aftertaste.

Alfa Bierbrouwerij B. V

Alfa Edel Pils is a Dutch beer that is extremely difficult to find in a regular supermarket, which is completely undeserved. This is a pure and natural pilsner that contains 5% alcohol. Alfa Edel Pils is made with barley m alt, natural hops and spring water.

This is a beer with its own character: generous taste and delicate bouquet. Each bottle of Alfa Edel Pils has a unique number printed on the label. The ideal drinking temperature is 7-8 °C. The drink is produced by Alfa Bierbrouwerij B. V.

Hertog Jan Dubbel

ArcenseBierbrouwerij is a traditional Dutch high fermentation beer. Already from the first seconds, all the advantages of the intoxicating drink can be noted: high stable foam, beautiful reddish-brown hue, soft aroma, not harsh. It only takes one sip to feel the rich m alt notes and sweet aftertaste.

Several centuries ago, Arcense Bierbrouwerij was brewed in Belgian monasteries. The very concept of “dubbel” means “double beer”. There is an ancient legend that tells that the monks marked the bottles of drink with crosses as a sign of the fortress. There were two crosses on the bottle of Arcense Bierbrouwerij.

When opening the beer, you can feel the bright aroma of hazelnuts, fruits, spices and cinnamon. Produced in the Dutch brewery Hertog Jan Dubbel (“Duke Jan Dubbel”), this Belgian hoppy drink is famous for its incredible taste, combining notes of raspberries, strawberries, flowers, chocolate and cherries.

Bavaria

Bavaria N. V. is the second largest brewery in the Netherlands. The exact date of foundation is unknown, it is assumed that it was opened before 1680. Since 1773, the plant belonged to the family of Ambrosius Swinkels. Bavaria N. V. produces 700 million liters of beer a year.

Consumers prefer Bavaria 8.6%, Bavaria Hollandia 3% and Bavaria Hooghe Bock 6.5%. The last drink is of particular value. It has a red-brown color, the taste is sweet, with a slight bitter aftertaste. The drink is made without added sugar.

Bockbier

High strength Dutch beer brewed at Brouwerij 't IJ in Amsterdam. The owner of the Bockbier brand - Kaspar Peterson - began creating intoxicating drinks back in 1985.

All Dutch Bockbier beers (Natte 6.5%, Paasij 7%, Plzen 5%, Struis 9%, Turbock Winterbier 9%, Vlo 7%, Zatte 8%, Kuipertje Bokbier 6.5%, Drie Kruizen Karthuizer Ipso Facto 10.5%, Oranjeboom Oranjeboom 5%) are alive and natural. The main feature of the drinks is that they are not pasteurized or filtered.

You can try one of the beers either in the pub next to the Brouwerij 't IJ distillery or during a tour of it.

Budels

Budelse Brouwerij is another Dutch beer producer. Consumers choose three grades Bock 6.5%, Parel 6% and Capucijn 6.5%. The latter is especially popular and here's why. The drink has a ruby color, and the name comes from the French capuchins, who at the beginning of the last century had a monastery in Budel.

Note that all Budelse Brouwerij products are made in the abbey. The main feature of Dutch beer is its mild taste and fantastic aroma. Sold in bottles, and presented to connoisseurs of intoxicating drinks as ale. Capucijn has a light aroma of caramel, as well as the taste of sweet and slightly roasted m alt with cherries, and sourness is felt. It is not recommended to drink too cold so that the beer can fully develop.

De Leckere

De Leckere is a brewery that has been producing delicious drinks since 1997. Three special varieties stand out Hertsfbok 6.5%, Tripel 8% and Witbier 5%.

Tripel 8% is in high demand, no wonder. The main reason for the popularity of the variety: sweet m alty taste, with woody notes. When opened, the beer vaguely resembles rum and orange zest. Witbier 5% and Hertsfbok 6.5% are similar in taste and aroma to Tripel 8%.

Grolsch Brewery

In 1615, William Nirfeldt founded a brewery in the village of Grolle, now called "Grunlo" (the Dutch province of Gelderland). The owner's daughter married Peter Kuiper, who was appointed master of the Grolle brewers' guild in 1676.

Much later, namely in 1922, under the auspices of De Enschedesche Bierbrouwerij, the modern Grolsch brewery was founded. Today it is a recognizable brand that can be found on the shelves of local supermarkets. Among the large selection, buyers choose several varieties: Blonde 4.5%, De Vierde Wijze 7.5%, Herfstbok 6.5%, Zomergoud 5% and Premium Weizen 5.3%.

Where to find a good intoxicating drink

If Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria are sold in any Russian supermarket, what about the rest of the Dutch beer? In Moscow, there are several shops and pubs that sell special intoxicating drinks. Most of themproduced by breweries only as a limited edition.

The Buchen House sells Dutch beer (craft, lager, pilsner). More than 10 stores of the network have been opened in the city, which are located in almost all districts (Odintsovo, Nakhabino, Altufyevo, etc.). Pilgrim imports not only drinks from the Netherlands, but also from Belgium, Germany and England.

The importance of choosing the right one

It is important to understand that not all drinks of Dutch origin are sold all year round. Some beers are made only in certain seasons, because at other times of the year they simply will not work. For example, dark beer with a bittersweet undertone should only be brewed in autumn. And no brewery guarantees that a drink will taste the same as a few years ago.

The exception is global brands such as Heineken, because their products are put on the conveyor. The rest of the factories (for example, De Leckere) do not strive to gain fame in many countries, but are focused on creating really high-quality and delicious drinks.

Some breweries, such as Hertog Jan Dubbel and Budels, even brew beer in strictly limited quantities. The thing is that in many monasteries and abbeys it is allowed to make an intoxicating drink exactly in the quantity needed to maintain your spirit and body.

That's why limited edition beer can be tasted at festivals, or in specialized pubs, or on a tour, orwinning the lottery. In any case, Dutch beer is one of the most preferred in the world. And some even believe that it laid the foundation for the creation of original intoxicating drinks on a par with Belgian breweries.