There are many drinks that can be described as typically Dutch, the best-known being beer and jenever, hugely popular both in the Netherlands and abroad. In bars across the country, and at events and festivals, beer is a popular choice and if you ask, you are likely to find jenever too! Here's what you need to know about these famous Dutch drinks.
The Netherlands is one of the world’s most prominent exporters of beer. Who hasn’t heard of the Dutch beer brands Heineken and Amstel? But how did the country’s love of beer begin? And where can you find the nicest breweries in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities? Read on to find out all about beer in the Netherlands!
Beer has been pretty important in Dutch culture, starting all the way back in the Middle Ages. Not only is it the most popular alcoholic drink in the Netherlands, but it is also one of the country’s biggest export products, as famous Dutch beer brands are sold all over the world. Let’s take a deeper look into beer in the Netherlands, starting with the history of Dutch beer.
From beer brewed in monasteries in the Middle Ages to the global popularity of Dutch beer brands, such as Heineken and Bavaria, beer has a long history in the Netherlands.
People have been making beer in the Netherlands since year one. In the Middle Ages, beer was mostly brewed in monasteries and was a common beverage. It was generally consumed as a simple refreshment, often with meals. Even children drank it! Of course, during this period, the alcohol percentage was considerably lower.
In the Dutch Golden Age (17th century), brewing beer became more of a profession and commercial breweries popped up all over the country, with Amersfoort, Delft, Haarlem and Gouda becoming important brewery cities.
During this time period, beer got some serious competition from tea and coffee, as well as jenever (also known as genever), a juniper-flavoured traditional liquor in the Netherlands. In fact, it wasn’t until the 1960s that Dutch people would consume more beer than jenever again.
Before WWII, there were 180 breweries in the Netherlands. After the war, around 80 breweries remained. It was around this time that Heineken started buying smaller, existing breweries to become a heavy hitter on the Dutch beer market. This meant, however, that small breweries started to disappear. By the 1980s, there were only 14 breweries left.
Special and local beers gained popularity in the 2000s, causing the number of beer brands and breweries to grow. In 2019, there were over 600 breweries in the Netherlands and more than 150 of these offered beer tastings and tours.
Nowadays, beer is the most popular alcoholic drink in the Netherlands. If you order a beer from a café or bar, usually it is served from the tap. The perfect beer is considered to have a two-fingers-thick foam layer. In general, it is custom to serve beer cold in the Netherlands. You can order a beer in various sized glasses; these are the most common ones:
Special beers often have their own glasses.
Some beers are more popular than others in the Netherlands. A favourite, and one of the biggest export products in the country, is pale lager. Other Dutch favourites include white beer and seasonal beers.
Pale lager, in Dutch called pils, is without a doubt one of the most popular beers amongst Dutch people. Pale lager is a very pale-to-golden-coloured, bottom-fermented lager beer, developed in the mid-19th century. Heineken and Grolsch especially are well-known Dutch pale lager brands.
White beer, in Dutch called witbier, is a top-fermented beer, traditionally made with 50% raw wheat. It’s called white beer because when the beer is cold it actually looks white or hazy, due to the wheat proteins and suspended yeast. Even though white beers are available throughout the year in the Netherlands, they are most popular in the summertime.
Dutch breweries also make seasonal beers which are only offered for a short period of time. Their flavour often matches the type of weather of their corresponding season. Often, Dutch breweries use seasonal beers to experiment with flavours and ingredients.
The most popular seasonal beer in the Netherlands is herfstbok, which is a dark, bittersweet beer. The perfect companion to the bleak Dutch autumn weather. Traditionally, herfstbok beers are bottom-fermented, but some breweries also make a top-fermented herfstbok.
The counterpart of herfstbok is lentebok, which is a fresh, pale and hoppy beer; perfect to drink in Dutch spring weather. Whilst lentebok is not as popular as herfstbok, most Dutch breweries have at least one lentebok in their range.
As mentioned earlier, there are over 600 breweries in the Netherlands. From beers that are consumed all over the world to cherished local beers, here are some of the best beer brands the Netherlands has to offer!
Amstel is a Dutch beer brand belonging to Heineken, another famous Dutch beer brand. It was first brewed in 1871 by Beiersch-Bierbrouwerij De Amstel, hence the name. As it was first made in Amsterdam, Amstel beer was mainly drunk there in the beginning. However, the beer was a success and was soon sold all over the Netherlands.
In 1883, Amstel started to export its beer and by 1926, Amstel made up a third of the total Dutch beer export. In 1968, Amstel was bought by their competition, Heineken. Nowadays, Amstel beers are brewed in Heineken’s breweries in Zoeterwoude, Den Bosch and Wijlre.
Heineken, the brand, has been brewed by Heineken, the brewery, since 1873. Currently, there are 125 Heineken breweries, divided over more than 70 countries. And Heineken does not just brew beer, the brewery is also the largest producer of cider in Europe as well.
But, how did it all start? Well, in 1864, Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought De Hooiberg (The Haystack) brewery in Amsterdam. However, it was only after hiring Dr. Elion in 1873 to develop a yeast for Heineken, that Heineken’s Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij was established.
Not long after, in 1875, Heineken won the Medaille D’Or (Gold Medal) at the International Maritime Exposition in Paris. That was the first of four prestigious awards the brewery won in its early years. It also was awarded the Diplome d’Honneurs (Honorary Diploma) at the International Colonial Exposition in Amsterdam in 1883, the Grand Prix at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1889, and the Hors Concours Membre du Jury in Paris in 1900.
After the first World War, Heineken focussed on export and expansion. It quickly became the biggest beer importer in the US, being the first beer importer after the national prohibition. In the Netherlands, the brewery expanded by buying out the competition, such as Amstel in 1968.
Since then, Heineken has bought foreign breweries as well, becoming one of the biggest breweries in the world in the process. It owns many famous brand names, including Desperados, Murphy’s, Brand, Strongbow, Jillz, Affligem, Wieckse, Bintang, Tiger Beer, Vrumona and Scottish & Newcastle.
Grolsch is one of the oldest beer brands in the Netherlands, as it was first brewed in 1615 in Groenlo by Willem Neerfeldt. Family de Groen bought the brewery in 1895 and held a significant stake in the company until November 2007.
Currently, the brand is owned by Asahi Group Holdings. Known for its flip-top beer bottles, the brewery mainly produces a range of pale lager beers, with Grolsch Premium Pilsner (also known as Grolsch Premium Lager) being its flagship beer, responsible for 95% of all sales. For the European market, Grolsch also produces the Amsterdam brand.
Dutch family Swinkels has been brewing beer for seven generations, making their brewery one of the oldest family businesses in the Netherlands. It all started in 1719 in Lieshout. The family Moorees brewed beer on a small scale. One of the Moorees' daughters married a man named Swinkels. Their descendants took over the brewery in 1764, and since 1773, the brewery has been the property of the Swinkels family.
Nowadays, Bavaria is the largest independent brewery in the Netherlands, with a yearly production of over 7 million hectolitres of beer. Two-thirds is exported to over 130 countries. The brewery was able to build such a strong position on the market, as they were the first brewery to export alcohol-free beer to the Middle East. The company Swinkels Family Brewers owns several brands besides Bavaria, including Hollandia, Kroon, Palm, Habesha and Cornet.
Ever since the Middle Ages, monastery breweries have existed across Europe. It was in the Cistercian monastery of La Trappe, France, that The Trappist order originated. The monks started to brew beer to become self-sufficient. Nowadays, Trappist monks brew beer to fund charitable causes, as well as their works.
Currently, there are 14 Trappist breweries in the world, two of them are located in the Netherlands: Brouwerij de Koningshoeven (La Trappe) and Brouwerij Abdij Maria Toevlucht (Zundert). You can recognise a Trappist beer by the ATP-logo (Authentic Trappist Product).
Founded in 1884, within the walls of the “Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven” abbey in Berkel-Enschot, Brouwerij de Koningshoeve is one of two Dutch Trappist breweries. Originally, the brewery was called “De Schaapskooi”. Whilst a subsidiary of Bavaria runs the brewery, the monks of the abbey have the final say when it comes to the brewing process. You can find the beers of this monastery in the shops under the name La Trappe.
Founded in 2013, Brouwerij Abdij Maria Toevlucht brews Zundert, a Dutch Trappist beer. Currently, there are two types of Zundert:
Since 2001, the number of beer breweries has expanded. Amsterdam especially has seen an increase in breweries. Nowadays, there are around 50 breweries in Amsterdam, of which at least 17 have a tasting room. These are the most popular Amsterdam beer breweries and brands:
De Prael isn’t just any beer brewery. It is one with a mission, namely to help people who have difficulties entering the labour market. De Prael has three tasting rooms in total: Oudezijds Amsterdam, The Hague and Groningen. You can enjoy their 11 regular beers there, as well as their special and seasonal beers.
Situated in an 18th-century building with high ceilings and windows in Amsterdam-Oost, Poesiat & Kater not only brews Poesiat & Kater beers, but Van Vollenhoven beers as well. The Van Vollenhoven Beers are historical Dutch beers with a modern twist, while the Poesiat & Kater beers are speciality beers.
Brouwerij ’t IJ has been brewing beer since 1985 and is one of the most well-known breweries of Amsterdam. Located in a former bathhouse, next to a charming windmill, the brewery at the Funenkade, where it all started, is no longer the main brewery. Nowadays, it is a tasting room, while the brewery is located at Zeeburgerpad. You can also head to their tasting room ‘t Blauwe Theehuis in Vondelpark to taste one of their beers.
Brouwerij Troost is the largest independent brewery of Amsterdam. Founded in 2014 in a former convent in De Pijp, Troost offers 11 beers, 2 sodas, gin and jenever. They also have locations in Westergas and Oud-West, as their increasing popularity meant they had to expand.
For Oedipus, it all started in 2009, with the four founders’ love of quality craft beer and their experiments in their kitchens with homebrewing. Their approach to brewing was a success, and soon they were selling their colourful beers at festivals, including at their own festival, Kimchi Festival.
It wasn’t until 2013 that the guys started thinking about a “serious” location for a brewpub. In 2015, they opened their first brewpub in the north of Amsterdam, and they have been expanding ever since!
While Amsterdam has seen the most growth when it comes to beer breweries, it certainly isn’t the only city with a popular Dutch beer brewery. Here are some of the other well-known beer breweries in the Netherlands:
Situated in a former church in the centre of Haarlem, Brouwerij Jopen’s mission is to promote traditional beers from Haarlem. Their beer Koyt is based on an original beer recipe from 1407 and Jopen Hoppenbier is based on a recipe from 1501. Nowadays, they offer 12 regular beers and five seasonal beers, and their restaurant offers delicious meals tuned to their beers. Because of their success, Jopen purchased another former church in 2015, this time in Hoofddorp, to function as a distillery and restaurant.
It all started in Arcen, Limburg, in 1915 under the name Stoombierbrouwerij de Vriendenkring. After a lot of ownership changes and name changes, the brand Hertog Jan was finally founded in 1981 by De Kikvorsch, who brewed beer at Dommelsch’ brewery.
Again, ownership and name changes occured, with the brand finally being named Hertog Jan again in 1998, after the 13th-century duke Jan I of Brabant, who is said to have liked a beer or two in his time. Currently, there are 11 beers in their product range.
Founded in 1825 by Laurens Smeets, Gulpener is an independent beer brewery located in Gulpen, Limburg. Gulpener attaches great importance to sustainability; their ingredients are sourced locally where possible, their labels are made from recycled paper and the brewery operates on green energy. Currently, the brewery offers three special beers, four collab beers, three organic beers, four seasonal beers, three monastery beers, and three lagers.
Founded in 1744 in the village of Dommelen, Dommelsch is a well-known brewery and brand in the Netherlands. In 1968, it was bought by Brouwerij Artois, later Interbrew. Nowadays, it is part of the Anheuser-Busch InBev group.
Jenever - the alcoholic beverage flavoured with juniper berries - is a traditional drink from the Netherlands. Jenever (also commonly spelled as genever) has a long history in the Netherlands. Jenever is often described as "Dutch gin" but this is incorrect.
Jenever is the Dutch word for juniper, because the drink is flavoured with juniper berries. Jenever was originally made by distilling malt wine until the alcohol content reached 50 percent. The spirit which resulted from distillation had an unpleasant taste - that's why herbs and juniper berry extract were added - to make it palatable.
There are two different categories of jenever: jonge (young) and oude (old). These categories refer to the distilling techniques used to create the types of jenever, rather than the age of the jenever itself.
Jenever is sometimes confused with gin, because their names share the same origin as both spirits use juniper berries. Jenever has a malty flavour, more like whisky than gin, due to the base that is used in making it.
Jenever was brought to England by soldiers coming back from battle during the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, which inspired the English to make gin. Gin is however a completely separate drink, which contains different ingredients and goes through a very different distilling process.
Nowadays, one of the most famous Dutch drinks, it is difficult to tell when exactly in Dutch history jenever was discovered, or who discovered it. Many attribute its discovery to a Dutch doctor in the 17th century, but jenever was used as a medicine long before it started to be consumed for enjoyment.
In the late 15th century, jenever went from being a medicine to a beverage, and in 1606, taxes were already levied against it, just like other alcoholic drinks. During the 1500s to 1700s, all Dutch cities and even large towns had several distilleries for jenever or other spirits, making use of windmills to grind the malt for the jenever. At one point, Rotterdam had 200 distilleries, making it the unofficial jenever capital.
Nowadays, the Dutch cities Amsterdam, Schiedam, Groningen and Dordrecht are known as jenever-producing cities. There are even events and festivals centred around jenever, the most renowned one being in Schiedam. In Schiedam, there's even a jenever museum. Here are the famous brands and distilleries that come from these cities:
The typical distillation of jenever is carried out in several steps. First, rye, corn and malt are mixed together and then water and yeast are added. The yeast turns the sugars in the mixture into alcohol. This substance is then distilled until it reaches an alcoholic content of 20 percent.
The mixture is then distilled a second time, until it has an alcoholic content of 30 percent. In the third round of distillation, the mixture becomes malt wine and reaches an alcoholic content of around 46 to 48 percent.
The malt wine (moutwijn) is distilled a fourth time with botanicals and juniper berries. The quantities of juniper berries and herbs vary according to the producer’s specific recipe.
Oude jenever and jonge jenever are the two distinct categories of the drink. They are categorised depending on the way they are made and their ingredients, and not their actual age.
Young jenever arose when imports of malt became scarce during the Second World War. It was made using molasses from the sugar beet industry, distilled to high-grade alcohol with an almost neutral flavour.
To carry the name jonge jenever, the spirit must contain no more than 15 percent malt wine and 10 grams of sugar per litre. This type of jenever contains more grain, as opposed to malt. Young jenever can also comprise plain sugar-based alcohol.
The word “old” in old jenever is associated with the original method of making jenever, which includes making it from malt wine. The finished product must be more than 15 percent malt wine, with no more than 20 grams of sugar per litre.
Another Dutch drink, Korenwijn or grain wine, is similar to the type of jenever that was available in the 18th century. This alcoholic drink, aged in an oak barrel, contains up to 20 grams of sugar per litre, just like old jenever. The difference is that the malt wine content is higher in Korenwijn, at 51 to 70 percent.
In 2008, jenever received an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) from the European Union. This means that jenever may only be called jenever (or genièvre or genever) if it is produced in the Netherlands, Belgium and certain parts of France and Germany. This is the same well-known rule that Champagne follows: Champagne can only be called Champagne if it is produced in the Champagne region of France.
In bars across the Netherlands, jenever is often served in so-called "tulip glasses", small glasses with turned-out rims that resemble tulips, which are believed to help you enjoy the flavour even better. Jenever is poured right to the top so that the liquid level reaches just above the rim of the glass and is held there by surface tension.
Unlike Dutch beer, which should always be served chilled, it is recommended to drink jenever at room temperature. Furthermore, connoisseurs of jenever would tell you to enjoy it slowly, as you would a glass of fine whisky. Young jenever is often drunk as an aperitif, before food, while old jenever is more typically drunk as a digestive, after dinner.
Eating Dutch snacks along with jenever, especially bitterballen, the croquet-like balls, is also a typical Dutch treat. In fact, bitterballen got their name not because the balls themselves are bitter, but because the accompanying distilled spirit - jenever - has a bitter taste.
These drinks are an important part of Dutch culture and they go well with many Dutch snacks. The perfect food combinations include jenever with bitterballen and beer with cubes of Gouda cheese or other kinds of traditional Dutch food.
There are countless events and festivals in the Netherlands that are dedicated to Dutch drinks, including the Jenever Festival in Schiedam, TAPT Beer Festival, Dutch Beer Week, Dutch Craft Beer Festival, Groningen Beer Festival and Winter Beer Festival Leiden.