THE NETHERLANDS
As a small nation, The Netherlands has an impressive number of breweries. Heineken is the worlds second largest brewery (After the American giant Anheuser-Busch which is twice as large). For a brewery with a domestic market of about 15 million people, quite an achievement. But The Netherlands, which is internationally known as a nation of commerce, the small domestic market was the incentive for Heineken to seek the international market. With an excellent quality of beer with an internationally recognized taste and an incredible feeling for timing, this proved to be a successfull move. However, there is more to Holland than Heineken. Bordering some of the largest beernations, Holland has some fine breweries who have gradually taken some of Heinekens share of the market. One reason for this are the special beer specialty stores who often stock some 200 to 600 different beers from all over the world, as well as the smaller breweries, who, despite a small market, still produce some great beers to take some of Heinekens share of the market.
ALFA
The 'stubborn' brewer from Limburg, that is how the Alfa-brewery calls itself. Maybe that stubborness is because of the peculiarities of this brewery, its water, for instance. Alfa is the only Dutch brewery which uses water from specially selected sources, sanctioned by the Health department, and without refining it further. This water, wich collected over 6000 years ago, underwent a natural purification by seeping through limestone for centuries. To a depth of 152 meters below the surface. Alfa is only permitted to use a limited amount of this special water in any given year. Furthermore, Alfa is the supplier of the royal family since its 125th anniversary, underlining the strong regional position and excellent quality of its beers. Alfa is still a private family business, strongly relying on natural ingredients and an old-fashioned way of doing things.
BAVARIA
With an annual production of almost 400 million litres, Bavaria is the third largest brewery in the Netherlands after Heineken and Grolsch. One of the reasons for Bavarias great success is its typical blue 'half' crates of beer, perfectly made to fit on the back of a bike. Bavaria is very competative in its prices, yet maintaining a good overall quality. This brewer form Noord Brabant not only produces 'pils for the massess' and the internationally renowned malt beer but also makes some fine special brews to play to the 'other side' of the beer market.. For example the Moreeke and the 8.6 beers. Bavaria began brewing in 1719.
DE LEEUW
Brewer De Leeuw, From Valkenburg in Limburg on the River Geul has about 110 years worth of experience in brewing, with a history that dates to 1886. In that year Wilhelm Dittman was sent from the German town of Aachen to Valkenburg to search for a new location for the Aachen Export Brauerei. Dittman found it in a former gunpowder plant with a monumental watermill. This would be the founding site of 'de Valkenburgse Leeuwenbrouwerij, Dittman & Sauerlander Actien-Maatschappij'. In 1920, this brewery passed into dutch ownership and renamed 'Bierbrouwerij De Leeuw'. De Leeuw uses water from its own well, 140 meters below ground. Its assortment of beers include pilsner, Bockbeer, Old Brown, Alt, Dortmunder, Winterbeer and Meibock.
DOMMELSCH
The history of Dommelsch began in 1744 when farmer Willem Snieders began a small brewery alongside his farmwork. This brewery existed in the same form untill 1895 and supplied the area with Dommelsch beers. It stayed a regional force until the 1980's and only then attempted to conquer the national market. This brewery from Brabant is now a modern company with about 300 employees and it is owned by the Belgian Interbrew.
GULPENER
Gulpener Brewery was founded in 1825 by Laurens Smeets. The brewery is still housed in its original buildings, and it is still a family business, in which the name Smeets has been replaced through marriage by the name of Rutten. The Rutten ownership is now already in its seventh generation. Gulpener, like many breweries from Limburg, long resisted expanding its business to the northern part of Holland. Although it started this only in 1985, Gulpener is now a nationally known brand.
HERTOG-JAN
The high fermented beers of Hertog-Jan are brewed in the town of Arcen in Limburg. It brewes its homemade special beers since 1915. The brewer took its name from 13th century Duke Jan of Brabant or Jan Primus of Cambrinus, names known throughout the beer world. Duke Jan loved living the good life celebrating his tournaments and battles with food and drink. He is often portrayed with a gjar of beer, sitting on a beerbarrell. He knew where to get the best beers, within the walls of many monestaries, where the best beer secrets were being kept.