Bier

Just like the traditional icons of Dutch culture—windmills, clogs, tulips, ganja, and red lights—beer is a Dutch staple. Walking in just about every direction in Amsterdam, one doesn’t have to look very hard or for very long before noticing beer advertisements. Much like coffeeshops, souvenir joints, and houseboats, beer adverts are everywhere.

Of the “Big Three” (Heineken, Grolsch, and Bavaria) Heineken captures about 39% of the Dutch market, helping to maintain its international standing as the third largest brewer in the world (behind only Anheuser Busch and Miller). Heineken and Grolsch account for (by liberal estimation) 95% of the beer consumed in the Netherlands. Grolsch has the distinction as the leading imported beer to the United Kingdon. These pale lagers are the undisputed kings in a declining industry thanks in large part to factors such as amazingly diverse competition from microbrews to moderation, not to mention their Belgian neighbors—brewers of such popular brands as Jupiler and Duval.

Some estimates suggest that approximately 50% of the beer brewed in the Netherlands is exported—over two billion liters! Certainly Heineken, Amstel (a Heineken product) and Grolsch play major roles in this phenomenon.

To each his own, as they say. Whether it’s the seasonal witbier (white beer) brewed in autumn and spring, trappist brews such as La Trappe, or the international pale lagers, the Netherlands has something for every beer enthusiast.