Dutch Beer

Dutch brewing has traditionally been somewhat overshadowed by the country's two nearest neighbours, Belgium and Germany. The exception to this rule being the ubiquitous Heineken, Grolsch and Amstel Pilsners which have a worldwide following. Happily, in recent years this situation has changed dramatically. A clutch of smaller breweries now produce beers on a par with all but the finest Belgian offerings. PINT, the Dutch beer consumers' organisation, hosts regular beer festivals around the country and publishes a monthly newsletter. Brouwerij 't Ij and Brouwerij De Prael, the two Amsterdam microbreweries, produce beer of very high quality across a diverse range of styles and many Dutch towns now sport either a microbrewery or brew-pub. So, the message is: Go Dutch!