Discover Benelux | Special | Top Dutch Breweries
Craft beers brewed with passion TEXT: STEPHANIE LOVELL | PHOTOS: BRONCKHORSTER BREWING COMPANY
In a converted 16th-century farmhouse in the eastern Netherlands, Bronckhorster Brewing Company produces an impressive selection of balanced and flavour-rich craft beers, guaranteed to delight beer lovers and win over beer sceptics. “When I decided to open my own brewery, my goal was to make beers of all kinds of tastes and colours,” explains Steve Gammage, founder and owner of Bronckhorster Brewing Company. “We started out making just five regular beers and have since expanded to produce 15 different beers, ranging from a sweet and fruity 2.5 per cent pale ale to a 12 per cent barley wine.” All Bronckhorster beers are unfiltered, unpasteurised and made using natural ingredients. The robust Bronckhorster Nightporter, a British-style stout with espresso and dark chocolate notes, won gold in the Brussels Beer Challenge - one of the most prestigious
awards in the industry. The barrel-aged beers, which are left to condition between three to six months in whiskey, sherry and bourbon casks, are a treat for an adventurous palate. Currently available across the Netherlands and in parts of Belgium, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom, Bronckhorster beers often feature at international beer festivals. Taste the beers at their source by visiting the brewery situated just outside Bronckhorst, the smallest town in the Netherlands and a short journey from Amsterdam. “We currently welcome around 5,000 tourists a year, and soon we’re going to build a large veranda so we can accommodate even more people,” says Gammage. “Of course, the best way to find out about our different beers is to come along and try them for yourself at one of our tasting sessions.”
www.bronckhorster.beer
The Bronckhorster Brewing Company owner with barrel-aged beer.
The Hague is best enjoyed with a Kompaan TEXT: KOEN GUIKING | PHOTOS: KOMPAAN
Microbrewery Kompaan from The Hague was founded by two friends: Jasper Langbroek and Jeroen van Ditmarsch. All their beers have names that refer to different types of pals, buddies, companions, comrades; you get the idea. “Our bestseller is the Bondgenoot [ally]. That is a blond beer with lots of hops. With 5.2 per cent alcohol it is lighter than our other beers, which means you can drink more of it. That is probably why we sell it the most,” brewer Jasper Langbroek says with a smile. Each beer is aptly named after its characteristics. For instance, Bloedbroeder (blood brother) has a bit of red port running through its veins. “This stout with nine per cent alcohol is a reliable but temperamental fellow,” Langbroek proclaims. Handlanger (accomplice), on the other hand, is a dangerous chap. “It contains 8.2 per cent alcohol but doesn’t taste that way, which makes it easy to get carried away.” 30 | Issue 30 | June 2016
All of Kompaan’s brews, from the regulars to the special editions these craftsmen frequently come up with, are excellent. Over a hundred bars in The Hague stock Kompaan beer, but the best place to enjoy this brand is at the brewery. Kompaan’s beer bar, with 20 craft beers on tap and excellent slow-cook barbecue meals, is open from Thursday to Sunday.
The terrace is on the quay, so many customers dock their boats here. A festival with local musicians and many Dutch microbrewers is planned for 11 June. An international beer festival will take place at Kompaan on 20 and 21 August.
www.kompaanbier.nl