BeerCast #40 – Dutch Biers

One of Europe’s most overlooked brewing nations has to be the Netherlands, sandwiched between the thirsty Germans on one side and the traditional Belgians on the other. The Dutch may be overlooked for a reason, as according to Centraal Brouwerij Kantoor 95% of their national output is pale lager. Yikes. Dominated by Heineken and Grolsch, the Dutch export half of all beer brewed in the country, which apparently is the highest export percentage of any brewing nation in the world. Anyhow, we managed to track down some interesting and lesser known ales (and one lager) from this noble, low-lying country, and our BeerCast Dutch special begins with Lindeboom Pilsener (5.0%), to see how their take on the famous lager style differs from others. Next we sample the three-time champion beer of the Netherlands, Christoffel Blond (6.0%) from Roermond. Our third beer is a much darker offering:- Budels Capucijn (6.5%), before we finish on one from the only Dutch Trappist brewery – La Trappe Quadrupel (10.0%). On the panel this time are Richard, Andy and Grooben.

1. Lindeboom Pilsener (5.0%abv)
Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V., Neer, Limburg.
500ml glass bottle

Lindeboom are a small family brewer from the southernmost Dutch province of Limburg, where they were founded in 1870 by farmer Willem Geenan. He named his first effort – a dark, spicy ale – ‘Geenan’s Bier’, and it proved such a success that he threw away his farming tools and took to brewing full-time. Renaming his output after a lime tree that stood in his courtyard, the Lindeboom Brewery were born. The signature lime tree was apparently planted in 1806, and remains there on the brewery premises to this day.

What They Say – “Het fameuze Lindeboom Pilsener wordt gebrouwen met kristal-helder water uit eigen bron, kwaliteits-hopsoorten en mout van uitgelezen zomergersten. Alleen de beste tweerijige zomergerst-rassen komen voor onze brouwmeester in aanmerking.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Grooben – If I was sitting in France I’d like it 6
Richard – It’s dry but there’s also a sweetness I’m not keen on 5½
Andy – There are more interesting beers to drink than this 3½

2. Christoffel Blond (6.0%abv)
Bierbrouwerij St. Christoffel, Roermond, Limburg.
330ml glass bottle

The St. Christoffel Brewery are relatively young, having been founded in 1986 in the former coalmining-town of Roermond in Limburg. Named after the local patron saint, they produce all of their beers according to the German Reinheitsgebot purity laws, and all are also unfiltered and unpasteurised. When first produced, it was known simply as “Christoffel Bier”, as it was the only thing they produced – but once Christoffel ‘Robertus’ was released, it was renamed Blond. From 1990 onwards it was awarded the status Champion Beer of the Netherlands – a title it retained for the following two years.

What They Say – “Christoffel Blond is a 6% bottom fermented golden-coloured beer with a full body, a very balanced taste and a beautiful bitterness due to a generous addition of fresh hop during the brewing-process. The aroma is fruity and has a fresh taste with a pleasant, hoppy finish.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – It’s a tremendously drinkable beer for 6% 8½
Grooben – I don’t usually like bottom fermented beers but it doesn’t have any pungent unpleasantness 8
Andy – Zingy and orangey, I like the way it’s natural 6

3. Budels Capucijn (6.5%abv)
Budelse Brouwerij, Budels, North Brabant.
330ml glass bottle

The Budelse Brouwerij were established in 1870 and were initially called the ‘Brouwerij de Hoop’ – The Hope Brewery – as the founders weren’t exactly sure how it was going to turn out, and ‘hoped’ it would succeed. As it happens, they were right, and Budelse are still going over 130yrs later, still owned by the same family. The symbol of hope is, apparently, an anchor – so they added one of these to their brewery coat of arms. The town of Budel is in the province of North Brabant, 25km from the city of Eindhoven. Back in the day, there was a monastery in Budel housing Capuchin monks, hence the name given to this dark, abbey-style beer.

What They Say – “Abdij bier, robijnkleurig, bovengistend bier, blinkt uit door zijn zachte smaak en het geweldige aroma. Dit bier dankt zijn naam aan de Franse Capucijnen, die in begin van de vorige eeuw in Budel een klooster hadden.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Richard – There’s a big spicy malt afterkick to it, with some richness 7½
Grooben – A bit much but as it warms up it gets more interesting 7
Andy – It smells like an unopened fridge and tastes of leather, flat coke and brown sauce 0

4. La Trappe Quadrupel (10.0%abv)
Brouwerij de Koningshoeven, Berkel-Enschot, North Brabant.
330ml glass bottle

Also to be found in North Brabant is the small twin village of Berkel-Enschot, near which is the imposing Abbeye Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven. This large gothic building is the only Dutch Trappist brewery, which was opened in 1884 in order to generate some income for the monks and the charitable causes they supported. The abbey did very well out of this, and soon began running the operation as a commerical enterprise, leasing taverns in the area and producing a dark lager. In 1999, due to the difficulties the ageing monks were having keeping up with demand, their entire brewing process was subcontracted to an offshoot of the giant Bavaria corporation, causing a dispute with the International Trappist Association as to the commerical nature. They were subsequently stripped of the ‘Trappist’ tag, and did not retain it until 2005, when a re-structuring saw the monks retake an active role in the brewing.

What They Say – “The strongest beer of La Trappe with a beautiful amber colour. The warm taste is full and well-balanced. A little bit sweet and pleasantly bitter. La Trappe Quadruple is also fermented and aged in oak barrels. This gives the oak-aged Trappist beer an even fuller taste with a special wooded scent, which is comparable to wood-aged red wine.” [Official Website]

What We Say…
Andy – There’s a little bit of cinnamon and banana in there 7
Richard – Can’t really taste oak, just a vague woody bitterness 7
Grooben – Packs a punch but there’s a hefty dose of sweetness 5

Panellists – (from top left) Andy, Grooben, Richard

BeerCast panel verdict
Christoffel Blond (23½/30)
La Trappe Quadrupel (19/30)
Lindeboom Pilsener (15/30)
Budelse Capucijn (14½/30)