There are many drinks that can be described as typically Dutch, the best-known being beer and jenever, hugely popular both in the Netherlands and abroad. In bars across the country, and at events and festivals, beer is a popular choice and if you ask, you are likely to find jenever too!
Dutch beer
The most famous Dutch beer - and therefore the largest breweries in the Netherlands - are Heineken, Bavaria and Grolsch. As well as these large-scale breweries, there are also independent breweries, from hip brewpubs to traditional Trappist breweries both large and small, producing high-quality beers. Whether you prefer pale lager (pils), white beer (witbier), ale or seasonal beers (herfstbok and lentebok), the choices are overwhelming.
Jenever (Genever)
Jenever - the alcoholic beverage flavoured with juniper berries - is a traditional drink from the Netherlands. Jenever (also commonly spelled as genever) has a long history in the Netherlands. Jenever is often described as "Dutch gin" although this is inaccurate, as jenever has its very own distinct ingredients and distillation processes. There are two different categories of jenever: jonge (young) and oude (old), referring to the distilling techniques used to create the types of jenever, rather than the age of the drink.
Dutch food and drink combinations
These drinks are an important part of Dutch culture and they go well with many Dutch snacks. The perfect food combinations include jenever with bitterballen and beer with cubes of Gouda cheese or other kinds of traditional Dutch food.
Events and festivals related to Dutch drinks
There are countless events and festivals in the Netherlands that are dedicated to Dutch drinks, including the Jenever Festival in Schiedam, TAPT Beer Festival, Dutch Beer Week, Dutch Craft Beer Festival, Groningen Beer Festival and Winter Beer Festival Leiden.
