The Dutch brewery Grolsch was founded by Willem Nerfeldt in Grunlo in 1615 as a small family business. The brand was destined to survive several centuries – in 2015 Grolsch solemnly celebrated its own 400th anniversary. Today, Koninklijke Grolsch NV, or Royal Grolsch NV, is the 2nd largest beer producer in the Netherlands, supplying more than 3 million hectoliters per year to the international market. Grolsch beer is characterized by a dry and fresh taste, leaving a long aftertaste, as well as a wonderful aroma.
Historical reference. Since 1615, Grolsch has been one of the many breweries in Holland selling its products to local residents and drinking establishments. Changes in business began with the arrival in 1660 of Peter Kuyper (who became the son-in-law of the founder of the brand), who changed the technology, providing Grolsch with a unique taste and aroma. The innovation was to use two different types of hops, one of which was responsible for the taste and the other for the aroma of the beer.
Until 1897, the brewery remained exclusively a family business. However, the attempt to enter new markets turned out to be unprofitable for them, and the company was sold to Theo de Gron. It was he who made another significant change – he changed the appearance of the bottle and began to use a special cap – Swingtop. This is a folding design that allows you to do without the use of an opener. Thanks to this, the brand stood out among many competitors and gained recognition outside of its homeland. The lid was originally made of porcelain, but was later released in a plastic version.
Later, soft drinks and syrups were added to the range of the brewery, but it was beer that remained the priority of the production strategy. In 1922, the company merged with a number of other breweries in Enschede and was named H. V. Bierbrouwerij De Klok. After the fire in Enschede, which happened on May 13, 2000 and almost completely destroyed this European city, the base brewery was moved in 2004 to Bukelo.
In 2007, Grolsch was acquired by the British brewing company SABMiller. Grolsch branded beer is now sold in more than 60 countries, including the UK, the United States of America and Russia.
Types of beer Grolsch
The most popular brands include:
- Grolsch Premium Lager, 0.45 l is the brand’s flagship beer. It is made from 2 varieties of hops – Hallertau and Zhatetsky. During production, secondary fermentation technology is used, the entire process of aging in tanks is about 70 days. The beer is characterized by a characteristic bitterness, a delicate aroma with hints of citrus and a long, persistent aftertaste. Supplied in branded bottles with Swingtop caps. Fortress – about 5%.
- Grolsch Amber Ale is a red ale. Thick and rich drink for true gourmets. Like the flagship, it contains about 5% alcohol.
- Grolsch Oud Bruin is a dark beer with an alcohol content of about 2,5%, which is quite rare for dark varieties.
- Grolsch Lentebok is a classic light beer that produces high-quality and fairly dense foam. Fortress – up to 6,5 degrees. On the palate, there are hints of apple.
- Grolsch Zomergoud – the so-called “summer” beer, with a strength of 4 to 5%. During cooking, lemon zest is added, which provides aroma and a slight citrus aftertaste.
There are also non-alcoholic versions, as well as varieties with a variety of fruit additives. Supplied in both glass bottles and cans.