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Grolsch Brewery (Grolsche Bierbrouwerij) is a Dutch brewery founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo. It is located today in Enschede and is owned by Royal Grolsch N.V. (Koninklijke Grolsch N.V.) ()
Brief details
The Grolsch brewery was founded in 1615 in Groenlo. The town of Groenlo was then known as Grolle, hence the name Grolsch. Grolsch is best known for its 5% abv pale lager. The brewery was first operated by Willem Neerfeldt. Later his son in law, Peter Cuyper, took over. The beer from Groenlo (Grolle) gradually became better known in the surroundings of Groenlo. Through the years the demand for Grolsch beer shifted from a local to national and eventually international level. Today Grolsch exports to about 50 countries.
The brewery
Though built as a secondary facility, the Enschede brewery over the years became the main producer of Grolsch. This brewery was heavily damaged during the fireworks explosion on 13 May 2000. The brewery in Groenlo has closed and a new brewery replacing both the Groenlo and Enschede affiliate opened in 2004 in Boekelo.
Beers
The main brand name is Grolsch, which is mainly used for a variety of pale lagers ranging in strength from 11.6% abv down to alcohol free. Grolsch also produces an Oud Bruin, a wheat beer and some low alcohol flavoured lagers and shandies. The brand name Amsterdam is also used, mainly for low priced, high alcohol lagers.
Beugel
Grolsch uses a distinctive shape of bottle, known as the beugel.
Bottles of this type use a swing-top cap, eliminating the need for an opener. They can simply be opened by hand. The top used to be made from porcelain, but is now made from plastic; the porcelain ones are still in circulation in the Netherlands. The exported bottles are green. Bottles destined for the home market in the Netherlands are brown. Grolsch is also sold in normal, metal-capped bottles.
External links
Companies listed on the Euronext exchanges | Companies of the Netherlands | Beer and breweries in the Netherlands | 1615 establishments
"Grolsch Brewery"