The Dutch are becoming increasingly diverse in making their beer choices. It National Beer Research van Nederlandse Bierbrouwers shows that one in three people more often choose beer than another drink because of the current beer selection.
Dutch Brewers conducted research into 1.000 beer-drinking Dutch people. More than 40% of these beer drinkers indicate that they choose other beers more often than they were two years ago.
Variety
A large majority (78%) thinks that there is now more variety in the beer range than two years ago. More than four in ten opt for a different type of beer more often than two years ago. It is striking that women (51%) do this much more often than men (37%).
In addition, choice is also important in the hospitality industry. Almost half of the beer drinkers think it is important that a catering establishment has several types of beer on the drink menu. The offer has become wider with pilsner as the most consumed beer (80%) followed by emerging beers such as specialty beer (30%), but also beer mixes, such as radler (28%) and alcohol-free/low-alcohol beer (24%).
Special beer, beer mixes and alcohol-free
Specialty beer appears to be the most popular among the beer varieties; four out of five beer drinkers sometimes drink specialty beer. People prefer to choose white beer (36%) closely followed by autumn bock beer (29%), tripel (29%), abbey beer or double (both 28%). The main reason for ordering specialty beer for 67% percent of beer drinkers is the taste, but also the variety (36%), because it suits the moment (31%), but also the season (28%) and curiosity (20 %) play a role.
In addition, more than half of the beer drinkers (55%) sometimes drink a beer mix, because they like it (62%) and because it quenches thirst (37%). Half of Dutch beer drinkers sometimes drink alcohol-free beer, especially if they still have to drive. A third consciously opts for non-alcoholic beer because they like it.
Honkvast
Although the Dutch beer drinker likes to vary in his beer choice, they appear to be homeless when it comes to the origin of the beer. The majority of beer drinkers prefer to drink Dutch-made beer (42%), followed at some distance by Belgian (26%) and German beers (8%). Nevertheless, a quarter regularly opt for beer that they are not yet familiar with. Women have started to do this more often and thus have become more adventurous in this regard.
Dutch Brewers
Nederlandse Brouwers is the umbrella organization that represents the interests of ten Dutch breweries, which together account for more than 95% of beer production in the Netherlands. The aim of the organization is to enable brewers in the Netherlands to produce and sell beer freely, cost-efficiently and responsibly at home and abroad.
Illustration: Infographic National Beer Research