Dutch beer drinker becoming increasingly diverse

The Dutch are becoming increasingly diverse in their beer choices. The National Beer Survey The report by Dutch Brewers shows that one in three people choose beer more often than another drink due to the current beer selection.

Dutch Brewers conducted research among 1,000 beer-drinking Dutch people. Over 40% of these beer drinkers indicate that they nowadays choose other beers more often compared to two years ago.

Variety
A large majority (78%) believes that there is now more variety in the beer selection than two years ago. More than four out of ten choose a different type of beer more frequently than two years ago. Notably, women (51%) do this much more often than men (37%).

In addition, choice is also important in the hospitality industry. Almost half of beer drinkers consider it important that a hospitality establishment has multiple types of beer on the drinks menu. The selection has broadened, with pilsner being 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%).

Specialty beer, beer mixes and alcohol-free
Specialty beer turns out to be the most popular among beer varieties; four out of five beer drinkers occasionally drink specialty beer. They prefer wheat beer (36%), closely followed by autumn bock (29%), tripel (29%), abbey beer or dubbel (both 28%). For 67% of beer drinkers, the main reason for ordering specialty beer is the taste, but variety (36%), suitability for the moment (31%), as well as the season (28%) and curiosity (20%) play a role.

In addition, over half of beer drinkers (55%) occasionally drink a beer mix because they like it (62%) and because it quenches their thirst (37%). Half of Dutch beer drinkers sometimes have alcohol-free beer, especially if they still have to drive. A third consciously chooses alcohol-free beer because they like it.

Homebodies
Although Dutch beer drinkers like to vary their beer choices, they appear to be loyal when it comes to the origin of the beer. The majority of beer drinkers prefer Dutch-made beer (42%), followed at some distance by Belgian (26%) and German beers (8%). Nevertheless, a quarter regularly choose a beer they are not yet familiar with. Women have started doing this more often and have therefore become more adventurous in this respect.

Dutch Brewers
Nederlandse Brouwers is the umbrella organization that represents the interests of ten beer breweries based in the Netherlands, which together account for over 95% of beer production in the Netherlands. The organization's goal is to enable brewers in the Netherlands to produce and sell beer freely, cost-efficiently, and responsibly, both domestically and internationally.

Illustration: Infographic National Beer Survey