Grolsch Brewery
Encyclopedia
Grolsch Brewery, known simply as Grolsch (ɣrɔls), is a Dutch brewery
founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo
. In 1895 the De Groen family bought the brewery. They had started their own brewery in Cuijk
the Netherlands in early 1800. It held a significant stake until November 2007. It is located today in Enschede
and has been a part of the SABMiller
group since March 2008. It was awarded the Koninklijk
(Royal) title in 1995.
. The town of Groenlo was then known as Grolle, hence the name Grolsch, meaning 'of Grolle'. Grolsch is best known for its 5% abv
pale lager
, Grolsch Premium Pilsner. The brewery was first operated by Willem Neerfeldt. Neerfeldt's son-in-law, Peter Sanford Cuyper, later took over. Grolsch was, as of February 2006, the second largest brewer in the Netherlands (after Heineken
) with annual production of 3.2 million hectoliters. The domestic market comprises fifty-one per cent of total production.
. The takeover was completed with the delisting of Grolsch's shares on 20 March 2008.
Grolsch Premium Pilsner is brewed under licence in the United Kingdom by Grolsch (UK) Ltd., a joint venture between Grolsch and Coors Brewers Ltd
.
Four beers are featured in the United States market: Grolsch Lager, Grolsch Amber, Grolsch Blonde and Grolsch Light. Grolsch Premium Pilsner is available in a wide variety of serving sizes, including swing-top bottles, mini-kegs and half-barrels. The others have only been confirmed available in 6 pack, 12 oz bottles.
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on 13 May 2000. The brewery in Groenlo has closed and a new brewery in Boekelo, near Enschede (replacing both the Groenlo and the old Enschede affiliate) was opened in 2004.
To underline their ties with Enschede and the whole region Grolsch signed a deal with professional football club FC Twente
to sponsor their stadium starting the 2008/2009 season. The stadium is named De Grolsch Veste (Grolsch Fortress), a reference to the history of fortified city Grol
, the hometown of Grolsch.
imposed fines on Heineken International of €219.3m , Grolsch of €31.65m and Bavaria of €22.85m for operating a price fixing cartel
in the Netherlands, totalling €273.7m. InBev
, (formerly Interbrew
), escaped without a penalty because it provided "decisive information" about the cartel which operated between 1996 and 1999 with others in the EU market. The brewers controlled 95% of the Dutch market, with Heineken claiming a half and the three others 15% each.
Neelie Kroes
said she was "very disappointed" that the collusion took place at the very highest (boardroom) level. She added, Heineken
, Grolsch, Bavaria and InBev
tried to cover their tracks by using code names and abbreviations for secret meetings to carve up the market for beer sold to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafes. The price fixing
extended to cheaper own-brand
labels and rebates for bars
.
beers from alcohol free
to 11.6% abv
:
Grolsch Blond, Grolsch Premium Lager and Grolsch Premium Weizen are all listed by the Vegetarian Society
as suitable for vegetarians. Grolsch won in the "Best Vegetarian Wine or Beer" category in the 2003 Vegetarian Society Awards.
Specialty Brews:
Grolsch also produces the Amsterdam brand of low-priced, mainly strong lagers for the European market. It is also sold in Australia.
In addition to the 'new' bottle, Grolsch uses a distinctively shaped bottle for some of its products, known as de beugel or 'the brace'. Bottles of this type use a swing-top cap, eliminating the need for an opener. The brown domestic bottle contains 45cl, which is over one-third more than the capacity of the average Dutch beer bottle, while the green export bottle is slightly larger, at 467 ml. In 2008, the brewery introduced a slimmer design that is a consistent 45cl for both the domestic market and export. The new bottles can be opened by hand, using a lever at the side of the bottleneck. The label is applied over the lever in order to make any tampering evident. The top used to be made of porcelain
, but is now made of plastic. Bottles with porcelain tops are still in circulation in the Netherlands. They are popular with home brewers, as they are very robust and can easily be sealed by hand without the expense of new crown seals
. In North America, however, traditional metal-capped Grolsch bottles are becoming increasingly prevalent.
Occasionally Grolsch will use different color bottles, depending on the brew, e.g. the bottle for blonde lager is yellow, while the 2.5 lemon variety comes in a clear 25 cL bottle.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
founded in 1615 by Willem Neerfeldt in Groenlo
Groenlo
Groenlo is a city in the municipality of Oost Gelre, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands on the German border, a region in the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . Groenlo was a municipality until January 1, 2005, when it merged with Lichtenvoorde. Until May 19 2006 Groenlo...
. In 1895 the De Groen family bought the brewery. They had started their own brewery in Cuijk
Cuijk
Cuijk is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands of pre-historic origin. Its existence is recorded on the Roman roadmap Tabula Peutingeriana under the name of Ceuclum. Cuijk is twinned with Maldon in Essex, UK. It is a big commuter town with very good public transport services to...
the Netherlands in early 1800. It held a significant stake until November 2007. It is located today in Enschede
Enschede
Enschede , also known as Eanske in the local dialect of Twents, is a municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands in the province of Overijssel and in the Twente region...
and has been a part of the SABMiller
SABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
group since March 2008. It was awarded the Koninklijk
Koninklijk
Koninklijk or Koninklijke is an honorary title given to certain companies and non-profit organizations in Belgium and the Netherlands, by the King or Queen in the respective country. It was first introduced by Louis Bonaparte in 1807, the King of the Netherlands at that time, who awarded the title...
(Royal) title in 1995.
Brief details
The Grolsch brewery was founded in 1615 in GroenloGroenlo
Groenlo is a city in the municipality of Oost Gelre, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands on the German border, a region in the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . Groenlo was a municipality until January 1, 2005, when it merged with Lichtenvoorde. Until May 19 2006 Groenlo...
. The town of Groenlo was then known as Grolle, hence the name Grolsch, meaning 'of Grolle'. Grolsch is best known for its 5% abv
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
pale lager
Lager
Lager is a type of beer made from malted barley that is brewed and stored at low temperatures. There are many types of lager; pale lager is the most widely-consumed and commercially available style of beer in the world; Pilsner, Bock, Dortmunder Export and Märzen are all styles of lager...
, Grolsch Premium Pilsner. The brewery was first operated by Willem Neerfeldt. Neerfeldt's son-in-law, Peter Sanford Cuyper, later took over. Grolsch was, as of February 2006, the second largest brewer in the Netherlands (after Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
) with annual production of 3.2 million hectoliters. The domestic market comprises fifty-one per cent of total production.
Takeover offer
On 19 November 2007, the board of Royal Grolsch NV accepted a €814 million offer for the company by SABMillerSABMiller
SABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
. The takeover was completed with the delisting of Grolsch's shares on 20 March 2008.
International Market
Grolsch is the 21st largest provider of beer in the world, and is available in 70 countries. Grolsch focuses primarily on the following markets: the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. These primary markets make up 78 per cent of Grolsch's international sales (by volume). Grolsch Premium Pilsner is by far the most important beer in Grolsch's international profile, while its Amsterdam brand grew by 40 per cent in 2006 primarily in Russia and France.Grolsch Premium Pilsner is brewed under licence in the United Kingdom by Grolsch (UK) Ltd., a joint venture between Grolsch and Coors Brewers Ltd
Coors Brewing Company
The Coors Brewing Company is a regional division of the world's fifth-largest brewing company, the Canadian Molson Coors Brewing Company and is the third-largest brewer in the United States...
.
United States
In 2006 Grolsch ended its five-year relationship with importer United States Beverage, LLC, and signed a distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch effective April 1, 2006, which was terminated following the SABMiller acquisition as A-B did not want to promote a rival's product.Four beers are featured in the United States market: Grolsch Lager, Grolsch Amber, Grolsch Blonde and Grolsch Light. Grolsch Premium Pilsner is available in a wide variety of serving sizes, including swing-top bottles, mini-kegs and half-barrels. The others have only been confirmed available in 6 pack, 12 oz bottles.
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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 a fireworks explosionEnschede fireworks disaster
The Enschede fireworks disaster was a catastrophic fireworks explosion occurring at the SE Fireworks depot on 13 May 2000, in the eastern Dutch city of Enschede....
on 13 May 2000. The brewery in Groenlo has closed and a new brewery in Boekelo, near Enschede (replacing both the Groenlo and the old Enschede affiliate) was opened in 2004.
To underline their ties with Enschede and the whole region Grolsch signed a deal with professional football club FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
to sponsor their stadium starting the 2008/2009 season. The stadium is named De Grolsch Veste (Grolsch Fortress), a reference to the history of fortified city Grol
Groenlo
Groenlo is a city in the municipality of Oost Gelre, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands on the German border, a region in the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek . Groenlo was a municipality until January 1, 2005, when it merged with Lichtenvoorde. Until May 19 2006 Groenlo...
, the hometown of Grolsch.
Price fixing conviction
On April 18, 2007 The European commissionEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
imposed fines on Heineken International of €219.3m , Grolsch of €31.65m and Bavaria of €22.85m for operating a price fixing cartel
Cartel
A cartel is a formal agreement among competing firms. It is a formal organization of producers and manufacturers that agree to fix prices, marketing, and production. Cartels usually occur in an oligopolistic industry, where there is a small number of sellers and usually involve homogeneous products...
in the Netherlands, totalling €273.7m. InBev
InBev
InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
, (formerly Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
), escaped without a penalty because it provided "decisive information" about the cartel which operated between 1996 and 1999 with others in the EU market. The brewers controlled 95% of the Dutch market, with Heineken claiming a half and the three others 15% each.
Neelie Kroes
Neelie Kroes
Neelie Kroes is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . She served as a Member of the House of Representatives from 3 August 1971 until 28 December 1977 when she became State Secretary for Transport, Public Works and Water Management from 28 December 1977 until 11...
said she was "very disappointed" that the collusion took place at the very highest (boardroom) level. She added, Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
, Grolsch, Bavaria and InBev
InBev
InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
tried to cover their tracks by using code names and abbreviations for secret meetings to carve up the market for beer sold to supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafes. The price fixing
Price fixing
Price fixing is an agreement between participants on the same side in a market to buy or sell a product, service, or commodity only at a fixed price, or maintain the market conditions such that the price is maintained at a given level by controlling supply and demand...
extended to cheaper own-brand
Store brand
Store brands are a line of products sold by a retailer under a single marketing identity. They bear a similarity to the concept of House brands, Private label brands in the United States, own brands in the UK, and home brands in Australia and generic brands...
labels and rebates for bars
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
.
Beers
Grolsch produces a range of mainly pale lagerPale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
beers from alcohol free
Low-alcohol beer
Low-alcohol beer is beer with very low or no alcohol content...
to 11.6% abv
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
:
- Grolsch Premium Pilsner - Known internationally as Grolsch Premium Lager, is Grolsch's flagship beer and comprises 95% of all sales. It contains 5.0% abv.
- Grolsch Premium Blond - Blond is a lighter version of the Pilsner, with 30 per cent fewer calories and 4% abv.
- Grolsch Premium Light - A light version of the Pilsner with 3.7% abv, available only in the United States.
- Grolsch Premium Weizen - A traditional hefeweizen brewed according to the ReinheitsgebotReinheitsgebotThe Reinheitsgebot , sometimes called the "German Beer Purity Law" or the "Bavarian Purity Law" in English, was a regulation concerning the production of beer in Germany. In the original text, the only ingredients that could be used in the production of beer were water, barley and hops...
. It finishes soft and wet and has 5.5% abv.
Grolsch Blond, Grolsch Premium Lager and Grolsch Premium Weizen are all listed by the Vegetarian Society
Vegetarian Society
The Vegetarian Society is a British registered charity established on 30 September 1847 to "support, represent and increase the number of vegetarians in the UK."-History:...
as suitable for vegetarians. Grolsch won in the "Best Vegetarian Wine or Beer" category in the 2003 Vegetarian Society Awards.
Specialty Brews:
- Grolsch Premium Lentebok (6.5% abv)
- Grolsch Premium Herfstbok (6.5& abv)
- Grolsch Premium Malt (alcohol-free)
- Grolsch Oud Bruin (2.5% abv)
- Grolsch Het Kanon (11.6% abv)
- Grolsch Premium 2.5 (2.5% abv)
- Grolsch Lemon 2.5 (2.5% abv)
- Grolsch Cranberry Rosé (5.5%)
Grolsch also produces the Amsterdam brand of low-priced, mainly strong lagers for the European market. It is also sold in Australia.
- Amsterdam Maximator (11.6% abv)
- Amsterdam Navigator (8.4% abv)
- Amsterdam Explorator (6.8% abv)
- Amsterdam Mariner (4.8% abv)
- Amsterdam Liberator (alcohol-free)
Beugel
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
, but is now made of plastic. Bottles with porcelain tops are still in circulation in the Netherlands. They are popular with home brewers, as they are very robust and can easily be sealed by hand without the expense of new crown seals
Crown Cork
The crown cork , the first form of bottle cap, was invented by William Painter in 1891 in Baltimore. The company making it was originally called the Bottle Seal Company, but it changed its name with the almost immediate success of the crown cork to the Crown Cork and Seal Company...
. In North America, however, traditional metal-capped Grolsch bottles are becoming increasingly prevalent.
Occasionally Grolsch will use different color bottles, depending on the brew, e.g. the bottle for blonde lager is yellow, while the 2.5 lemon variety comes in a clear 25 cL bottle.