Brouwerij De Molen
Encyclopedia
Brouwerij De Molen (ˌbrʌwəˈrɛi̯ də ˈmoːlə(n)) is an award-winning small craft brewery
, distillery and restaurant located in Bodegraven
, a town in the South Holland
province of the Netherlands
, within the rural area known as "Het Groene Hart
" (the "green heart" of the country). The brewery, whose name means "The Mill", is located inside a historic windmill building known as "De Arkduif" that was built in 1697. The premises also include the brewery taproom and a retail beer store offering European and American craft beers, as well as regional products such as farm cheese.
Having started out as a homebrewer, and after stints at several small breweries, head brewer Menno Olivier worked professionally at Stadtsbrouwerij De Pelgrim in Rotterdam
prior to founding De Molen in 2004.
The De Molen beers often have whimsical names consisting of paired words such as "Donder & Bliksem" ("Thunder and Lightning"). They have participated in joint projects with other notable European craft breweries such as Mikkeller
and De Struise Brouwers
. They have also participated in re-creations of historic beer recipes, such as those of the defunct British brewery Barclay & Perkins
.
De Molen has created a broad range of beers of widely-varying styles, primarily by doing very short production runs. This has led to their products being in demand by beer enthusiasts due to their limited availability. Many of their offerings are brewed only once a year, or on a one-off basis. Like many newer Dutch, Belgian and Scandinavian craft breweries, they are partially inspired by the American microbrewery
movement, including its trend toward higher-alcohol and more strongly-flavored brews.
"Beer Liqueur".
De Molen's products have dominated the RateBeer "Top 10 Best Dutch Beers" in both 2008 and 2009, occupying 7 and 8 of the 10 slots in those years, respectively. Each beer so honored received a 'Silver Medal' or 'Gold Medal' rating from this popular beer rating site.
De Molen brewer Menno Olivier was the recipient of the 2008 "Zilveren Knuppel" ("silver bat") awarded annually by the Dutch craft beer enthusiast society PINT for important contributions to beer culture in the Netherlands.
The De Molen Tsarina Esra was voted the Most Appreciated winter beer of the 2008 PINT Winter Beer festival.
De Molen and several of its beers were listed among the "Beers of the Year 2008" at noted UK beer journalists Roger Protz
and Tom Cannavan
's website beer-pages.com.
De Molen's Hel & Verdoemnis also won a Gold Medal at the 2008 Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival.
and De Struise Brouwers
.
Numerous other beers have also been produced.
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
, distillery and restaurant located in Bodegraven
Bodegraven
Bodegraven is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covers an area of 38.50 km² of which 1.02 km² is water....
, a town in the South Holland
South Holland
South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...
province of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, within the rural area known as "Het Groene Hart
Groene Hart
The Groene Hart is a relatively thinly populated area in the Dutch Randstad. The major Dutch cities of Rotterdam, Den Haag, Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam and Utrecht lie around this area...
" (the "green heart" of the country). The brewery, whose name means "The Mill", is located inside a historic windmill building known as "De Arkduif" that was built in 1697. The premises also include the brewery taproom and a retail beer store offering European and American craft beers, as well as regional products such as farm cheese.
Having started out as a homebrewer, and after stints at several small breweries, head brewer Menno Olivier worked professionally at Stadtsbrouwerij De Pelgrim in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
prior to founding De Molen in 2004.
The De Molen beers often have whimsical names consisting of paired words such as "Donder & Bliksem" ("Thunder and Lightning"). They have participated in joint projects with other notable European craft breweries such as Mikkeller
Mikkeller
Mikkeller is a so-called "phantom"microbrewery founded in 2006 based in Copenhagen, Denmark. The company brews at a variety of host facilities in several different countries, including Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and the United States....
and De Struise Brouwers
De Struise Brouwers
De Struise Brouwers is a microbrewery located in Oostvleteren, Belgium.-Origin:Owners of a nearby ostrich-raising farm in Lo-Reninge with accommodations for vacationers, Urbain Coutteau and Philippe Driessens developed an interest in making distinctive regional beers to serve to their guests...
. They have also participated in re-creations of historic beer recipes, such as those of the defunct British brewery Barclay & Perkins
Anchor Brewery, Southwark
The Anchor Brewery, Southwark, was situated off Southwark Bridge Road and had its main entrance on Park Street, Southwark.- History :The brewery was established in 1616 by James Monger and for many years was a relatively small concern. In the 18th century it was owned by the Thrale family, who were...
.
De Molen has created a broad range of beers of widely-varying styles, primarily by doing very short production runs. This has led to their products being in demand by beer enthusiasts due to their limited availability. Many of their offerings are brewed only once a year, or on a one-off basis. Like many newer Dutch, Belgian and Scandinavian craft breweries, they are partially inspired by the American microbrewery
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
movement, including its trend toward higher-alcohol and more strongly-flavored brews.
Technical Information
The capacity of the brewing system is 500 liters per batch, with annual production averaging a total of 500 hectoliters. The equipment includes converted dairy tanks used as fermentors. De Molen's beer is bottled by hand at the brewery, in capped 335ml and corked-and-caged 750ml bottles with a wax finish which are individually numbered. Batches of beer that are considered unsatisfactory are used as the basis of De Molen's distilled 21% ABVABV
ABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
"Beer Liqueur".
Awards and recognition
In 2010, De Molen was rated tenth in RateBeer's "Best Brewers in the World" list of the top 100 notable breweries.De Molen's products have dominated the RateBeer "Top 10 Best Dutch Beers" in both 2008 and 2009, occupying 7 and 8 of the 10 slots in those years, respectively. Each beer so honored received a 'Silver Medal' or 'Gold Medal' rating from this popular beer rating site.
De Molen brewer Menno Olivier was the recipient of the 2008 "Zilveren Knuppel" ("silver bat") awarded annually by the Dutch craft beer enthusiast society PINT for important contributions to beer culture in the Netherlands.
The De Molen Tsarina Esra was voted the Most Appreciated winter beer of the 2008 PINT Winter Beer festival.
De Molen and several of its beers were listed among the "Beers of the Year 2008" at noted UK beer journalists Roger Protz
Roger Protz
Roger Protz is a British writer, journalist and campaigner. He was an early member of the Campaign for Real Ale in 1971, and has written several books on beer and pubs...
and Tom Cannavan
Tom Cannavan
Tom Cannavan is a Scottish author and a wine journalist. He is considered a pioneer presence on internet of the British wine writing establishment.-Biography:...
's website beer-pages.com.
De Molen's Hel & Verdoemnis also won a Gold Medal at the 2008 Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival.
Events
Since 2009, De Molen has been the host of an annual event titled the Borefts Beer Festival. This typically occurs in the early autumn, with the participation of a range of innovative European craft brewers, such as Belgium's Picobrouwerij AlvinnePicobrouwerij Alvinne
Picobrouwerij Alvinne is a tiny craft brewery located in the small hamlet of Heule near the Belgian city of Kortrijk. The name of the brewery derives from a female spirit of local folk tales, who can be seen depicted on the brewery's logo and labels....
and De Struise Brouwers
De Struise Brouwers
De Struise Brouwers is a microbrewery located in Oostvleteren, Belgium.-Origin:Owners of a nearby ostrich-raising farm in Lo-Reninge with accommodations for vacationers, Urbain Coutteau and Philippe Driessens developed an interest in making distinctive regional beers to serve to their guests...
.
Beers
- Amarillo, a 9.2% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
beer made with American hops of the same name. - Amerikaans, a 4.2% ABV cask-conditioned version of the Engels, made with American hops.
- Bloed, Zweet & Tranen (Blood, Sweat and Tears), a strong amber beer made with brown and peated malts.
- Bommen & Granaten a strong, sweet beer of 15.2% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
. - Borefts Stout
- Cuvee De Molen a 13% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
strong beer aged in wood barrels, made by blending the Rasputin and Tsarina Esra. - De Molen Porter, a 5.8% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
PorterPorter (beer)Porter is a dark-coloured style of beer. The history and development of stout and porter are intertwined. The name was first used in the 18th century from its popularity with the street and river porters of London. It is generally brewed with dark malts...
-style beer hopped with Kent Goldings, brewed to a historic recipe from the 1914 archives of England's Barclay & PerkinsAnchor Brewery, SouthwarkThe Anchor Brewery, Southwark, was situated off Southwark Bridge Road and had its main entrance on Park Street, Southwark.- History :The brewery was established in 1616 by James Monger and for many years was a relatively small concern. In the 18th century it was owned by the Thrale family, who were...
. - Donder and Bliksem (Thunder & Lightning), a lager beer in the PilsenerPilsenerPilsner is a type of pale lager. It takes its name from the city of Pilsen , Bohemia, in today's Czech Republic, where it has been developed since 1842, when a bottom-fermented beer was first produced. The original Pilsner Urquell beer is produced there today.-Origin:Until the mid-1840s, most ...
style. - Engels, made with Sladek hops from The Czech Republic.
- Heil & Zegen, a hoppy 10.8% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
strong beer with grapefruit-like flavors. - Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell & Damnation), a 12% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
dark, strong imperial stout style beer with complex flavor. A deep black beer with a strong bitter taste and accents of chocolate, caramel and coffee. The recipe includes traditional English Brown Malt. Brewer Menno Olivier selected the name to reflect the beer's bitterness and high alcohol content.- Eiken Hel & Verdoemenis, an oak-aged version.
- Hemel & Aarde (Heaven & Earth), a 10.3% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
dark beer made with peat-smoked malt from the BruichladdichBruichladdichBruichladdich Distillery is a Scotch whisky distillery on the Rhinns of the isle of Islay. It is one of eight distilleries on the island, and until the recent opening of Kilchoman farm distillery, the only independent one....
Scotch distillery, American Nugget hops for bittering, and a citrusy taste from American Amarillo finishing hops. - Kannen & Kruiken (Cans and Crocks) an American-style IPA with American finishing hops including Chinook and Cascade. The name refers to a Dutch expression meaning "to have everything neatly sorted out".
- Molen Stout, 7.2% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
- Molen Tien, 10% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
- Pek & Veren (Tar & Feathers), an 8.0% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
dark, smoked beer. - Rasputin, an Imperial Stout. After a 2009 trademark-infringement claim was brought by California's North Coast Brewing CompanyNorth Coast Brewing CompanyThe North Coast Brewing Company is a microbrewery and pub located in Fort Bragg, California.- External links :*...
due to the name's similarity to their existing "Old Rasputin" beer of the same style, De Molen changed the name on the American export label to "Disputin" in a humorous reference to the controversy. - Storm & Averij (Storm & Damage), an American-style double India Pale AleIndia Pale AleIndia Pale Ale or IPA is a style of beer within the broader category of pale ale. It was first brewed in England in the 19th century.The first known use of the expression "India pale ale" comes from an advertisement in the Liverpool Mercury newspaper published January 30, 1835...
. - Ton sur Ton, a 10.5% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
strong SaisonSaisonSaison is the name originally given to low-alcohol pale ales brewed seasonally in farmhouses in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium, for farm workers during harvest season...
made to commemorate the service of an employee of the Amsterdam craft beer store De Bierkoning. - Tsarina Esra, an Imperial Porter. Also produced in an oak-aged 'Reserva' version.
- Vlaams & Hollands, 5% ABVABVABV is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* Alcohol by volume, a measure of the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks* Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Nigeria, from its IATA airport code...
Flemish Brown Ale aged in wine and whisky barrels.
Numerous other beers have also been produced.