The Dutch Beer Trade: How Amsterdam Brewed a Golden Age

Long before Heineken, the Dutch Republic was awash in beer—a vital commodity for a maritime nation where water was often unsafe to drink. In this episode, hosts Lucas and Luna explore how Amsterdam became a brewing powerhouse in the 17th century, supplying not just local taverns but ships bound for the East Indies. They trace the rise of the brouwersgilde, the role of clean water from the dune-filtered canals, and the shift from gruit to hops that made Dutch beer a global export. Along the way, they touch on the Wisselbank's financing of breweries, the VOC's beer contracts, and the cultural legacy of bierkaai and bruine kroegen. A toast to an overlooked engine of the Dutch economy.

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