Tweet14-07-2011 om 21:08 by Amanda Potter

Recently I heard about Beercycle, a local business that delivers beer and wine between 9pm and 2 am in Maastricht. They have partnered with Jules & You, a student support organisation, so that members of Jules & You can get a discount with the company. I haven’t tried the service myself, but it did get me thinking. So today I thought I’d introduce you to a few of the typical beers available in the Maastricht Region.

Pils

The classic Dutch beer is a Pilsner and it is typically served in a .2ml or .25ml glass. It has a light gold or yellow color and I find a good one to have a crisp taste; good after a long bike trip. If you want to try a Limburgish pils, give Brand, Gulpener, or De Leeuw.

Pilsner’s in the Netherlands are considered the main tap beer in any cafe or restaurant. That means if you just order “beer”, you will get a glass of the house pilsner. You also will find that most cafes are loyal to a single brand; so don’t ask for a Gulpener in a Heiniken place.

Wit

Another popular beer type in this area is the Wit, or white, beer. This beer is an unfiltered wheat beer and often has a citrus flavor. Maastricht is best known for Wieske Witte, a white beer that was originally brewed locally. Today it is owned by Heineken and brewed elsewhere. Most of the other local breweries, Gulpener for example, also have their own white beers. You can often get Belgian and German white beers in Limburg cafes as well.

Belgian

If you like something a bit stronger or darker, Maastricht’s proximity to Belgium can place a wide variety of Belgian beers at your disposal. Sure the Dutch companies do have some Doubles and Tripels which are quite good; but why miss out on our neighbor’s beer making excellence.  Several Belgian beers are Trappists beers; originally or still brewed at monasteries and frequently feature rich and dark flavors.

If you don’t know which you want to try, I suggest you try one of the handful of beer speciality cafes in Maastricht. These bars have an extensive beer menu, allowing you to taste a variety of beers from all over the region.

Small Brewers

Although difficult to find in bars, I should point out that there are many tiny brewers in the area around Maastricht. If you prefer a microbrew, visit Glimburger to check out their selection and mix and match your own six pack.

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