I can’t believe it’s Dutch, episode 2: Local Beer

(This is the second in a series of posts about ‘unknown Dutch treasures’ – themselves usually well-known, but not the fact that they originated here, in this tiny country. Enjoy.) A while ago, a Lebanese friend was on a business-trip to Amsterdam, and we went for a dinner together. Now Dutch cuisine is not famous, and there’s a reason, so I took her to our colonial cuisine: Indonesian. Still wanting to try something truly local in her short time in the country, she asked for recommendations for beer.

Well, I said, I don’t know what kinds of beer they serve here, but I’m sure they’ll have Heineken.

No, she said, I mean, I would like to try some local beer.

Yes, I said, Heineken.

It might not taste good, but Heineken is definitely Dutch.