Water & Soil

By Dutch standards, South Limburg counts as hill country, and it sits on limestone. Where sand and polders usually define the Dutch landscape, here hills rise up made of marl, a soft limestone that filters rainwater before it resurfaces as a spring.

Gulpener cites water from its own springs, filtered through marl, as a special feature. Brand in Wijlre likewise states that it brews with water from its own springs. At Alfa, the story even began with the water: in 1870, Joseph Meens discovered a spring on his land whose purity inspired him to start brewing.

What does chalky water do to beer? It's hard, meaning it contains a lot of dissolved calcium and bicarbonate. This pushes the pH of the mash upward, so darker malts are needed to reach a good balance—or the brewer adjusts the water. For pale beers like Pils, the water is therefore usually treated.

That's exactly what nearly all breweries do today, whether they're located on the Meuse or in Pilsen. Water is no longer a secret formula but a starting point. Above all, it shapes how round or how sharp the bitterness comes across in the glass.

Beneath Maastricht lies soft limestone, which has been quarried for building stone since Roman times. The cave passages of the Sint-Pietersberg are one example. Local guides in the region still emphasize today that limestone is ideal for drawing water, and that this is why the city became a brewing center.