Alfa Facts
For 400 years, the Meens family has lived in the Limburg hamlet of Thull in Schinnen. For 150 years, the family has been brewing beer. Craft beer, how could it be otherwise, because ‘true to ourselves’ is our family motto.
Aunt Wies tasted our beer every morning. For 75 years. Alfa Beer must have a perfect balance and be freshly sparkling. We take brewing seriously, just like traditions. So we taste our freshly brewed beer ourselves every morning.
Joseph Meens founded the brewery in 1870, the brewing craft passed from father to son. Always on one condition: don’t make any concessions on taste and quality. We obediently do what our forefathers said, which makes us stubborn brewers.
Once, a big brewer wanted to buy the brewery. Henri Meens politely thanked for the interest. He said, ‘No thanks, I’d rather be a small boss than a big servant’. We at Alfa do not make concessions.
One of Harry Meens’ daughters brewed her first beer when she was just 12 years old. Beer brewing is in the Meens family’s blood, with the fifth generation already warming up.
Before the word sustainability even existed, Leo Meens had a passive ditch constructed with reed and rushes fields to purify process water. Today, this method of purification is state-of-the-art.
One hop is not the other. At the top of the rankings is the world-famous Tettnanger aroma hop. These noble hops have been defining the subtle aftertaste of Alfa Edel Pils for almost 150 years.
Yeast defines the soul of every beer and gives it a unique character. Alfa Edel Pils derives its refreshing and authentic flavour from Meens stock yeast, which has been used for many years.
Our 6,000-year-old spring water is only available for a limited time and so our brewing capacity is limited. Each bottle is individually numbered with a unique ‘AlfaCode’. So 100% spring water.
Alfa Krachtig Dort is inspired by the brewing tradition from Germany. This beer has a powerful malt and hop aroma and an outstanding bouquet. We value tradition: Krachtig Dort matures for months until it has a beautifully balanced flavour.
We don’t like fads, we like a really good, fresh, refined and craft beer. That has been our family tradition for 150 years and we stick to it.
Joseph Meens’ recipe from 1870 is still used: barley malt, spring water, hops and yeast. Authentic brewing (decoction), without concessions to flavour and quality.
Our Edel Pils has a firm head that protects the flavour. This head is partly created by carefully selected barley malt. We let nature do its work.
Good beer is a matter of patience. So we let Alfa Edel Pils ferment cold and, above all, slowly and give it plenty of time to mature, giving it exactly the flavour we want.
The name Edel Pils was not chosen at random, as it exceeds the standard of pils in taste and quality. Full-bodied, fresh, refined, quirky and with a balanced hop/malt aroma.
Alfa Lentebok is a fresh spring beer with a citrus-like flavour. We brew this with very refined aroma hops. The colour is deep orange to bronze due to the use of lightly caramelised malts.
Alfa Donker Bruin is brewed using authentic methods and has a mildly sweet character. This isotonic drink is ideal as a thirst quencher after a sporting performance.
Alfa Herfstbok has a ruby red colour and its good flavour balance comes from specially selected roasted malts. Our Herfstbok has a caramel-like and powerfully spicy flavour.
Who says South Limburg, says hills, half-timbering, flan, syrup, beer and enjoying life. We cherish that feeling. Our brewery is located in the middle of the Limburg hills for a reason. Who says Limburg, says Alfa Beer.
Quality of life is a high priority in Limburg. Limburgers enjoy life and cherish what is good. And that includes a good glass of beer. Preferably beer with a soft A, of course. The A of Alfa.
There used to be no labels. The name of the brand was embossed in the glass. Embossed is what it is called. To emphasise the quality of yesteryear, our new bottles are embossed the old-fashioned way. Timeless, in fact.
Our new bottle has a slender neck. And if you pay attention, you’ll notice a chain draped around the neck with a red lacquer seal. As an ode to Aunt Wies who guarded refined taste for 75 years.
There are countless sources of water in our country, but there are only a few official sources in the Netherlands. From these comes certified spring water, which is better for brewing beer than mineral water. That explains everything!
From various lore the image of Gambrinus, the king of beer, eventually emerged. As brewers of divine beer, Gambrinus naturally had to have a place with us in Schinnen. His effigy adorns the façade.
Brush is the residual product left over during the brewing process. High in protein and full of energy. We know what to do with that. Our brew stems from the farm, so we use it as cattle feed. Brewer happy, cows happy.
We are careful with all our ingredients. And that certainly applies to our yeast. Our stock yeast is already 100 years old and is stored in the famous yeast vault in Cologne. We regularly travel to Cologne to start again with the original yeast. Everything for the good taste!
A crown cap alone is not enough for us. That is why we provide all our bottles with a closing seal. Purposefully, because with this we seal the quality of the product under the crown cap. Clear message.
On a nice glass of beer belongs a firm head of foam. It looks inviting, and foam also has an important function. It keeps the beer sparkling and fresh. The perfect head is a must, because foam is sacred to the brewer.
Beer should be enjoyed to the fullest. Sipping is also allowed, as is the next glass. After a few glasses, the beer should still taste good. Drinkability and finesse is what we call it.
Of course, as professional brewers, we also use computers in the brewing process. But our brewers watch, smell, taste and make adjustments. After all, there is a difference between computer-assisted and computer-controlled.
Alongside the well-known beer brands, we are experiencing the rise of countless small and sometimes very small breweries these days. We welcome this refreshing revival and taste the kinship: the passion for beer and the love of the trade.
In our now almost 150-year history, we have received a lot of recognition. Awards from connoisseurs and consumers at home and abroad. In 2018, Alfa Edel Pils was the best of all beers available in national supermarkets, according to the Dutch Beer Challenge.
From our brewery in the Limburg hamlet of Thull, we have sold our beer all over the world. From England to America and from Russia to China. By now, exports are part of our success and we are quite proud of that.
In 1870, Joseph Meens started brewing beer. A by-product on his farm. Of course, he could not have imagined that his great-grandson Harry Meens continues the family tradition to this day. Things can change.
When Harry Meens starts talking about the brewing process, it soon dizzies you. Brewing beer is a complicated process. Which you shouldn’t be too complicated about, by the way, because when Harry pours, it is what it is: simply delicious.
Joseph Meens started brewing beer in 1870 and until 1953 it was Meens Beer. With the growth of the global economy, the importance of strong international brands grew. Meens Beer became Alfa Beer. Alfa, the 1st letter of the alphabet, which sounds the way the beer tastes: delicious.
Not everyone can immediately place Thull. A hamlet in Schinnen in the beautifully rolling Limburg hill country. A harmonious setting for its 150 or so inhabitants. And a perfect location for a brewery that cherishes tradition.
Of course, we are a company like so many others. With rules, an organisational chart, organisational processes and a corporate culture. But in one respect we are really different from other companies. We are all beer lovers. Beer fraternises.
Let’s face it: a lot of beer is mainstream, mass = box office. Alfa dares to stand out: limited spring water, the best barley, top hops, its own fermentation culture for 100 years, quiet brewing process, thoughtful sustainability, restrained marketing. Typical Alfa.
