Grutte Pier Brouwerij

Grutte Pier Brouwerij is a Frisian craft brewery and distillery based in Bartlehiem, in the province of Friesland in the northern Netherlands. It was founded in 2014 by Frans Filius, Menno Feenstra and Michelle Beerstra, with Renze Bil also named as an initiator; the founders knew each other from the specialty beer café De Markies. The brewery is named after the Frisian folk hero Grutte Pier (Pier Gerlofs Donia), and its branding leans on Frisian identity and storytelling. For its first years the company operated as a contract or host brewery, brewing at other facilities such as Bax Brouwerij in Groningen and Admiraals Bierbrouwerij in Oudkerk (Aldtsjerk). Storage and a barrel room were located on the Slauerhoffwei in Leeuwarden until 2020, when the company set up its own brewing farm (Brouwboerderij) in Wyns with a small installation. The Brouwboerderij Bartlehiem became the home for developing new beers and brewing wild, barrel-aged beers such as the Bretttûne series. Since 2023 the core beers have been brewed in Belgium. The brewery produces a broad range of specialty beers, including a Blond, Witbier, Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel, seasonal beers such as Lentebier and Bock, and the Jûkelburd. Its wild and barrel-aged lines include Bretttûne and the Wilde Vrienden series, and it has produced collaboration beers with other breweries. The Bretttûne Fruit Kers Cider won a gold medal at the Dutch Beer Challenge 2024 in the Innovation/Special Sour/Brett category. The company also brews beers on commission for hospitality clients. Beyond beer, Grutte Pier operates a distillery making small batches of liqueurs and distillates, including a Limoncello. On 22 March 2025 the Grutte Pier Stokerij (distillery) opened following the takeover of Distilleerderij Trappenburg from Penjum. The brewery runs a proeflokaal (tasting room) in an old shipyard on the Dokkumer Ee in Bartlehiem, open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and sells through an online webshop with shipping in the Netherlands. Its positioning is artisanal, Frisian and accessible — 'beer for heroes', with a focus on flavour and simplicity.

Grutte Pier Brouwerij was officially opened on 15 November 2014. The initiators were Frans Filius, Renze Bil, Menno Feenstra and Michelle Beerstra, who knew each other from the specialty beer café De Markies. The brewery takes its name from the Frisian folk hero Grutte Pier. Until early 2020 the company operated only as a host or contract brewery, brewing at facilities including Bax Brouwerij in Groningen and Admiraals Bierbrouwerij in Oudkerk (Aldtsjerk). Storage and a barrel room were located on the Slauerhoffwei in Leeuwarden. In 2020 the company established its own brewing farm (Brouwboerderij) in Wyns, equipped with a small installation. At the Brouwboerderij Bartlehiem, new beers are developed and wild beers such as the Bretttûne series are brewed. The site also hosts meetings and tours in the tasting room and has a shop, with online ordering through the webshop. Since 2023 the beers have been brewed in Belgium. The numbered Bretttûne blends have been discontinued and replaced by the Wilde Vrienden line. The Kracht in de Nacht 2023 edition was the last produced, to be replaced by a Stout. On 22 March 2025 the Grutte Pier Stokerij (distillery) opened, following the takeover of Distilleerderij Trappenburg from Penjum. The brewery's range has grown to include core beers such as Blond, Witbier, Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel, seasonals such as Lentebier and Bock, and special releases. Its Bretttûne Fruit Kers Cider won a gold medal at the Dutch Beer Challenge 2024 in the Innovation/Special Sour/Brett category. The company also produces beers on commission for hospitality clients, and has collaborated with other breweries on beers such as Cinema Paradiso (with Galway Bay Brewery and Alchemik) and the Wilde Vrienden series.

• 2025

  Grutte Pier Stokerij (distillery) opened on 22 March 2025 after the takeover of Distilleerderij Trappenburg from Penjum.

• 2024

  Bretttûne Fruit Kers Cider won a gold medal at the Dutch Beer Challenge 2024 in the Innovation/Special Sour/Brett category.

• 2023

  Beers began to be brewed in Belgium; Kracht in de Nacht 2023 edition was the last produced.

• 2020

  Established its own brewing farm (Brouwboerderij) in Wyns with a small installation.

• 2014

  Brewery officially opened on 15 November 2014 by Frans Filius, Renze Bil, Menno Feenstra and Michelle Beerstra.

Artisanal Frisian craft brewery and distillery focused on flavour and simplicity, with a strong regional identity tied to the folk hero Grutte Pier.

• Grutte Pier Blond

• Grutte Pier Witbier

• Grutte Pier Dubbel

• Grutte Pier Tripel

• Grutte Pier Quadrupel

• Grutte Pier Lentebier

• Grutte Pier Kracht in de Nacht (last batch 2023)

• Grutte Pier Friese Boezem

• Grutte Pier Bock

• Grutte Pier Jûkelburd

• Grutte Pier Honing Tripel

• Bretttûne series (barrel-aged wild beers)

• Bretttûne Fruit Kers Cider (gold medal Dutch Beer Challenge 2024)

• Wilde Vrienden series

• Grutte Pier Limoncello

• Liqueurs and distillates

1. 1Grutte Pier Brouwerij – ambachtelijke speciaalbier brouwerij in Frieslgruttepier.nl
2. 2Tripel – Grutte Pier Brouwerijgruttepier.nl
3. 3Limoncello 50cl – Grutte Pier Brouwerijgruttepier.nl
4. 4Grutte Pier Brouwerijwikidata.org
5. 5Grutte Pier Brouwerijfy.wikipedia.org