De Weldoener Blond named 2022's best Dutch beer

De Weldoener Blond Beer from Brouwerij Maallust was named Best Beer of the Netherlands for 2022. The announcement was made at the Dutch Beer Tasting Festival, which kicked off on Thursday evening in the Grote Kerk in The Hague.

"We are so proud of that!" exclaimed the brewery in a reaction on its social media channels. De Weldoener previously won the award as the country's best blond beer, and 28 others won gold medals in different categories. A total of 96 beers won various awards.

"Out of all 29 gold medals we are the beer with the most points," Brouwerij Maallust said. They defeated a record number of 550 beers submitted for the competition by 144 different breweries.

The festival is part of the ninth ever Week of Dutch Beer. During the festival, which continues through Saturday, dozens of brewers are presenting 250 of their best beers to the public. Masterclasses will also be held on a variety of topics, ranging from the history of beer, and pairing beer with barbecue or cheeses.

Other beer-related activities will also be held through May 29 around the Netherlands. These include tastings, open houses, tours, walking routes through hop fields, and smaller regional festivals.