Fancy yourself a beer expert? Here’s what the Heineken Master Brewer thinks you should know

Have you ever wondered just how the hell beer is actually made? Sure, drinking the stuff isn’t exactly complicated but the process behind making it remains a mystery to most of us.

I mean, how can they take ingredients like hops and yeast, which you wouldn’t exactly snack on out of a bowl, and create something so delicious?

One man who can tell you exactly how is none other than Willem Van Waesberghe. Aside from having a name that sounds like a no-nonsense Dutch centre back from the 1980s, he is also the Global Master Brewer for Heineken and knows a thing or two about making beer.

Not so long ago, we were invited on a trip to Amsterdam to visit the Heineken Experience, which is about as close to a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory as we’re likely to see. The trip coincided with the launch of their new “Ahhh, that’s refreshing” campaign, and gave us a rare opportunity to speak to one of the more knowledgeable and reputable brewers on the planet.

We spoke to Willem about the basics of brewing. And we mean basics, as the first question was about how the hell beer was actually made.

“Well, beer is made from three ingredients: malt, barley malt, and barley. Malt creates the alcohol, the carbon dioxide, the colour of your beer, and then you have hops, which gives you the bitterness. The foam also comes from the barley malt, but you need a little bit of yeast, which is our biggest helper.

One ingredient that makes Heineken in particular very special is their unique A-yeast. It plays a big role in creating this iconic beer, which is made entirely from natural ingredients and is enjoyed in local pubs from Belmullet to Bangkok.

“The Heineken A yeast is an ancient yeast which creates that beautiful aroma of Heineken which we call fruitiness and that fruitiness the yeast can only produce in horizontal tanks, as it doesn't like a lot of pressure,” he says.

What makes the perfect pint

When it comes to what makes the perfect pint, he says, “Well, it depends a little bit where you are, but here in the Netherlands we like at least a finger of foam, maybe a little bit more, and we pour at 45° angle of the glass.

“We open the tap completely, put the glass underneath. When it hits the brim, you put it straight, close the tap, skim it off, and then you should have the perfect one.”

Being a Master Brewer

Not all of us get to have “Master Brewer” blasted at the top of our CV, and you’ve got to imagine it’s a pretty amazing job. Not only does he help to create one of the most popular beers on the planet, but he also gets to come up with potential new beer to go on the market.

The real question is, is being a Master Brewer as magic as it sounds?

“It is, it is a very nice job! People like to listen to you at least when it's about beer, but it's also nice to work with natural ingredients. And, every year is different, so you need to adapt your process a little bit.

Seeing as this is the place where such magical things happen, you have to wonder if there is a room somewhere in the factory where they experiment with new beers.

“I'm testing in 25 bars in the Netherlands, I'm testing every month, every two months, a new beer.

“We always have a small brewery where we can create small batches and test. And here in Zoeterwoude we have also a small brewery where I can do my tests,” he says.

While our attempts to gain access to this room were unsuccessful, he did say that being a master brewer is something that anyone can aspire to.

“Yeah, you can if you get trained and have experience and know your job, then you can become a master brewer,” he says.

Excuse me while I pop down to the local for research purposes.

Topics: Ireland, Alcohol