If you believe dog people, then the four-legged fur nose is our best friend and most loyal companion. Dogs adore their owners with unconditional affection, stick with us through thick and thin, are thrilled when you open the front door after a long day at work and would love to be petted all day long, fed with treats and played with sticks and balls . The dog has been at our side since its domestication almost 15,000 years ago and has developed from protector of the farm and herd to one of the most popular pets. In a brewery in the Netherlands, the love for the fluffy four-legged friend even went so far that the company was named after him.
The brewery we're talking about here is called the White Dog Brewery, named in honor of Westie, a small white West Highland White Terrier. The nimble little Fluff inspired founder Ricky Maertzendorff to name his brewery when he went from hobby brewer to official brewery owner in 2018. However, its story began not with beer, but with cider. Ricky had a knack for making fine cider and, after receiving enthusiastic feedback from friends and family, ventured into brewing wild beers. Lambic, Saison and brews with wild Brettanomyces yeasts are extremely popular in Belgium and Ricky's homeland, the Netherlands, and are part of the millennia-old brewing tradition. However, these experimental, characterful beers were not well received by his family. They asked Ricky for a more drinkable brew, whereupon the brewer created an extremely delicious tripel. This beer hit like a bomb and ensured that Ricky could no longer keep up with the increasing demand. He decided to make things official and registered his brewing business with the Chamber of Commerce.
Shortly afterwards, the young company was invited to the SCHUIM2019 brewing trade fair and won first prize for the triple. This win catapulted Ricky and his White Dog Brewery into the spotlight and made retailers and restaurants take notice. Demand increased significantly again and today allows Ricky to serve people from all over the world with the beer from his brewery in Dordrecht. The brewer collaborates with colleagues from all corners of the planet and now has numerous award-winning creations in his range. We carry his collaboration brew with the Folkingebrew and the Cologne brewery Lieber Waldi .
Westie passed away on October 5, 2023 and will be forever cherished by the White Dog Brewery team.
