White Dog Brewery

If you believe dog people, then the four-legged furry friend 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 treats and entertained with sticks and balls. The dog has been by our side since it was domesticated almost 15,000 years ago and has developed from a 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 it.

From cider to craft beer

The brewery we're talking about here is called 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 being a hobby brewer to becoming an official brewery owner in 2018. His story didn't start with beer, however, 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 yeast 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 didn't go down too well with his family. They asked Ricky for a more drinkable brew, whereupon the brewer created an extremely delicious tripel. This beer was a huge hit and Ricky was unable to keep up with the increasing demand. He decided to make things official and registered his brewing business with the Chamber of Commerce.

A rocket launch

Shortly afterwards, the young company was invited to the SCHUIM2019 brewing fair and won first prize for the Tripel. This victory catapulted Ricky and his White Dog Brewery into the spotlight and ensured that retailers and restaurants took notice. Demand rose again significantly and today enables 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 brews with 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.