Where is Grolsch Premium Pilsner brewed?
Grolsch Premium Pilsner is imported from the Netherlands, but the UK version is weaker: 3.4% against 5.0% at home.
In short
Grolsch Premium Pilsner is the real thing on origin: the beer in UK shops is brewed at Enschede in the Netherlands. It is, however, a weaker version: 3.4% here against 5.0% at home. That puts it a tenth of a percent under the 3.5% threshold at which UK alcohol duty drops sharply. The brand belongs to Asahi Group Holdings (Koninklijke Grolsch N.V.). The label says: "Country of origin: Netherlands (brewed in Enschede)."
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 to 2019 | Grolsch (UK) Ltd, a joint venture with Coors Brewers, later Molson Coors | Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire | en.wikipedia.org |
| 2020 to now | Koninklijke Grolsch N.V. (import) | Enschede, Netherlands | morningadvertiser.co.uk |
What changed
- 5 September 2026:
verificationwas "partial", now "verified" (source)
Questions people ask
Where is Grolsch Premium Pilsner brewed?
The UK product is imported. It is brewed at Enschede in the Netherlands.
Is Grolsch Premium Pilsner brewed in the UK?
No. The UK product is brewed in the Netherlands.
Is Grolsch Premium Pilsner really Dutch?
Yes, on origin: the UK product is brewed in the Netherlands.
Who owns Grolsch Premium Pilsner?
Grolsch Premium Pilsner is owned by Asahi Group Holdings (Koninklijke Grolsch N.V.), headquartered in Japan. In the UK the brand is handled by Asahi UK Ltd.
What strength is Grolsch Premium Pilsner in the UK?
Grolsch Premium Pilsner is 3.4% ABV in the UK. In the Netherlands it is 5.0%.
Is Grolsch Premium Pilsner weaker in the UK than in the Netherlands?
Yes. The UK version is 3.4% against 5.0% in the Netherlands, 1.6 percentage points weaker.
See also
Every beer sold as Netherlands · Every brand owned by Asahi Group Holdings
Sources
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 1 November 2019: Asahi ended the UK brewing deal and Grolsch left the UK market in November 2019
- The Drinks Business (thedrinksbusiness.com), 1 November 2019: Asahi stopped brewing Grolsch in the UK
- The Morning Advertiser (morningadvertiser.co.uk), 21 September 2020: 2020 UK return at 4% ABV brewed in Enschede, Netherlands; previously produced in the UK under contract with Molson Coors; 35 year UK presence ended November 2019
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 21 September 2020: Grolsch returning to the UK with a new lower ABV recipe; formerly brewed by Molson Coors through a joint venture with Asahi
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 21 October 2024: Grolsch UK ABV reduced to 3.4%
- ITV News (itv.com), 21 October 2024: Grolsch dropped alcohol content amid sales slump and duty rules on weaker brews
- Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org), 5 September 2026: Grolsch (UK) Ltd was a joint venture with Coors Brewers that brewed Grolsch under licence in the UK for 25 years until November 2019; Dutch original 5% ABV
- second research pass (petebrown.net): cited by second research pass
- second research pass (asahibeer.co.uk): cited by second research pass
- second research pass (asahiinternational.com): cited by second research pass
- second research pass (tesco.com): cited by second research pass
- Grolsch (Netherlands) (grolsch.nl), 5 September 2026: Grolsch's Dutch product page for Premium Pilsner: 'Alcoholpercentage: 5%'.