If you pay close attention to how the craft beer industry in America has expanded and grown over the course of the past two decades, there’s no arguing the fact that we’re currently living in a golden age for brewing. Gone are the days in which beer was a watery, tasteless substance preferred by college students and reserved for wild parties. Beer is quickly catching up on wine in terms of sophistication, with extensive lists popping up on menus in some of the world’s finest restaurants. While various countries are joining in on the party, the Dutch are currently brewing some of the world’s best beers.
Imports and Confusion
It’s no secret that the brewing culture in the Netherlands is gaining a great deal of traction. If there’s any potential for a disconnect, however, it comes down to translation. Dutch language translation is something that most Americans are unfamiliar with, yet we import a great deal of Dutch beers. For craft beer fans, deciphering a bottle of De Molen or Christoffel is more of a fun challenge than anything else, but this is a small portion of the population. Others who encounter the same beers on a shelf may pass on a purchase simply because they can’t understand what’s written on the bottle.
Maintaining Cultural Pride
There are a few things that come into play in regards to Dutch to English translation and craft beer. Many breweries in the Netherlands do indeed design their labels for an English-speaking audience. After all, interest in craft beer is exceptionally high in America, and breweries overseas know that there is a market here for their products. Translating beer labels into English can certainly help to increase sales, and it’s also a great way for breweries to ensure that language barriers don’t limit their audience.
On the other end of the spectrum is the fact that maintaining cultural pride is more important than anything else for certain brewers. The Netherlands is home to two of the world’s 10 Trappist breweries, with heritage that dates back hundreds of years. Terms such as “Dubbel” and “Tripel” may not be well-known by many Americans, but they speak for ancient styles of beer that most breweries aren’t willing to translate into an Americanized form. It may not bode especially well for business, but keeping these terms as they are is an essential aspect of maintaining culture and individuality in the world of craft beer.
The Bottom Line
In the end, language translation issues aren’t reserved specifically for the Dutch. Belgium, Spain, and Italy are just three other major producers in the craft beer industry, and the same rules apply for beers coming out of these countries. Cultural heritage is more than a good enough reason for keeping traditional languages on beer labels, but it can also have a negative effect on sales. For breweries that are trying to gain traction in the craft brewing community, translation may be the right route to take.
