The number of breweries operating in the Netherlands has soared to 217, compared with 123 two years ago, according to beer website bierburo.nl.

The new breweries focus on special beers and have names like Oersoep (primeval soup) and Oedipus Brewings, Nos television reports.

On average, the Dutch drink 72 litres of beer a year, well down on the 90 litres a year recorded in the 1990s, Nos says.