A brewery, a place where beer is produced commercially.

Origin: The word 'brouwerij' originates from the Middle Dutch 'brūwerīe', which itself is derived from 'brūwer', meaning brewer. The root 'brūwen' means to brew, related to Old High German 'brūwen'. Historical and Cultural Context: The first attestations of 'brouwerij' can be traced back to medieval times when beer brewing was a common household activity in the Netherlands. Brewing became a significant part of Dutch culture and economy. Evolution: Over time, 'brouwerij' retained its meaning with minor phonetic changes, maintaining a strong cultural connection to the brewing industry. Cognates exist in other Germanic languages like German 'Brauerei'. Modern Relevance: Today, 'brouwerij' is used to denote both traditional and modern breweries, including craft and microbreweries. The term has gained popularity internationally due to the global craft beer movement.

The Netherlands is home to the oldest still-operating brewery in the world, the Brand Brewery, which was founded in 1340.