Amsterdam Pub Guide (all 9 parts!)
|
Amsterdam
Pub Guide
|
|
Introduction - Nieuwezijd
|
| Want to taste the best beer of Europe? Then get some of the best prices on hotels Amsterdam here! You'll be able to get awesome packages for hotels in Rome as well. For the absolutely best deals on Amsterdam hotels, visit us today! |
| Buy
a book version (pdf or print) of the full Amsterdam Pub Guide (all 9 parts!) |
|
|
|
| black and white | full colour |
|
Books for sale!
|
||
  |
| Introduction | |
|
Index
Practical Stuff Where do I find Pubs? Dutch breweries (large) Dutch breweries (small) Belgian breweries Amsterdam breweries Bockbier Tasting 2004 Bokbierfestival Amsterdam Pubs Overview Map Nieuwezijd (Dam) Oudezijd (Nieuwmarkt) De Jordaan De Pijp Amsterdam East Amsterdam South Amsterdam West Utrechtsestraat Rivierenbuurt Buying Bottled Beer |
| The pubs of Amsterdam Amsterdam has an absolute stack of pubs - 1200 of them for only 700,000 of us. (I don't mean to rub it in, but I'm lucky enough to be a resident of the Birmingham of Holland, as no-one calls it.) I make that one pub for every 583 people. You can't possibly expect me to describe them all, and I'm not going to. This is my selection. Arbitrary, bigoted, left-handed - these adjectives, and more, appear in the English dictionary. Where was I? - objective, inclusive, perfect (see previous note). Some said I was a crazy taking the arduous task of compiling this guide upon myself. "Aaaaaaaggh mmnnnnnnngggggg" was my reply. Any subsequent ordeals, I underwent willingly. Just remember this: if you make no use of these pages, my boys will have suffered in vain. Do you want the anguish of those tender young souls on your conscience? Do you? The dynamic nature of a modern post-industrial economy means that my research will never end. Pub openings (and pub closures) require me to spend long hours researching in bars. At least that's what I tell everyone. Sadly, the choice of beer in Amsterdam doesn't match the number of its pubs. Many bars (though, the number is happily diminishing) still only sell a single beer - draught pils. In a British or Belgian pub you can expect to find a minimum of 10-15 beers on sale. In Amsterdam, students and yuppies will be your drinking companions if you've got a choice that big. Here's a thought to bear in mind: more than 90% of all beer sold in the Netherlands is pils. If you take this fact into consideration, the beer selection offered by Amsterdam's pubs doesn't look quite so mean. These are the pubs that I would recommend you visit in Amsterdam. Not the best, the oldest, the trendiest, or the ones with the most or best beer. No. These are where I would take you, should you say:"Do you know a decent pub?". This is my choice of bars and pubs selling at least one beer worth drinking. Usually more. Beers that is. Unless it's a pub I like. And there's loads of them I like for no discernible reason. You work it out. More general information on Amsterdam, its pubs and the beers they sell . . . |
|
| Map Index | ||
|
||
| For more about Dutch breweries & beers: | |
|
Every Dutch breweries and all their beers.
|
|
|
Detailed tasting notes of many Dutch beers.
|
|
| Amsterdam Pub Guide (Part One) |
| Dam Square - Leidseplein |
| Café Belgique | |
| Gravenstraat 2, 1012 NM Amsterdam. Tel. 020-625 1974 http://www.xs4all.nl/~phj |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur: 12:00-01:00 Fri - Sat: 12:00-03:00 Sun: 14:00-01:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 8 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-40 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. Prices: draught beer €1.85 - 3.50. |
|
| Café Belgique is a tiny pub behind the Nieuwe Kerk.
(My front room is bigger. Constructing a fullsize replica has often crossed
my mind.) The carved wooden counter, glass shelves and gleaming brass taps
lend a turn-of-the-century air which draws in many an idle passer-by. Maybe
they would be just as attracted to my house, if my wife were to become temporarily
insane and allow me turn my dream into reality. Ignoring your fellows is not an option in somewhere this size. It has to be pretty empty for you not (quite literally) to be rubbing shoulders with your neighbours. Alone, beer-loving and English-speaking? Nowhere else (Damstraat excepted, where that old Amsterdam street call "Coke, ecstasy, heroin" can still heard) is it easier to strike up a conversation. Despite its location in tourist central, Belgique draws in a good share of locals; suits from the Beurs, shoppers from Nieuwedijk, artists from their attics. The laid-back vibe is helped by some of the best background music you'll hear in Amsterdam. 
The decoration is appropriately beery, consisting mostly of the old enamel
advertising signs which used to adorn the exterior of Belgian pubs. Sadly,
most of the breweries have long disappeared, demonstrating the damage caused
to Belgium's rich beer culture by the buy-em-up then close-em-down philosophy
of large brewery groups. The tiny size of the bar and the prominently positioned
stairs lead many to assume that there must be more rooms upstairs. But don't
be fooled: there are only two seats upstairs, one for men and one for women.
In the summer months there are a couple of tables on the pavement outside,
when the police aren't having one of their bizarre occasional crackdowns
on 'illegal' terraces.The beer selection, predictably enough given the name, is mostly Belgian and, while not the largest, is reasonably varied, offering an example of most major styles. Amongst the draught beers in particular, there are seldom two of exactly the same type. Notably, it is the only regular draught outlet for Vlo, a beer specially produced by the local 't Ij brewery for the beer shop De Bierkoning. It's one of a handful of truly top-class, original Dutch beers and is highly recommended both by myself and anyone else who has the vaguest idea about beer. A few years ago the number of draught beer taps was increased by two and this has allowed the number of occasional beers to increase. There's usually a new draught every two weeks or so and these have included such rarities as N'ice Chouffe, the outstanding winter beer from La Chouffe. In the Winter, La Trappe Quadrupel usually graces one of the beer taps at some point. Overall, it's one of the best specialist beer bars in Amsterdam and amongst the top in the whole country. Not to be missed. (The photo of the interior of Belgique was taken by Arjan, a far better photographer than I. His surname I don't know, I'm afraid. He's one of the barmen. Tell him Ron sent you - or, better still, that you really like his photo. It is very nice, after all. The password is: "Amersfoort mafia".) |
|
| Rating: ***** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 14 to Dam Square |
| Het Schuim | |
| Spuistraat 189, 1012 VN Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 638 9357 |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thur 11:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 11:00-02:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 6 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-10 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Meals, snacks. Prices: vaasje €2.00, La Chouffe €2.75, Duvel €3.75. |
|
 Schuim
is a decent-sized pub in a rather bland new building, not far from Dam Square
(or the Bier Koning, Amsterdams best beer shop, which is just around the
corner on Paleisstraat). I suggest you take this photo along with you for
identification purposes, as there isn't really any sign (OK, there is a
tiny one, but I challenge you to spot it on your first visit) to give away
the pub's name.The style of the interior is unashamedly modern, but with enough effort and thought put into it come up with the something attractive and comfortable. The furniture is a slightly jarring mixture of garishly coloured low armchairs and heavy stiff wooden tables and chairs. It also acts as a gallery and the walls are hung with changing collections of paintings. These range from being quite good to putting you off your beer, but if there's anything you particularly hate you can at least reassure yourself with the thought that it will be gone in a couple of weeks. With part of the university directly opposite, it, unsurprisingly, attracts large numbers of students. But don't let this put you off too much, as there is also a reasonable number of normals, even some over 30. A combination of the disastrous bar counter design (pillars almost totally hide the barstaff from view) and the quaintly surly, uncooperative sloths standing behind it, has created a level of service way below even Amsterdam's usually crap level. If you're in no hurry, seeing just how long it can take to purchase a single beer, can be good fun. An attempt to buy a round at 11 o'clock on a Friday night doesn't raise quite as many laughs.  Very
little has changed in Schuim, except for the paintings. You can see how
busy it was on the afternoon of my visit, yet it still took two barstaff
5 minutes to serve me. Look at the photo of the bar and you can see where
desperate drinkers have started chewing the pillars out of frustration.
I fully understand.One addition - and one of the few places you'll find the pub's name - are brass fretwork lampshades. Nice. A bit hippy, but nice. Where's my camera so I don't need to trouble the thesaurus again. A bizarre pricing policy sees La Chouffe good value , but Duvel expensive. I've tried, but I can detect no logic behind the prices. It all adds to the anarchic charm. Bitburger Pils has gone, but there is still a guest tap, often serving an Ij beer. Oh no. One of the paintings is starting to look quite good. I don't remember consuming any mushroom dishes today. There has to be something wrong with my senses. I had best just give the beers in my notes a quick count - 1 ... 2, 3 ... That can't be it. Could the cause be:
Despite several crap features, I still really like Schuim. It has personality. An often annoying, but occasionally disarming, one. What else can I say about Schuim? Oh yes, it's Xavier Hollander's favourite Amsterdam bar (at least that's what she claimed in the local paper, Het Parool). It's also a "smoking" bar. Spend any length of time here and you'll realise that my mates don't just call it "Scum" because the real name is too hard to pronounce... |
|
| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 14 to Dam Square |
| In De Wildeman | |
| Kolksteeg 3, 1012 PT Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 638 2348 http://www.indewildeman.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur 12:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 12:00-02:00 Sun Closed |
|
| Number of draught beers: 18 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-150 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. | |
 Half
way between Centraal Station and the Dam, De Wideman is tucked away
in a small alley which has the pedestrianised Nieuwedijk at one end and
Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal at the other. For those with any sense of aesthetics, I would recommend access from the Nieuwedijk. You might otherwise have to look at the inept and inappropriate green glass office block that disfigures the corner with the Nieuwezijdsvoorburgwal. Not without reason is this compendium of uninspired modernist cliches one of the most hated buildings in Amsterdam. I would gladly pay to have it dynamited, if only I wasn't as broke as a christmas present on Boxing Day. |
|
 Originally
the tasting room of a defunct distillery to the rear, the conversion of
the premises to beer bar has been done remarkably tastefully. The atmosphere
of distillery sampling rooms (see Wijnand Fockinck) has been successfully
preserved, especially through use of the trademark green woodwork. The former use of the building is shown by an attractive tile decoration celebrating the distillery's 250th anniversary in 1940. In the main room, one wall is almost completely taken up by a carved wooden bar. They certainly need it to be long to fit in all those beer taps. Best of all, for those of you wanting to be able to try your beer in an unpolluted atmosphere, they have a no smoking room (usually pretty empty, which I suppose says something depressing about people - see the photo to the right). What is being served through the taps at any one time varies greatly, but is mostly Belgian with the odd German, Czech or even French beer thrown in for variety. Occasionally a barrel of genuine British cask-conditioned beer is dispensed by gravity on the bar. |
|
 The
good contacts built up between Amsterdam and Bamberg have seen Franconian
beers frequently appearing on draught. This can be in the form of a small
cask on the bar from which beer is dispensed by gravity. If you like quality
German beer, ask to see the German beer list. The best ones don't appear
on the list standing on every table. There are always a few Franconian gems
to try.Several times a year they hold special beer weeks. For example, in May when the usual range is replaced by meibock beers, or a British-themed week when several cask-conditioned beers are served. The bottled beer selection is much less Belgian dominated than the majority of Dutch beer bars. Available are about 40 Dutch beers, 20 German and 10 British. Amongst the Belgian beers are representatives from all the Trappist breweries, including Achel and Westvleteren, though obviously supplies of the latter cannot always be guaranteed. |
|
| Rating: ***** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 14 to Nieuwezijds Kolk |
| Beer Temple | |
| Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 250, 1012 RR Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 6271 427 http://beertemple.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon-Thur 16:00 - 01:00, Fri - Sat 16:00 - 03:00, Sun 14:00 - 22:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: +-30 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-100 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks. | |
 Peter
van der Arend's latest venture, Beer Temple bills itself as and American
beer café. But It's more than that. There's plenty of beer from Europe's
more adventurous micros, too.The interior is slick and modern, the row of draught taps disconcertingly similar to what you might see in New York. Trams rumbling by outside soon put you firmly back in Amsterdam. It's still early days - it only opened 10th September 2009 - but it already looks like becoming one of Amsterdam's principal beery attractions. |
|
| Rating: ***** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 14 to Dam Square |
| Café Gollem | |
| Raamsteeg 4, 1012 VZ Amsterdam. Tel. 020-626 6645 http://www.cafegollem.nl |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thur 16:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 16:00-02:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 9 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-150 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks | |
| Just off Spuistraat, Gollem is another pub with an amazing number of
beers for its size. It's a bit gloomy inside, but that can't be helped, given its situation, far from direct sunlight. At the front is a counter surrounded by barstools and up a few steps at the back is a small seating area with a pair of tables. The decoration is appropriately beery, with various bits of memorabilia strewn around the walls.  Gollem
was the first specialist beer bar in Amsterdam, way back when flares were
hip in the 70's. When I first lived in Amsterdam, it was experiencing a
less distinguished period of indifferent beer and uninterested bar staff.
I'm not that easily annoyed (I'm normally the annoyer, rather than
the annoyee), but I got so pissed off at the bad service one night,
that I didn't return for several years. All that is now sorted out (it could have been fixed 5 minutes after I left ) and I can now unreservedly recommend it to any beer lover visiting Amsterdam. It offers a pretty extensive range of bottled beers, mostly Belgian and Dutch, but with a smattering of German, Czech and British. In addition to the 3 guest draught beers, there are always several 'guest' bottled beers. In 2006 a specialist beer shop opened just across the alleyway called De Gekraakte Ketel which sells around 300 different bottled beers. ****** NOW OPEN AGAIN ****** |
|
| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6 to Spui |
| Arendsnest Proeflokaal | |
| Herengracht 90, 1015 BS Amsterdam. Tel. 020-421 2057 http://www.arendsnest.nl |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Thu 16:00-24:00 Fri 16.00-02.00 Sat 14.00-02.00 Sun 14.00-24:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 30 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-120 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks. | |
 Located
in a stylish canal house, what had been a confusingly duplicate De Beiaard
has been transformed into Amsterdam's only pub specialising in Dutch beers.
In fact, it sells at least one beer from every brewery in the country. That
selection includes a specially-brewed amber from De Schans of Uithoorn,
a small town just outside Amsterdam. The menu includes a small selection of aged beers, something which is common amongst specialist cafés in Belgium but somewhat of a novelty in Holland, especially when in concerns Dutch beers. The style is comfortingly retro, though the beer memorabilia is a little deceptive. Though most of the posters and enamel plaques appear to come from a bygone age, they are mostly contemporary. And very striking some of the examples are too. They have an excellent website, the contents of which are also used for the beer menu: a very informative document on Dutch breweries and their products. If this isn't enough, the owner is very knowledgeable and happy to furnish his customers with information and recommendations. He's so well up on the subject, that he's written a book about it.  The
landlord, Peter van der Arend, recently started his own virtual brewery.
He hires a brewery and then brews there himself. His main product is Nest
Vlieder, an amber ale which is the house beer of Arend's Nest.As added value, the basement is now available for use by homebrewers, in addition to serving as a function room for beer tastings and the like. A pub that any serious beer drinker must visit when in Amsterdam. You'll discover that there's a lot more to Dutch beer than boring pils. |
|
| Rating: ***** | Public transport: |
| Café Karpershoek | |
| Martelaarsgracht 2, 1012 TP Amsterdam. Tel. 020 - 624 78 86 |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon-Thu 07:00 - 01:00, Fri-Sat 07:00 - 03:00, Sun 09:00 - 01:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 2 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 10 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks €2-6. Beer €2.25 for Westmalle Tripel. | |
 Here
two two recurring themes of this guide collide: claimants to be Amsterdam's
oldest pub and my own inertia. Karpershoek sits on the corner of Marterlaarsgracht,
right opposite Centraal Station. I've often ridden past on a tram and looked
at its, rather modest, sign claiming to be "one of the oldest"
pubs in Amsterdam. For twenty years or abouts. And never gone in. I had
been missing out on a boozer that merits inclusion for several reasons.
Dating from 1606, its oldest pub claim seems quite sound. Go inside and it's easy to believe. It oozes character from every floorboard. All the esssential elements of a classic bown café are there: woodwork whose original shade is impossible to determine, a seemingly random collection of old artefacts and prints scattered around and a chirpy Amsterdammer behind the bar. Talking of Amsterdammers, they have placed between the door and bar counter. Not the human kind, of course. I mean one of the metal bollards (marked with the city's trademark 3 X's) that stop motorists parking even more irresponsibly than they usually do. For its location, it seems remarkably well-frequented by the human sort of Amsterdammer. Quite an achievement down at tourist central. The ten or so bottled beers make up for the crappy draught selection. Especially the price of the bottled beers. The price list - very honestly on large display outside - says €2.25 for "foreign beer". I thought that would be the price of the cheapest. My gob was totally smacked when that's all I was charged for a Westmalle Tripel. That's the cheapest you'll find it in town. Anything under €3 is a good deal. Oddly, a bolleke of Koninck costs more - €3. There you have it, a pub with lots going for it: convenient location, great atmosphere, cheap beer. What more could you want? |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Anything that goes to Centraal Station. |
| De Brabantse Aap | |
| Spui 30, 1012 XA Amsterdam. Tel. 020-622 5110 |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Thu 11:00-01:00, Fri - Sat 11:00-02:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 16 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-40 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks, small meals. | |
 This
bar has a very prominent location where Spui meets Singel and the trams
make a big left-hand turn on their way up to the Leidseplein. The long frontage
and enclosed terrace on the roadside give a somewhat false impression as
to its size, as this is a typical long, thin Amsterdam house, and what you're
seeing here is its side. Once inside, it's surprisingly narrow, with a small seating area on the Spui side and up a few steps the bar itself at the canal end of the building. It's all decorated in the sort of trashy American neon signs and assorted advertising tack that people seem to think looks modern and trendy. It's like being caught in some weird TV show set that's trying to combine Al's diner and the bar in Cheers. Try sitting in the terrace - there's no decoration in there and you have a pleasant view of the 17th century church opposite. The beer selection isn't bad, though the high ratio of draught to bottled beers is a little odd. Whether the turnover is high enough to keep all of these in good condition is the question. The draught beers are in a reasonable variety of styles and change constantly.Witte Ros is brewed at the company's other Amsterdam outlet, the Bekeerde Suster brewpub, which usually provides at least one other draught beer. In 2012 the name was changed from De Beeiard to De Brabantse Aap. Not sure why. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6 to Spui |
| De Schutter | |
| Voetboogstraat 13-15 1012 XK Amsterdam. Tel. 020-622 4608 |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 11:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 11:00-03:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 6 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-25 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks, meals. | |
 Quite an odd place,
this. On a funny little alleyway close to the Kalverstraat which houses a fair few
pubs, it's on the first floor of the building. Inside it's a bit anarchicly arranged
in a very dark brown style. You can't paint wood this colour, only 2 million cigarettes
can obtain this precise shade. Having some bits of the university around it, you won't
be surprised to hear that those malingering student types hang out here (only joking,
I know you work hard really). You can tell it's trendy by the way the walls are slowly disappearing under all the theatre and concert posters. You want to know who was playing the Melk Weg 3 years ago? Well just peel off the right number of layers and you'll have all details at your fingertips. To get back to a dull physical description, it has a collection of furniture which would embarrass a junk shop and whose main achievement is to have no two matching pieces. Large leaded glass windows provide the only touch of colour which isn't dark brown. The bottled beer selection is good and includes Witkap Stimulo and Gouden Carolus. This used to be a rare outlet for a full range of Leeuw beers, but the brewery has been dropped in favour of (ooh, how unusual) Heineken. |
|
| Rating: **** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6 to Spui |
| Café van Daele | |
| Paleisstraat 101, 1012 ZL Amsterdam. Tel. 020-620 1415 |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 10:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 10:00-03:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-6 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. Westmalle Tripel €3. | |
 What
shape the floorplan of van Daele is, I wouldn't want to guess. The site
it occupies on the corner of the Nieuwzijds Voorburgwal and Paleisstraat
has a very odd shape. But that isn't all there is on offer. Oh, no. Someone - I assume it was a brewery, but I would love to be corrected - fitted several Amsterdam pubs with incredible, ornate leaded lights. In van Daele, some, though sadly not all, are still intact. But, let's wait before we get too excited - there's even more. Not as obvious, but just as delightful, is the two-tone wood detailing of the bar counter and bar back, which reflect some of the patterns in the glass. The same designs are repeated in the balcony and panelling. Nice. Almost forgot to say - a gallery radically expands the seating space in what is, after all, a typical Amsterdam-size pub. No great beer selection, but they do have Ij beer in bottles. The stars are for the interior and the reasonable prices - a vaasje is €1.80. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6, 13, 14 to Dam Square |
| Café De Zwart | |
| Spuistraat 334, 1012 VX Amsterdam. Tel. 020-624 6511 |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 10:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 10:00-03:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-6 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. | |
 I've
always liked Café De Zwart. No idea why. I suppose its down-to-earth
1930's style - strangely rare in Amsterdam bars - strikes a chord somewhere
deep in my psyche. Either that, or the handy location. Or the fact it's
one of Leeuw's scarce city-centre outlets.If you look very closely, above the doorway you can just make out the leaded glass light above it. You don't get the vibrant red star from this side, obviously. Inside, it's the one stand-out decorative feature.(Since I've been spending more time at home with my family I've gained the opportunity of watching ore daytime television than is healthy. So you know where I've picked up terms like "decorative feature".) I've always been a sucker for red stars. What more beautiful sight was there, when searching for a pub, than a red Shippos star twinkling in the distance? Though Zwart is no larger than your average Amsterdam pub, the corner spot and large windows along two sides make it appear so. Judging by the state of my clothes after one beer, they must redecorate regularly to keep the walls such a light shade. After years of occasionally making use of Zwart's facilities, I discovered that it has a reputation as a meeting point for intellectuals. I can't say that I had ever noticed. The barman has a good moustache, though. |
|
| Rating:*** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6 to Spui |
| Hoppe | |
| Spui 18-20, 1012 XA Amsterdam. Tel. 020-420 4420 http://www.cafe-hoppe.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thu 10:00-01:00 Fri - Sat 10:00-03:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 3 |
|
| Number of bottled beers: +-10 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. | |
| Hoppe is really two pubs next door to each other. Irritatingly, much
of the time the far older and more pleasant right-hand pub is closed. As was the case
on my note-taking visit. Remember most of what follows describes the left-hand pub
(which I've almost, but not quite, missed off my picture). You can't tell from the address, but Hoppe is right next door to Zwart. The figures under the parasol, you will note, also appear on the photograph of Zwart. I thought I would throw in a bit of easy-crawling for the less mobile amongst you. De Beiaard is close enough to reach even should you be literally crawling along the pavement. The newer part of Hoppe could scarcely be accused of modernity. Many happy hours could be spent guessing the original colour of the paintwork. The walls are adorned with photos of the pub (of various ages) and of former barmen (of various ages). The covered terrace is handy, given Amsterdam's weather. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 6 to Spui |
| 't Doktortje | |
| Rozenboomsteeg 4, 1012 PR Amsterdam. Tel: 626 4427 http://www.cafe-de-dokter.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Tue - Sat 16:00 - 01:00, Sun - Mon closed |
|
| Number of draught beers: 2 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 8 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks, meals €12.50. Pils €2, Duvel €3.25l. | |
| When I was told Cafe Belgique wasn't
the smallest pub in Amsterdam, I thought I was having my leg pulled. I wasn't.
Doktortje is definitely smaller. I reckon you could get four of them into
my front room My brown-scale-ometer went right off the end of the dial I soon as I entered. Black would be a better description. I wonder if they've ever thought of redecorating? The assembled junk on the walls has been there so long that it mostlymerges into the background. The only picture where I could discern anything portayed a dray. Couldn't see which brewery, mind. The name - "Little Doctor" - refers to its time in the 18th century as a sampling room for medicinal herbal drinks. No doubt the alcoholic content of these was responsible for most of the preceived benefits. Somehow, they manage to serve a full mealin this tiny place. Only one choice, but expecting more really would be taking the piss. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5 to Spui. |
| De Pilsener Club | |
| Begijnensteeg 4, 1012PN Amsterdam. Tel: 020-623 1777 |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon 16:00 - 01:00, Tue - Thur 12:00 tot 01:00, Fri - Sat 12:00 tot 02:00, Sun 13:00 tot 01:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 9 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 14 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks €2-3.50. Beer vaasje pils €2, Duvel €3.30. | |
 Known
colloquially as De Engelse Reet ("The English Arse"), Pilsener
Club is on an alleyway between Kalverstraat and the Bgijnhof. In many ways,
it's a typical Amsterdam brown cafe. But with one big difference: it has
no bar counter. A cubbyhole at the rear functions as a servery.By Amsterdam standards, it's pretty spacious inside, with a full eight tables. You know the score by now in these places: nictine-brown walls and prints so faded it's hard to make out which were once in colour. The beer choice is very decent for a non-specialist beer outlet, though don't expect any big surprises. They do stock, however, the outstanding Van Vollenhoven's Stout. If you've never had it, give it a try. It also offers a wide range of Ooievaar jenevers. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5 to Spui. |
| Cafe de Spuyt | |
| Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 86, 1017 RD Amsterdam. Tel: 020-6248901 Email: info@cafedespuyt.nl http://www.cafedespuyt.nl |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thur 16:30-03:00, Fri - Sat 16:30-04:00. |
|
| Number of draught beers: 6 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +180 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks. | |
 It
truly is a Golden Age of beer in Amsterdam. De Spuyt is the latest in a
series of new openings in 2009. What have we done to seserve al this bounty?And it couldn't be in a less promising spot, right in the centre of tourist hell around the Leidseplein. In an area full of Argentinian Steak Bars, coffee shops and fake Irish pubs. An actual proper beer bar. Inside, it's a classic Amsterdam café. Small, cosy with a handful of tables and a few stools at the bar. Don't try bringing a fifty-strong stag party here. There isn't room. Did I mention the beer choice? It's more than decent. All the Trappists (even Westvleteren occasionally) and most of the cream of Belgian brewing (no Slag Pils, though). Holland is represented by a quartete of Ij and a pair of De Prael beers. Mokum's getting scarily good for beer. There are now too many specialist beer spots fo a single pub crawl. Allow two days minimum. |
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: Tram 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 to Leidesplein. |
| Eetcafe Rosereijn | |
| Haarlemmerdijk 52, 1013 JE Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 626 80 27 http://www.rosereijn.nl |
 |
| Opening hours: Sun - Thur 12:00 tot 01:00, Fri - Sat 12:00 tot 03:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 5 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 6 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks €3-9, meals €10-18. Beer € for 0.5l. | |
 Ugh.
Oranjerie is closed for a private party today. I meant to investigate there,
but I'm dying for a wee so here will have to do.Brown. Dark brown, with a couple of leaded windows in the toilet doors (my first port of call). In towns less well-endowde with good pubs, this would merit a mention whatever its beer supply. In Amsterdam I can afford be fussier. The presence of a Chouffe tap tips the balance. Damning with faint praise - I don't like to do it. But here goes. Rosereijn is a decent enough pub with a couple of decent beers. |
|
| Rating: ** | Public transport: |
| De Gouden Reael | |
| Zandhoek 14, 1013 KT Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 623 3883 Fax: 020 - 625 7317 http://www.goudenreael.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon - Thur 12:00 tot 01:00, Fri - Sat 12:00 tot 02:00, Sun 13:00 tot 01:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 4 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 8 | |
Regular draught beers:
|
|
| Food: Snacks, meals €. Duvel €3.10 for 0.33l. | |
 Amsterdam
is a bit of a flirt. While she shows you some of her charms, much is initially
concealed. You have to search for the best bits. I think I'll lose my buxom
young woman anology here, as I'm heading into disolute waters.Despite being a bottle-throw from Centraal Station, the Westelijke Eilanden, isolated from the rest of town by the railway viaduct, are like a different world. I probably shouldn't tell you all this, in case you go and spoil it. Can I trusst you? I didn't think so. But I'm going to tell you anyway. Delft. It's like having been transported to Delft, a far quieter and more intimate town than Amsterdam. There are some (I hate to use this word) lovely bits, with little gardens and playgrounds lining the canal, in a sport of hippy waterfront regeneration. Very sweet. |
|
 Sorry. I'm meant to be describing a pub, aren't I? 17th century building on harbour - split level - paintings of Centraal Station and the Silo (oh happy memories of the death-trap sunken dance floor and the dock of doom). I'm going for streamlined descriptions. My hand aches if I write everything in full. You have to realise just how lazy I am. Only my overwhelming alcoholic urge gets me out of the house. Not just my notes but also my final writing is governed by my laziness. When I type this in it will most likely be 23:45 and I'll be eager for my bed. I'll not be in the mood for thinking up any new words. The old ones will have to do. Mike loves Gouden Real because:
|
|
| Rating: *** | Public transport: |
| Café Westerdok | |
| Westerdoksdijk 715/A, 1013 BX Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 428 9670 Email: cafe-westerdok@xs4all.nl http://www.westerdok.eu/ |
|
| Opening hours: Tue - Thur 16:00 - 00:00, Fri - Sat 16:00 - 01:00, Sun 16:00 - 00:00, Mon closed |
|
| Number of draught beers: 8 | |
| Number of bottled beers: 70 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: Snacks €, meals €. Beer € for 0.5l. | |
| I like to think that I've got my finger on the pulse of Amsterdam. But I think lots of things. So it was a bit of a shock to discover a beer pub that I knew nothing about. How embarrassing.
John Clarke tipped me off (thank you, John). The report was confirmed by a colleague of Will's. Am I the last to find out? Actually, I blame Mike. He was supposed to have investigated the islands. So it's him who missed it, really. Not that I'm pointing the finger at him, but it was totally his fault. Now I've finished distributing praise and retribution, maybe we can discuss the pub itself, Westerdok. I'd walked past it before, many years ago. It had never been open. Then again, it had been 6 o' clock in the morning. Not many pubs open at that time. You'll have to excuse me if I'm parsimonious with facts and details. Me and Mike hit Westerdok a good way into the afternoon. We started off with a couple in Wildeman (the delicious Hummel Räucherator), then continued on to Wijnand Fockinck to sit in the wonderful garden. And drink jenever, obviously. By the time we reached Westerdok we were already quite cheerful. When we left, we were positively euphoric. Let's see what I can remember about it. It's located on the Westerdok (what a surprise) just over the road from the Silo. (I may, one day, tell you some of my Silo stories. You can just about see the Silo in the background of the picture to the left.) The pub is on the corner a row of 19th century houses. The interior is charmingly downbeat. Just my sort of place. I can't remember how many draught beers they had. Between 6 and 8. I do recall that there were around 50 bottled beers (it's actuallu more like 70). In Amsterdam that qualifies it as a fully-fledged beer pub. I seem to remember eating bitterballen. That must have been Mike's idea. He's always eating, not that you'd think it to look at him. Must have a tapeworm. Next thing in my memory is waking up with the football on. I guess there were a couple of events inbetween, like walking back to the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal, getting on a tram, eating my tea. They don't seem to have left any impression on my mind. I'm even a bit hazy about the score in the football. And my coat seems to have gone missing. I suspect Dolores may have just taken the opportunity to throw it away. She's been on at me to replace it for a couple of years. It had just about fallen apart. But buying clothes is such a chore. I try to limit the experience to once every two or three years. |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Café Gollem Amstelstraat | |
| Amstelstraat 34, 1017 DA Amsterdam. http://cafegollem.nl/amstelstraat/ |
 |
| Opening hours: | |
| Number of draught beers Mon-Thur: 14.00 - 01.00 Fri-Sat: 12.00 - 03.00 Sun 12.00 - 01.00 |
|
| Number of bottled beers:100 | |
| Regular draught beers:30 | |
| Food: Snacks. | |
Things have gone crazy in Amsterdam the last couple of years. New breweries and beer pubs are popping up like mushrooms after rain. I'm struggling to keep up. Some of the boom is down to existing operations expanding. Like Gollem, who now have four pubs dotted around the city. Saturday I finally got my arse into gear and visited the newest location, on the Amstelstraat between Rembrandtsplein and Waterlooplein. I'm not a huge fan of Rembrandtsplein too much crap music and too many drunks. Amstelstraat used to be a bit rundown, with tourist bars and coffeeshops. It looks like it's on the way up. It amazes me just how quickly Amsterdam is changing at the moment. From the outside, it looks a decent size with its double frontage. But inside it seems smaller. And very clean and modern, with some fairly bright colours. Nothing wrong with that. I’m sure that’s what youngsters expect nowadays. The beer selection is an interesting one and tells us much about the state of beer in the Netherlands. Sure there’s American beer, IPA and beers from new local breweries like Oedipus and Butcher’s Tears. But it isn’t full-on craft, as London Pride and St. Bernardus Abt on draught betray. On the bottled side, there are some eye-wateringly expensive large format bottles. But most are American so there’s no way I’d buy them over here. One of my rules: I don’t buy American beer in Europe. You’ve no idea what state it’s going to be in. And I get to the US often enough to get my grapefruit fix. Being honest, I quite like that it hasn’t got both feet in the craft boat. Makes it easier to persuade Dolores to go there. She’s not a huge fan of fruit-bowl Ales, preferring Belgian or British beers. All in all, a decent addition to Amsterdam’s beer scene. |
|
| Rating:*** | Public transport: Tram 9 and 14, Rembrandtsplein or Waterlooplein |
|
Buying Bottled Beer
|
Even in the best beer bars the list has to be somewhat limited whereas a shop has the possibility of keeping a wider stock. The city centre is not great for food shopping in general and even finding a supermarket can be difficult if you dont know where to look. Fortunately, there are some places where you can buy beer in the centre of town, including a truly outstanding specialist beer shop. |
| De Bierkoning | |
| Paleisstraat 125, 1012 ZL Amsterdam. Tel. 020-625 6336 |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon 13:00-19:00, Tue, Wed, Fri 11:00-19:00, Thu 11:00-21:00, Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 13:00-17:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 0 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-750 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: n/a | |
 A
specialist beer shop, run with a great deal of knowledge, enthusiasm and
even love for the subject. The owner, Jos, has an encyclopaedic knowledge
of beer styles and brands. He is also prepared to give his genuine opinion
of any particular beer - even if it's not a particularly positive one. I
advise you to make full use of his unusual combination of honesty and expertise.It stocks a pretty well complete range of Dutch beers (those worth drinking, that is) plus most of the Belgian ones. Including some pretty rare stuff, such as Cantillon lambik beers and, when available, the Westvleteren trappists. The selection of British beers is excellent, easily surpassing what all but the most specialist of shops in Britain could provide. There is a reasonable range of German beers, with an emphasis on those from Bavaria, though they often have beer from one of the Düsseldorf brewpubs, either Schumacher or Zum Uerige. Every continent is represented and they even have the outstanding Coopers beers from Australia (the stout is one of my all time favourites - it has an almost harsh earthiness that is as captivating as it is provocative. I think it's time for bed. I'm starting to sound like a wine writer.) Recently, they've acquired good contacts with Frankenland and usually have at least a dozen beers from Bamberg and its surroundings. These cannot be recommended too highly. Then again, there are limited supplies of this stuff . ... Yes, stay away from that Bamberg beer. Awful stuff, especially that St. Georgen Kellerbier. Yeah, I'd steer right clear of anything from Bamberg, mate. It's possible to order small 10 litre barrels of German draught beer and polypins of British cask-conditioned ale. Add to this the most dazzling array of beer glasses I've ever come across and you have one of the best beer shops you're ever likely to find. |
|
| Rating: ***** | Public transport: |
| De Gekraakte Ketel | |
| Raamsteeg 3, 1012VZ Amsterdam. Tel: 020-6240745 Email: jeff@crackedkettle.com http://www.crackedkettle.com |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 14:00 -22:00, Fri-Sun 12:00 -22:00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: n/a | |
| Number of bottled beers: 300 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: None. | |
 Amsterdam's
newest specialist beer shop, directly opposite from Gollem.
They will deliver beer to your door, pretty well anywhere in the world..
By bicycle within central Amsterdam, obviously by other means internationally.The emphasis is on beers from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. They plan building a small brewery at the rear of the premises to brew, amongst other things, a house beer for Gollem. ***** CLOSED ***** |
|
| Rating: | Public transport: |
| Brouwerij De Prael | |
| Oudezijds Voorburgwal 30, 1012 GD Amsterdam. Tel: 020 - 408 44 70 Fax: 020 - 408 44 58 Email: info@deprael.nl Homepage: http://www.deprael.nl/ |
 |
| Opening hours: Mon 12.30 - 17.00 Tue - Wed 10.00 - 18.00 Thur 10.00 - 21.00 Fri 10.00 - 18.00 Sat 11.00 - 17.00 Sun 12.00 - 17.00 |
|
| Number of draught beers: 0 | |
| Number of bottled beers: +-100 | |
| Regular draught beers: | |
| Food: n/a. | |
 Now
they have a city-centr location, it makes sense for the De Prael brewery
to have a shop on thyeir premisies. In addition to their own products, the
shop also sells a range of beers from other Dutch micros. Once licensing
problems have been sorted out, there should be a pub, too.As you can see from the photo, it looks pretty cool inside. |
|
| Rating: **** | Public transport: Centraal Station. |
| In Amsterdam South, Ton Overmars also
has a pretty decent selection of bottled beers. See my Amsterdam
South guide for more details. |
| The Amsterdam Pub Guide Continues: | |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part One | Dam Square - Leidseplein |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Two | Zeedijk/Nieuwmarkt |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Three | De Jordaan |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Four | De Pijp |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Five | Amsterdam East |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Six | Amsterdam South |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Seven | Amsterdam West |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide Part Eight | Utrechtsestraat |
| More Dutch Beer Pages | |
| Dutch pub guides | Dutch Brewery Pages |
| Amsterdam Pub Guide | Dutch Breweries (part 1) A - H |
| Rotterdam Pub Guide | Dutch breweries (part 2) I - Z |
| Haarlem Pub Guide | Dutch beer tastings |
| The Hague (Den Haag) Pub Guide | |
| Utrecht Pub Guide | |
| Pub Guides to Other Dutch Towns | |
| More Beer Pages | |
| Main index page | |
© Ron Pattinson 1996 - 2015
All articles and photos on these pages are property of
Ron Pattinson. If you would like permission to reproduce either on your own
site or in a book, please contact me first.