Amsterdam beer

cloudatlas

In Amsterdam for a few days any recommendations for good beer I can find on tap or in supermarket?

Tabnabs

http://www.arendsnest.nl/ very central, quite small and full of locals. A great bar. The Belgian restaurant next door is superb too.

Here's what you're looking for
https://www.google.ie/maps/preview/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x47c609c5e394f6c7:0x782e79a7c72de1c4!2m5!2m2!1i80!2i80!3m1!2i100!3m1!7e1!4shttps://plus.google.com/115577470389483181520/photos?hl%3Den%26socfid%3Dweb:lu:kp:placepageimage%26socpid%3D1!5sProeflokaal+Arendsnest+-+Google+Search&sa=X&ei=cZZsU7LVII6g7AbIooHQDA&ved=0CJcBEKIqMAo

Everything in there tasted good

BeerNut

Mega +1 on Arendsnest. If you're lost among the selection, anything by De Molen is usually a good bet: De Molen has a dedicated blackboard near the door.

In de Wildeman is a great pub -- they have a neat app showing what's on tap at any given time. There's often something by Belgian brewery Troubadour and they're generally pretty good.

Beer Temple, owned by the same guy as Arendsnest, usually has lots of great stuff, including American rarities. The house beer Templebier is pretty good.

If you're buying takeaway beer, the best off licence in town is Bierkoning, not far from Dam Square. As regards supermarket beers I'd usually go for Guinness Special Export or Belgian trappists: they're widely available and good value.

Most independent off licences, and possibly the odd supermarket, will have beers by Jopen and 't IJ, both of which make some lovely beers. The latter can be visited if you have the time and is well worth the trek out to, just be careful of the opening hours.

upforit101

BeerNut wrote: »

Mega +1 on Arendsnest. If you're lost among the selection, anything by De Molen is usually a good bet: De Molen has a dedicated blackboard near the door.

In de Wildeman is a great pub -- they have a neat app showing what's on tap at any given time. There's often something by Belgian brewery Troubadour and they're generally pretty good.

Beer Temple, owned by the same guy as Arendsnest, usually has lots of great stuff, including American rarities. The house beer Templebier is pretty good.

If you're buying takeaway beer, the best off licence in town is Bierkoning, not far from Dam Square. As regards supermarket beers I'd usually go for Guinness Special Export or Belgian trappists: they're widely available and good value.

Most independent off licences, and possibly the odd supermarket, will have beers by Jopen and 't IJ, both of which make some lovely beers. The latter can be visited if you have the time and is well worth the trek out to, just be careful of the opening hours.

+1 Solid advice.
Logistics wise the Beer temple is just around the corner from Bierkoning.

Going to the windmill/brewery "Brouwerij't IJ" is a must. Really nice place to sit outside when the weather is good. It's a short tramride 10 or 14 from Damm square. Bierkoning and beer temple are very close to Damm square also.

Beer Temple does a lovely cheeseboard to complement the imperial stouts on offer mmmmm

penev10

Most bars have a good range of bottled Belgian beers with at least one on tap. Even in the more tourist-filled areas like the Leidesplein you'll find something for the discerning palate.

Ask the waiter/barman as most are keen to get you to try the local brew or their favourite micro-brewery offering.

ollaetta

upforit101 wrote: »

Going to the windmill/brewery "Brouwerij't IJ" is a must. Really nice place to sit outside when the weather is good. It's a short tramride 10 or 14 from Damm square.

Just be careful of the opening hours. Closes at 8.00 pm if I recall.

sarkozy

Great recommendations. Wish I'd known about them when I was last in Amsterdam.

La Chouffe, while not Dutch, seemed to be very popular when I was there.

I do remember De Weg (the building in the middle of Nieuwmarkt Square) and one or two bars off it carried some local brews, too.

BeerNut

Just realised I forgot to mention Gollem, another fantastic pub, and great for people-watching.

ollaetta

BeerNut wrote: »

Just realised I forgot to mention Gollem, another fantastic pub, and great for people-watching.

+1 Delighted to see from their site that Gollem 1 is back open. Great news about a brilliant bar. It was closed for a long time due to a dispute with the local council.

artvandelay48

Hit De Zotte when you are there. Great selection of beer and great food.

The Drunken Destrier

In Amsterdam now. Bought Rochefort 8, westmalle triple and some 'Ij beer in the supermarket today, Arendsnest and Bierkoning tomorrow. Essential stops.

cloudatlas

Thanks for the advice. I didn't make it to Arendnest as my cultural schedule was packed and I didn't have much time but I made it to the local and drank some Gulpener and something else that I can't recall.

The supermarket didn't have many of the local brews suggested on here so I ended up buying Tripel Karmeliet and franziskaner both very good.

I will be going back though as I absolutely fell in love with the place

irish_goat

Lads, I've a 5 hour layover in Amsterdam this Saturday. Land at 8.45am local time and need to be back in the airport for 1pm. Is there any point heading in to try and sample a few beers or would everywhere be shut? From what I can see most of the suggestions in this thread don't open til noon. Wouldn't be arsed heading in just to sit in a regular cafe.

BeerNut

I don't think I'd bother -- there'll doubtless be some places open in the red light district, but not much worth going to. Stay in the airport Irish theme bar and drink Murphy's close to the source

irish_goat

Yeah I figured it would be red light areas. Not too fussed as I'm sure I'll be back in Amsterdam properly sometime in the future.

Also going to be recovering from a day at the RDS so I might not fancy beer at all. :pac:

Ruben Remus

It's a bit of a long shot, but would anyone have any recommendations for beers or beer-drinking places in Utrecht or Den Bosch?

sarkozy

Not really, but in Utrecht I quite enjoyed my times in Springhaver arthouse cinema. Enjoyed some kroketten and a glass of Orval, one time, a lovely traditional stew and nice beer another time. Actually, one of those times, there was a street party outside and I had some amazing homemade cider from a fellow at a stall. It's quite atmospheric in a quieter part of town. The few bars/bistros below the Dom in the centre can be atmospheric, too.

Bastard is another decent bar, but I don't know the beer situation. Cafe Olivier is another one with a good selection of Belgian beers.

Ruben Remus

sarkozy wrote: »

Not really, but in Utrecht I quite enjoyed my times in Springhaver arthouse cinema. Enjoyed some kroketten and a glass of Orval, one time, a lovely traditional stew and nice beer another time. Actually, one of those times, there was a street party outside and I had some amazing homemade cider from a fellow at a stall. It's quite atmospheric in a quieter part of town. The few bars/bistros below the Dom in the centre can be atmospheric, too.

Bastard is another decent bar, but I don't know the beer situation. Cafe Olivier is another one with a good selection of Belgian beers.

Thanks for this. It will be my first time in Utrecht (or anywhere in the Netherlands for that matter) so all suggestions are gratefully received!

BeerNut

Ruben Remus wrote: »

would anyone have any recommendations for beers or beer-drinking places in Utrecht

Never been drinking there myself, but it's where a lot of people stay during the Borefts festival so this is probably pretty reliable.