The Top 10 Best Breweries in Amsterdam

by Chris Heckmann
Amsterdam breweries

If you’re like me you enjoy a good local beer when you’re in a new city. Luckily Amsterdam has no shortage of excellent craft breweries right in the city or nearby. I spent nearly four years in Amsterdam, and drank a hell of a lot of the beer discussed on this page. This is all written from first-hand experience (in some cases on a monthly basis).

In this post I’ve assembled a list of the 10 best breweries in Amsterdam, in no particular order. But first, let’s go through a little background of Dutch beer and going out for drinks in the Netherlands.

A Quick Intro to Dutch Beer

Beer and the Netherlands go hand in hand. While beer is maybe not as engrained into Dutch culture as it is in neighboring Germany, The Dutch make some of the best beer in the world and you can’t name the most important countries for beer without considering the Netherlands.

For a small country, the Netherlands exports an insane amount of beer. And that doesn’t even include the Dutch beer brands that are locally brewed in various countries. Perhaps you’ve heard of Heineken?

The Dutch conglomerate is the second largest beer producer in the world – only behind Anheuser Busch – and has breweries in numerous countries. The Heineken you drink in the US was brewed in the US. The Heineken you drink in New Zealand was brewed in New Zealand. You get the idea. Heineken is enormous. 

Heineken Brewery black and white photo
The original Heineken Brewery still stands in Amsterdam but these days produces tours, not brews

Founded in 1873 in Amsterdam, the original brewery is still standing just off the Amstel River. These days no beer is made there anymore. In the old brewery is what is known as the “Heineken Experience,” sort of an interactive museum and visitor center. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to a brewery tour for Heineken.

However, one of my travel tips for visiting Amsterdam is to skip the Heineken Experience. That is unless you want to hear about how cool and hip Heineken is and how many sports they sponsor. You learn very little about the beer for 21 euros. 

Dutch Macrobreweries

Heineken isn’t the only monstrosity of a beer company in the Netherlands. A few others can hold their own too. Here are some Dutch beers you’ve probably heard of that you probably didn’t realize were Dutch:

  • Amstel (Amstel Lite in the US) – Amstel is actually a bit older than Heineken but was bought out by Heineken in the 1960s. It’s still brewed under the Amstel label though. 
  • Bavaria – The second largest brewery in the Netherlands is Bavaria (nothing to do with the German province). Bavaria is more popular outside Europe, with a huge presence in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. They even have a brewery in Ethiopia. 
  • Grolsch – Dating back to the 1600s, Grolsch is currently owned by Japanese beer conglomerate Asahi. Grolsch is popular in the Netherlands but also widely available around the world.

All of the breweries above make a simple pale lager. There’s no Heineken IPA or Amstel toasted porter (yet?). And to a seasoned beer drinker they all taste pretty much the same, though I would say on the list above Amstel is probably the best tasting. If you’re a craft beer drinker though, you’re not going to like traditional Dutch lagers. 

Other Standard Dutch lagers

The Netherlands also has a lot of traditional local lagers that you’ll find all over the country. Some of the more common ones are Gulpener (especially the northern part of the Netherlands), Hertog Jan, Brand, Budels, and Jupiler (though Jupiler is actually Belgian, it’s all over the Netherlands).

These beers all taste essentially the same and they are not good. Unless you’re at a summer festival or another outdoor event looking for the cheapest beer possible, it’s best to avoid these tasteless beers.

Photo of two Gulpener glasses in Groningen
Gulpener is a popular macrobrew that competes with Heineken in the Netherlands

Ordering Beer at a Bar or Restaurant 

The first thing you’ll notice when you order a beer in the Netherlands is that it comes in a small glass. Beers in the Netherlands come in 250 mL pours (about 8.5 ounces). That’s just the way it is so get used to it. Some bars will offer 500 mL pours, but it’s not common.

So don’t mistakenly think you’re getting a great price for your beer. You’re actually just getting a half beer. Drinking in Amsterdam can be quite pricey. Low end beers start at 2.50 euro for a standard small pour while craft beers can be up to 5 euros.

You can equate that to 5-10 euros per beer if you come from a country with normal-sized beers. Wherever possible, it’s usually cheaper to get a 330 mL bottle.

The other thing you’ll notice about your beer is that it comes with a whole lot of head (foam). Oftentimes it will be so foamy that you won’t even get 250 mL of actual beer. In this case you’re pretty much screwed as Dutch bartenders get pretty offended if you ask them to top it up.

Why they feel the need to have so much foam in their beer is a matter of great debate. They believe it keeps the beer fresher and allows for the carbonation to properly settle. Most other countries disagree. But there’s not much you can do about it when you’re out for a drink in Amsterdam. So prepare for tiny, foamy beers.

The Top 10 Best Breweries in Amsterdam

Now let’s get to the good stuff. Without further ado, here are the top 10 breweries in Amsterdam. Almost all are available to visit at least their brewpub if not the brewery itself. Skip the traditional macrobreweries and please your taste buds with some of the best craft breweries in Europe!

Brouwerij ‘t IJ

By far the most popular craft brewery in Amsterdam is Brouwerij ‘t IJ. It’s popular because the beers are delicious and it’s located in an old windmill in east Amsterdam. There’s a little beer garden outside but it’s not enough to seat all the patrons. So get there when it opens at 2:00 if you want a table. If you can’t make it to the brewery you can find ‘t IJ beers at most bars in Amsterdam. 

Beer Quality: 5/5

Just about everything that comes out of the taps at ‘t IJ is delicious. You can’t go wrong with whatever you order, but they’re most known for their IPA, which rivals any west coast American IPA.

Food: 2/5

‘t IJ is mainly a place to drink beer. They don’t offer a full menu, just beer snacks like cheese, nuts, and sausage.

Location: 4/5

Not super easy to get to from Amsterdam Central Station by public transport, but an easy bike ride or a lovely 30 minute walk on a nice day.

Ambiance: 5/5

Located right on a canal in an old windmill, ‘t IJ is what Dutch beer dreams are made of. There is a medium-sized outdoor beer garden (that probably needs to get bigger) and a few indoor tables along with a standing area bar for the colder months.

photo of the IJ brewery in Amsterdam from the outside
Brouwerij ‘t IJ is one of the most visited craft breweries in Amsterdam (photo courtesy of Kara from Trying to Unwind)

Brouwerij de Prael

The main brewery for Brouwerij de Prael is on the western side of town, and they’re quickly opening up brewpubs all across the Netherlands. But if you’re visiting Amsterdam you’ll likely visit their brew pub in the city center. Brouwerij de Prael makes an excellent milk stout and they’re other beers aren’t too shabby themselves. Many bars around town will also stock beer from de Prael. 

Beer Quality: 4/5

De Prael’s beers are all good, some of them great (like the milk stout and the pale ale). Their IPA is average but their double IPA is excellent. You can’t go wrong with a tasting set at de Prael.

Food: 4/5

There’s a decent menu here with most of the common Dutch beer snacks as well as an array of sandwiches. Their food is solid and shouldn’t be passed up if given the chance.

Location: 5/5

De Prael is right in the heart of Amsterdam’s tourist district. There are a million things to do around the brewpub and it’s easy to stop by De Prael for a quick beer after dinner in the city center.

Ambiance: 4/5

It’s relatively basic inside the brewpub, but it’s effective. The bar is in the front and it’s quite small. But if you get a seat at the tables there will be a server. You can also see beer brewing through a large glass wall in the back of the pub.

Jopenkerk Haarlem

Just 15 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station is the small Dutch city of Haarlem, home to the Jopenkerk. Jopen is a popular craft brewery in the Netherlands and you can find it in many bars and restaurants around the country. But it won’t taste quite as good as a fresh brew from their brewpub, which is found inside an old church in the city center. 

Beer Quality: 3/5

Jopen makes some good beers, but also makes some not so great beers. They’re one of the largest craft breweries in the country so they try a lot of different things. Their IPA is probably their best product.

Food: 4/5

Here you’ll find a pretty extensive menu for a brewery, complete with salads, sandwiches, burgers, and traditional Dutch beer snacks like bitterballen and croquet. Not sure what those are? Check our my guide to Dutch food culture for more info!

Location: 4/5

For Haarlem it’s a 5/5, right in the city center. But alas it’s not Amsterdam so you’ll have to take a 15 minute train to Haarlem.

Ambiance: 5/5

Jopen is in an old church. It’s really one of the coolest places you could ever drink beer. The stained glass windows are still in tact and there’s even a large outdoor beer garden to enjoy a brew on the terrace in the summer.

inside the Jopenkerk in Haarlem
Jopen is one of the most popular craft breweries in the Netherlands

Uiltje Brewery

Another brewery in Haarlem worth a visit is Uiltje. In Dutch this means “little owl.” These guys make hands down the best beer in the Netherlands. The brewery itself is in the industrial part of Haarlem, a good way from the train station.

It’s a hip place if you want to visit, but you can also visit their pub in Haarlem city center or find their beers at craft beer bars in Haarlem and Amsterdam. 

Beer Quality: 5/5

The best craft beer in the Netherlands is found at Uiltje. The head brewer lived in the US for a while and learned the tools of the trade from hipster pacific northwesterners. They still get their hops from the pacific northwest of the US, which makes their IPAs and DIPAs outstanding.

Food: N/A

They’ll have a food truck now and then, but they don’t serve food. With how tasty their beers are you won’t even need food.

Location: 2/5

Like many American breweries, Uiltje is in an industrial zone. Lots of warehouses near the brewery, though it’s easy to reach by bike. They do, however, have their own pub in central Haarlem, should you not wish to visit industrial Haarlem.

Ambiance: 4/5

For an industrial zone, the tap room is pretty cool. It’s cozy and even has a nice little outdoor patio to sit on. The industrial zone is totally empty on weekends so it can be quite peaceful at Uiltje.

Oedipus Brewing

One of the best craft breweries in Amsterdam to visit if you want to feel like a local is Oedipus. Located north of the IJ river, it’s accessible by ferry and a short walk. They have great burgers and a wide range of beers on tap. If you’re not visiting the brewery, finding their beer in bars around town is hit or miss. 

Beer Quality: 4/5

Oedipus makes some solid beer. Nothing really stands out from the other breweries in town other than the stout, which is delicious.

Food: 4/5

Mostly known for burgers and fries, they don’t offer a full menu. But their burgers are pretty damn good.

Location: 3/5

You have to take a five minute ferry from Amsterdam Central Station then a 1.2km walk, but the brewery is in a pretty unique location. Amsterdam Noord is up and coming and other breweries are starting to pop up around Oedipus.

Ambiance: 4/5

Oedipus is pretty hip. The brewery and taproom is in an old warehouse. There’s an outdoor beer garden and plenty of indoor seating for those rainy Dutch winters.

Brouwerij Kleiburg

Located in the far south of town near Bijlmer ArenA is Brouwerij Kleiburg. The brewery features a beautiful outdoor beer garden with live music and yard games. It’s the perfect place to grab a craft beer before an Ajax match or a concert in Bijlmer ArenA. 

Beer Quality: 3/5

Opinions differ, but Kleiburg’s beer still has a bit of catching up to do. They do have some high-rated beers, so if I went again I’d go with the Porter or the barleywine.

Food: 4/5

Kleiburg has a solid offering of burgers, sandwiches, and Dutch beer snacks.

Location: 3/5

The brewery is sort of in an inconspicuous location near Ikea and a bunch of apartments. But it’s great if you’re heading to an Ajax match or you want to get away from the busy city center.

Ambiance: 5/5

While the location is not ideal, it more than makes up for it with it’s beer garden. They have a relaxing assortment of picnic tables on mulch with some outdoor bars setup. Often there are bands playing outdoors (contrast that to the typical Dutch DJ at every venue) and it’s an all-around good time.

Beer glasses on a small table at one of the breweries in Amsterdam
Most Amsterdam craft breweries offer tasting platters

Brouwerij Troost

Troost makes some quality beers and features a brewpub in the trendy Westerpark. The pub gets pretty busy, mainly with locals, but it’s worth it to wait for a beer on the terrace on a nice summer day. Troost beer is not carried by too many bars in town, so you’ll have to wait for a table to give it a try. 

Beer Quality: 3/5

Troost makes some good beer, but has potential for greatness. The hazy IPA is their top rated beer (though I haven’t personally had it)

Food: 4/5

The menu at Troost is completely vegetarian. This is relatively new, but the recent reviews are excellent.

Location: 4/5

The original brewery is located in Westerpark, it’s not really well connected to the city center on public transport, but it has a great location in the middle of the happening part of the park. A walk from central station would take about 30 minutes. They have also recently opened brewpubs in the Oude West, and de Pijp (two popular neighborhoods for locals)

Ambiance: 3/5

The brewery is quite simple, but offer fabulous people watching if you get a table on the patio.

Walhalla Brewery

Oedipus’s neighbor in Amsterdam Noord gets a nod on the top 10 list too. Walhalla is a relatively new brewery, but makes some wicked good beer. The brewery is located just down the block from Oedipus in a relatively unappealing old brick warehouse building. But Walhalla has done the place up and given it a nice hipster craft beer vibe.

You won’t find a whole lot of Walhalla brews around town so you’ll have to go check out the brewery for a taste. Just be sure to check their hours online, as they have some odd ones. They’re only open Thursday through Sunday and the opening and closing time varies by day, with Friday and Saturday being a standard 2-11 opening.

Beer Quality: 4/5

Walhalla makes a lot of unique beers as well as your standard IPAs and pilsners. Be sure to try the watermelon mango sour if they have it on tap when you’re there.

Food: 2/5

You don’t really come to Walhalla for the food. Like ‘t IJ, they just offer a few bar snacks like cheese and cured sausages.

Location: 3/5

The brewery is situated in Amsterdam Noord which means you have to take a quick ferry over the IJ river and then walk/bike a little over a kilometer. Amsterdam Noord is becoming more and more popular every year though, with plenty of other things popping up here and there

Ambiance: 4/5

Nothing says craft beer like and old industrial warehouse turned into a brewery. Inside is small and cozy but outside they have an impressive beer garden. Just gotta hope for some nice Dutch weather!

photos of a young couple outside some Amsterdam breweries
Having a cold beer on the canals of Amsterdam is always a good idea

Two Chefs Brewing

The Two Chefs Brewing brewery is in a more industrial section of Amsterdam near Sloterdijk station. But you can try all their beers at their brewpub on the western side of the city center. You’ll also find their beers at various bars around town.  

Beer Quality: 4/5

Two Chefs makes a really good imperial porter. At 8% it will knock you out.

Food: 4/5

They have an interesting menu at their foodbar. While they have traditional dutch beer snacks like any good brewpub, they also have more unique things like fish curry and grilled pumpkin.

Location: 4/5

The brewpub is in one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in all of Amsterdam, but unfortunately sits on a not-so-great roundabout.

Ambiance: 3/5

Small and simple, it reminds you more of a bar you used to go to in university than a brewpub

Brouwerij Poesiat & Kater

Quietly situated away on the east side of town is Brouwerij Poesiat & Kater. The brewery and brewpub is in a beautiful old building and features a nice terrace for summer drinks.

The brewery’s output is far less than the others on this list though, so if you want to try some of their beer you’ll have to pay them a visit. You probably won’t find it around town unless you’re at a craft beer bar with hundreds of beers to choose from.

Beer Quality: 5/5

Poesiat & Kater make some excellent beers. The IPA and imperial stout are fantastic.

Food: 4/5

Full disclosure I’ve never actually eaten here, so we’re going off average Google review here. They have a more eclectic menu than most brewpubs and even offer a massive steak for 65 euros.

Location: 3/5

Sort of off the beaten path, it’s near Amsterdam Muiderpoort station, so relatively easy to get to on the train. Though it’s not in a happening neighborhood, it is located on a canal so that’s something.

Ambiance: 5/5

They’ve really made it a fantastic place to drink beer, with a beautiful beer garden and a fine interior. You could spend hours here and not even know it.

Best Craft Beer Bars in Amsterdam

Want to try beers from all sorts of different Dutch breweries and not have to get out of your seat? Then you might be more interested in Amsterdam’s eclectic craft beer bars. There are many options for getting your thirst quenched in the city, so let’s go over some of them here.

Proeflokaal Arendsnest

Perhaps no craft beer bar in Amsterdam is more quintessentially Dutch than Proeflokaal Arendsnest. Located in the beautiful Jordaan neighborhood, it’s easy to walk to from the city center.  This little beer cafe has more than 50 Dutch beers on tap and even more in the bottle.

They also offer a special beer tasting with a beer specialist who will choose local Dutch beers for you and explain a little history about beer making in the Netherlands.

Beer Temple

Beer Temple is a small bar in the city center with an impressive selection of Dutch and American beers. One of the best things about Beer Temple is that you can get a full, normal sized pint of beer, a rare sight at bars in the Netherlands. 

De Biertuin

De Biertuin – literally “The Beer Garden” – is a relatively new craft beer bar that has expanded to three locations around the city. The central location isn’t really a beer garden, as it just has a couple outdoor tables, but the east and west locations have decent little outdoor beer gardens. You can find beer from most of the breweries in this post at de Biertuin. 

photo of a small bar in the Netherlands
Stop by one of the many cozy craft beer bars in Amsterdam on your tour around the city

Café Gollem

Cafe Gollem is more of a traditional Dutch beer cafe. Small, quaint, and dimly lit, this pub will make you feel like you’re drinking in your own home. Gollem has six locations around Amsterdam, each featuring a full dinner menu and an excellent selection of Dutch beers. 

Beer Tasting Room in the Wildeman

Taste craft beers from the Netherlands, Belgium and beyond at Beer Tasting Room in the Wildeman. The bar is located right in the city center, so it’s an easy place to stop for a brewski between sightseeing stops. They also feature varied snack options but no proper diner menu. 

BRET

A bit off the beaten tourist path by Sloterdijk Station, BRET is a popular hangout for locals to sit back and relax with a local beer after a long day at the office. I’ve been to BRET no fewer than 100 times. It’s a small bar but has a large outdoor area for nice days. While it offers mostly Dutch craft beers, it’s been known to carry random beers from New Zealand here and there.

Amsterdam Breweries – Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular beer in Amsterdam?

The most popular beer in Amsterdam is – you guessed it – Heineken. The Dutch beer behemoth is literally everywhere in the city. But you’ll also find Amstel just about everywhere any many other local Dutch beers like Brand and Grolsch.

Can you walk around with beer in Amsterdam?

Technically you cannot walk around the streets of Amsterdam with a beer. However, this rule is really only enforced in the city center near the Red Light District. And that enforcement only started in 2019 after one too many drunk British kids fell in the canals. 

Anywhere else in the city and the police really don’t bat an eye. It’s common to drink in parks and public squares. Just don’t be obnoxious about it.

Is Amsterdam known for beer?

Amsterdam is not as known for beer as many German and Czech cities. But the Dutch capital is pretty synonymous with beer, especially thanks to the Heineken brewery and their massive global reach.

Is beer expensive in Amsterdam?

Yes, beer in Amsterdam is quite expensive when compared to the rest of Europe. It’s not quite as expensive as drinking out in the US or Australia, but it’s not cheap.

Menu prices are deceiving too, as Dutch beers are half-sized (see explanation above). So for 4 euros you’re only getting half the size of what you get in other European countries.

Beer is pretty cheap at supermarkets though. Dutch supermarkets usually sell craft beer by the bottle, meaning it can get a bit pricier. Some of the more popular craft beers are sold in 6-packs.

What is the oldest brewery in the Netherlands?

The Brand brewery dates back to 1340 and is the oldest known brewery in the Netherlands. Brand beer is a very popular brewery in the Netherlands, yet almost completely unknown outside the Dutch border. Brand has ventured out into more craft brewing than other old Dutch breweries and thus offers IPAs and other beer styles than just the plain old pale Dutch lager.

Final Word

Amsterdam is full of excellent craft breweries that are lovely to visit on a nice day. And if it’s not a nice day that’s even more reason to sit and have some good beers. Be sure to try some Dutch food while you’re at it. Enjoy the brews!

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