In the 17th and 18th centuries Amsterdam was the centre of the European beer and spice trade, and out of this grew a tradition of distilling 'medicinal' spirits, that developed into a full range of liqueurs. Proeflokalen (Dutch word for tasting taverns) specialise in these alcohols, and they have a disturbingly large range of beers and traditional liqueurs that you will never have heard of.

Famous proeflokalen in Amsterdam

home brewed draft beers

Brouwerij 't IJ

In a windmill located tasting room with a large terrace during summer

Funenkade 7 / Oost

17 types of geneva

De Admiraal

Genever and liqueur tasting room

Herengracht 319 / Canal Belt

liqueurs and genevers tasting

Wynand Fockink

From 1679. Dutch and Belgian Jenevers in a back alley of Dam Square

Pijlsteeg 31 / Old Centre

oldest proeflokaal in town

Café In 't Aepjen

Old sailors' tavern near Centraal Station and IJ Waterfront

Zeedijk 1 / Old Centre

50 types of draft beer

Arendsnest

Beer from Dutch breweries

Herengracht 90 / Canal Belt

4 home brewed beers

De Bekeerde Suster

The Converted Sister - 'Live' beer brewing takes place on Thursday and Friday

Kloveniersburgwal 6 / Old Centre

monastry beer from the Bijlmer

De Proefzaak

Tasting room of Monastry Brewery Kleiburg in a green hangar surrounded by large office buildings

Hullenbergweg 6 / Zuidoost