Amsterdam's Heineken: 150 years of Heineken in Amsterdam, exhibition at the City Archives

When in Amsterdam....this is home to Heineken. The third largest beer in the company in the world is the city's most famous name. In 2014, Heineken celebrates its 150 year birthday. The Amsterdam City Archives is presenting an exhibition of history about the founder and the company in the Amsterdam.

Established in 1864 by the then 22 year old Gerard Adrian Heineken, the beer was a success from the beginning. The exhibition, Heineken's Amsterdam, charts the establishment of the company and its first brewery near the Dam Square.

Gerard Adrian Heineken

The exhibition then flows to explaining the man and his role in Amsterdam society. Gerard Heineken was philanthropic and in keeping with the times. He worked for 20 years as the treasurer of the Municipal Soup Kitchen. He was member of the Free Bread committee and the committee to provide housing to the homeless.

Gerard Heineken was also a patron of the arts. He served on supervisory committees of the new Rjiksmuseum and the Peoples Palace, present day National Bank. This did of course help with his marriage to noblewoman Mary Tindal in 1871. There are images and city plans to show his involvement in Amsterdam's development.

It was in 1870 that Heineken starting producing its trademark pilsner beer. It was an immediate hit then and bettered over the years. This is the beer that today the world associates with Heineken. 

The exhibition finishes with a look at the beer and the beer branding until present time. As always the Amsterdam City Archives provide a rich and well curated exhibition. The archival documents from the city database are intermixed with historical Heineken documents. The exhibition does well to explain the man behind one of the Netherlands most famous exports, Heineken.

Visitor Tip:

• This exhibition Heineken's Amsterdam is a perfect accompaniment to the Heineken Experience. 
• The price is reasonable at 6 euro and 4 euro for discount card holders such as the Museum Card. 
• The audio guide is free with entrance and full of information.
• Then within 15 minutes walk you can do the very popular Heineken Experience in the old 19th century brewery and try the world famous beer.

Details for the exhibition can be found at the Amsterdam City Archives website. The exhibition runs 7 February until 11 May 2014.

When in Amsterdam...enjoy!

Associated blogs:



Amsterdam Beer Tours

Amsterdam Beer Tours

When in Amsterdam....beer is the drink of choice. Home to Heineken and Amstel, Amsterdam has been a centre for European beer since the 15th century.

Here we have listed the best Brewery Tours and the Best Beer Tours in Amsterdam. (Updated March 2015)

Brewery Tours:

Heineken Experience

Heineken Experience Amsterdam

The big attraction in town is the Heineken Experience. Established in 1864 by the then 22 year old Gerard Heineken, Heineken is now the third largest beer company in the world. The tour takes place on the location of the brewery that was first constructed in 1867. This building produced beer until 1988.

Pros

• It is the home to Heineken.
• Learn the history of this world famous beer.
• You learn how one of the largest beer companies in the world operates.
• You get to drink Heineken

Cons

• There is a lot marketing and advertising.
• You only get two free half pints with you entrance.
• Entrance price has increased over the years to 18 euros. 
• Large crowds. Up to 500 000 people per year visit.

Brouwerij 't Ij (aka the windmill brewery)

Established in 1985 in response to the domination by the large beer companies, namely Heineken. Brouwerij 't Ij is the flagship of Amsterdam micro Breweries. The all natural beers are not filtered or pasteurised. 

Tours are conducted in English on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Cost is 4.50 euro and includes a beer. Tour begins at 3:30pm. Be sure to get there early as space is limited and it fills up fast.

Pros

• Local Amsterdam beer that you won't find at home.
• It is next to a windmill.
• Beer is natural.
• They make the beer on location.
• Has a large beer garden outside.

Cons

• A little out of the old city centre.
• Limited opening hours 2pm - 8pm.
• Hard to find a seat on a sunny day.

Brouwerij Prael

The new kid on the block was established in 2002. This is a brewery with a difference. It has a social agenda as the Prael provides work for people with social problems. These people often find it hard to find work elsewhere. Over the years the brewery has grown and expanded to a popular local hangout.

The tour is not standard. You can buy a package depending on how much beer you would like to sample. Prices start at 7.50 euro. No tours on Monday. Groups smaller than 10 have to wait until others join.

Pros

• The social cause is a great community aspect.
• Located centrally.
• The beers are named after local music personalities and bands.
• The have a kitchen that provides food.
• Live jazz music on Sundays

Cons

• A little hard to find.
• Beer quality has been known to fluctuate. However, quality is much better as quantity increases.
• Hard to find a seat on Friday and Saturday evenings.
• Website is not in Dutch

Beer Bar Tours

These Beer Tours take you beyond the mainstream of Heineken and Amstel. They stress that they are not bar crawls and limit numbers accordingly.

Omy Amsterdam Beer Tour

Omy Amsterdam Tours

Rated the best beer tour company in Amsterdam by Tripadvisor. A small company that specialises in small group tours of 4 to 6 people maximum. Their beer tours are informal with super small groups hence their popularity. You buy your own beers and pay for the time of the guide. They have three tours:

• Amsterdam Afternoon Beer Tour: This tour was designed by former customers who just wanted someone to show them around to cool beer locations. Tour maximum 4 people. Costs 25 euro.

• Amsterdam Bars, Breweries and Distillery Tour: Similar to the Afternoon Beer Tour you visit local micro-breweries, bars and a distillery. You don't enter the working areas of the brew houses. You just drink their product. Tour maximum is 6 people. Costs 25 euro.

• Red Light District Tour: Sex, Drugs and Drinks. A combination of red light district tour and drinks. On this tour they provide you drinks in the ticket price. Tour maximum is 4 people. Cost 50 euro.

Urban Adventures Amsterdam

Amsterdam's extension of the world wide franchise. Urban Adventures was established to get people off the beaten path.

• Amsterdam Beer Tour: Visit local beer specialist locations with a guide. Drinks are included in the price except for the end stop: 49 euro per person.

When in Amsterdam...beer tastes good!

Related blogs:

Heineken's Amsterdam: 150 years of Heineken in Amsterdam

All-time Top 10 Things to do in Amsterdam: a critical look

When in Amsterdam has realised that every website associated with Amsterdam travel has a top list of things to do in this city. Some websites only have Top 5 or 10 lists.

When in Amsterdam could provide our own list but honestly there is no Top 10 list. Waking up in Amsterdam the list changes day to day because of mood, weather and the place in question.

So we are going to give you the All-time Top 10 list of things to do in Amsterdam (updated November 2015).

Our approach is simple: 

• Collation
• 100 web pages were analysed.
• Search Terms were “top things to do in Amsterdam”, ‘top 10 things in Amsterdam’
• To qualify the page needed to have in its title top things to do in Amsterdam. For Example: Top 5, Top 10, Top 20 things to do in Amsterdam.

We collated the results then ran a critical look at the list to provide you with an alternative.

Counting down from 10 to 1.



Timmer's Flowers and Plants: Amsterdam Floating Flower Martket
photo: Sonia Hermosin

10. Amsterdam’s Famous Floating Flower Market

The last market in Amsterdam still on the water. A wonderful place for colour and it is central. The Dutch are famous for cut flowers and bulbs. The 1637 stock market meltdown because of speculation on tulip bulbs made the Dutch synonymous with the Turkish flower.

Critical look:

• The market has no educational aspect at all.
• The market is not really floating.
• A retail market servicing mostly tourists from Europe.
•  Custom’s regulations restrict other visitors from taking back bulbs to their countries.
• It is worth a look if in the area especially for the Timmer's family stall famous for their quality cut flowers and plants.

Alternative:

•  Alsmeer Flower Market: An hour by bus outside Amsterdam it is the World’s largest flower market and the world’s 4^th largest building. You can’t help but learn on the self-guided tour.

·         

9. Vondel Park

Named after the famous 17 century poet and playwright Vondel it is Amsterdam’s central park. The park was created in 1864 after Victorian England made such gardens popular. It has a Picasso sculpture, wonderful bike paths, the film museum and a theater.

Vondel Park, Amsterdam

Critical look:

• As is commonly reported Vondel Park receives 10 million visitors a year. 
• On a sunny day finding a quiet spot in Vondel Park is not possible.
• The smell in parts also demonstrates the lack of toilet facilities. This has been added to over the last few years.(thanks to comments section)
• The high numbers of visitors and its central location, the park attracts people that want to be noticed. Unsocial behaviour and drunkenness does occur at the end of a hot day.

Alternative:

• Westerpark is central and large like Vondel Park. The east-west layout results in more sunshine hours, if you are lucky to get a sunny day in Amsterdam. Large range of bars, eateries and toilets.

8. Visit the Albert Cuyp Market

With over 220 stalls and situated within the old Latin Quarter of Amsterdam, the Albert Cuyp market is the largest street market in the Netherlands and professes to be one of the largest daily markets in Europe. Named after the 17^th century painter the market has operated since 1905.

Critical look:

• It is not the most affordable of Amsterdam street markets.
• Expensive nature means working class Amsterdammers go to other street markets.

Alternative:

• Dappermart: cheaper, more rustic, fewer tourists, rated top 10 shopping streets in the world by National Geographic 2007.
• The new Foodhallen opened in late October 2014. Indoor food market similar to New York's Chelsea Market. Great for a meal and indoor activity.

7. Ride a bike

With an estimated 600 000 to 1 million bicycles circulating in Amsterdam, the city is one of the bike capitals of the world. The compact and flat nature of the city makes biking a fast and affordable travel option in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam bike

Critical look:

• Most anger from locals towards visitors is about biking or walking in bike paths. 
• Many Amsterdammers believe that visitors should take a test before being allowed to rent or ride a bike in Amsterdam.
• Riding a bike in Amsterdam City Centre traffic is not for beginners.

Alternative:

• Walk smaller areas and take Amsterdam trams in between – bike riders don’t mess with trams.
• Take a guided walking tour of Amsterdam's Old City Centre  with a private, small or larger group tours. 
• Take a countryside bike tour or a neighbourhood bike tour and enjoy Amsterdam with good bike paths. Dutch biking the way it is supposed to be, enjoyable.

6. Heineken Experience

The second or third largest beer maker in the world depending with whom you talk started in Amsterdam. The old brewery has a tour called the Heineken Experience.

Heineken Experience, Amsterdam

Critical look:

• They have not made beer in this brewery since the 1980s.
• The tour concentrates on the advertising and marketing power of this international brand.
• The tour only includes two half pints of Heineken. Trying to make friends with people who don't like beer on a brewery tour. Just to savour more of the product is a thirsty persons dilemma.

Alternative:

• Spending the price of entrance to the Heineken Experience at one of Amsterdam’s active micro-breweries or quality beer bars will result in more beer. 
• Amsterdam’s micro-brewery scene is building: Brouwerij ‘t IJ, Prael, De Bekeerde Zuster (the twisted sister) are well worth visit for beer lovers. Some Breweries conduct tours for groups and or individuals.
• There are beer tours as well as pub and club crawls for the young.

5. Canal Tour

Amsterdam is known as the Venice of the North. Even though the canals do not smell and the canals are not deep like Venice 20% of Amsterdam's surface is water. With over 100 kilometers of canals, around 90 islands and 1500 bridges traveling by water is a great way to see the city.

Critical look:

• Few Amsterdammers use their canals.
• There are three main canal tour companies in Amsterdam. They run tours that are similar with recorded messages, and their boats have no historic relevance to Amsterdam.

Local Boating Experience, Amsterdam

Alternative:

• Find a local Amsterdammer with a boat. Finding a local boat cruise is easier to find when the weather is good. Inquire with other tour providers you may use. Amsterdammers' have a network of boat operators in the city. 
• Visit Het Grachtenhuis (Canal House Museum) learn how Amsterdam's world heritage listed canals were created.
• Rent your own boat and captain yourself. Sleopdelen, Boaty. Becareful, when the weather is good on a weekend, out come the party boats.

4. Red Light District
Situated in the oldest part of Amsterdam this area provides an eclectic mix of sex shops, brothels, coffeeshops, hotels, gay bars and around 300 red light windows. Since 2000 Amsterdam legalised sex workers. The Red Light District is the main centre of this industry in Amsterdam.

Critical look:

• There is more to Amsterdam than the Red Light District. The area is often full of young men peering at the scantly clad women.
• On weekends the neighbourhood can be over loaded with travelling parties of men and women. Exciting for early evening walk.

Alternative: 

• Take a guided walking tour of the Red Light District. The area is the oldest in town and full of hidden secrets. A little bit of knowledge goes a long way compared to peering into the bewitching red lights.
• Go during the day and see the shopping, art and history side of the area.

3. Rijksmuseum

The greatest collection of Dutch art and history in the Netherlands. Normally ranked in the top 20 of museums in the world. The Rijksmuseum was under construction between 2003 and 2013. The masterpieces are layed out in a new style with focus still on the grand hallway of Masters. Classics by Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Vermeer are well represented.  

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Alternative:

• Rembrandt House: Comparable there are no crowds and you can see what sort of bed the old master Rembrandt slept in and toilet he used. Also the largest collection of Rembrandt etchings in the world.
• For practile information on how to avoid the queues of the Rijksmuseum and not be disappointed read this blog. Rijksmuseum Critics: What you need to know before you visit.

2. Van Gogh Museum
The expressionist painter was famed for his rough style, sharp colours and considered a trail blazer for modern art. This museum houses the largest collection of Van Gogh paintings under one roof and tells the story of the man from child hood to his end at 37 years old.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

Critical look:

• Van Gogh did not spend a lot of his life in the Netherlands.
• His fame has only come about through Van Gogh's influence on 20th century art.
• Expect large lines.

Alternative:

• Pre-purchase your tickets at the tourist information centre at the front of Central Station. Go late to avoid the crowds. 
• On Friday night the museum is open to 10pm with a relaxed and enjoyable environment.
• Go on a day trip to Kroller Muller Museum to experience the largest private collection.

1. Anne Frank Museum
The location of the Jewish Frank family hiding place during WWII. Teenage Anne documented her experience from the annex of this Amsterdam house during Nazi occupation. The book has become one of the world's most widely read. This popularity accounts for approximately 1 million visitors a year to this museum.

Anne Frank House Museum, Amsterdam.

Critical Look:

• For a small museum there are a lot of people at certain times. 
• The museum has a difficult job balancing the broader context of the period.
• It is more of a pilgrimage than a museum.

Alternative:

• Avoid the long lines and buy on line. Go late in the evening or arrive early before it opens and the school groups arrive. 
• Resistance museum provides you with a greater snap shot of World War II in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Rated one of the best museums in the Netherlands don't expect long lines here maybe just a school group now and then.
• The Jewish Historical Museum provides detail on the Jewish community's influence on Amsterdam through the centuries. Ticket to this museum includes entrance to the Portuguese Synagoge and nearby Deportation centre.  

Overview of Amsterdam's Top 10 Things to Do:

• The 'Big 3' as the industry calls them, fill out the top three. 
• Sex, alcohol and boats are four, five and six. 
• Bikes, markets, parks and flowers round out the list. 

Quite a range for a small city of less than 1 million people. Have you got a suggestion? Let us know what you enjoyed in Amsterdam.

For more things to do check out the following:

November in Amsterdam

December in Amsterdam: What to do

Top Things to do in Amsterdam: Winter

A Lovers' Guide to Amsterdam: things to do

Amsterdam Top 10 things to Eat: a critical approach

Things to do in Amsterdam: Local tips from Famous Amsterdammers

Overcoming the biggest problems for Visitors to Amsterdam

All Time Top 10 Things to do in Amsterdam for Teenagers: A critical approach

If you are bringing a teenager who reads books click here

When in Amsterdam.....enjoy!