Proeflokaal Arendsnest

20s / 30s / 40s / Beer / Beer Lovers / Beer on Tap / Belgian Beer / Brown Bar / Casual / Conversational / Expats / Friendly / Groups / Locals / Snack Food / Terrace / Tourists / Wings
Proeflokaal Arendsnest Any serious beer lover who's ready to forgo the typical Belgian bars and dive into the exceptional Dutch microbrew scene needs to check out Proeflokaal Arendsnest. Amsterdam Holland 52.3766471 4.8893303
4.57 7
Proeflokaal Arendsnest - Brown Bar in Amsterdam.
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3 User Reviews
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Ratings:
Lucas
Adriana
Jonah
Emma

Party Earth Review Any serious beer lover who’s ready to forgo the typical Belgian bars and dive into the exceptional Dutch microbrew scene needs to check out Proeflokaal Arendsnest. Although the concept is similar to the famous Belgian... ... read full review

  • Hours:

    M–Th, Su 4pm–midnight, F–Sa 4pm–2am

  • Recommended as:

    • Day Spot
    • Night Spot

Party Earth Proeflokaal Arendsnest Review

The Scene

Any serious beer lover who's ready to forgo the typical Belgian bars and dive into the exceptional Dutch microbrew scene needs to check out Proeflokaal Arendsnest.

Nieuwe Zijds, Amsterdam –

Any serious beer lover who’s ready to forgo the typical Belgian bars and dive into the exceptional Dutch microbrew scene needs to check out Proeflokaal Arendsnest.

Although the concept is similar to the famous Belgian abbeys – that is, there’s a wide selection of flavors, ingredients, and alcohol content, and every beer takes its own individual glass – the big difference is that Proeflokaal Arendsnest only offers Dutch beers.

In fact, patrons rarely even think of Heineken at this place, which offers over 130 beers from more than fifty small Dutch breweries, not to mention a knowledgeable bar staff eager to educate customers on their choices.

The space itself has all the classic markings of a brown bar, from the intimate interior and antique copper taps to the blackboard menus, rusty old beer signs, and dark wood furnishings.

A summer terrace is situated beside the peaceful Herengracht canal, and at night the soft glow from inside illuminates a traditional Dutch pub scene.

The pleasant, welcoming, and even joyful clientele is evenly split between locals, expats, and people just passing through, all gathered at Proeflokaal Arendsnest for the ultimate experience in Dutch beer and specialty liqueurs.

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Tip from Jonah:

Take a look at the 24-page beer menus – you’ll find not only prices, but also short bios of each available beer with a bit of history, brewery location, and alcohol content percentage. The strongest beer available is called Bombs and Grenades (15.2% abv).

  • Crowd

    Good mix of Dutch beer lovers, expats, and travelers, 20s to 40s+.

  • Entertainment / Music

    Chatter and the clinking of beer glasses.

  • Food / Miscellaneous

    Bar snacks include an excellent cheese selection, meatballs, and other savory snacks. Three-beer tasters include a choice of three beers, water, and explanatory notes. Group beer tastings available by reservation.

  • Prices

    Bar snacks €2–€10. Beer €3.50, wine €3.50, mixed drinks €6.50, liqueurs €4–€6, three-beer tasters €7.

  • What to Wear / Dress Code

    Casual.

  • Hot Nights / When to Go

    Weekend nights and late afternoon on weekdays.

Tags:
20s30s40sBeerBeer LoversBeer on TapBelgian BeerCasualConversationalExpatsFriendlyGroupsLocalsSnack FoodTerraceTouristsWings

Proeflokaal Arendsnest User Reviews

Average rating:
Play the game!
Lalarumpelpumpel S.
Lalarumpelpumpel S. Dec 13, 2012
There are like a thousand beers at this bar, and if you're like me and just go for simple beer it can be a confusing moment when the bartender gives you that giant book menu that holds their beer list. So here's what you do, ask your friend to think of a number between 1 and 20. Then turn to the page of the number. See how many beers are on there, and tell them to pick a number between 1 and the number of beers on the list. Then go with that beer. I'm not saying you'll get something you like, but at least you can make a game out of choosing what you go with! I have to warn you though, I did this with a friend of mine and we got some pretty gross beers. One was some cherry beer, the other was a dark one like 20 per cent alcohol or something! So have fun!
Quiet and a LOT of choice
Amster M.
Amster M. Dec 9, 2012
One of the few places that house a lot of Dutch beer, there's maybe one other (In De Wildemann). If you like the taste of craft beers, look for bottle choices from breweries like Emelisse and Rasmus. Some of the more flavorful Dutch beers here are the ones that are from the middle of nowhere, so take a good look at that menu. I definitely suggest grabbing a snack, and sit at the bar so you can take a look at all the selection, the brass pipes, and glasses for each beer. It's not a rowdy bar, there's no music, it's very quiet in the afternoon. But it's comfortable, and a great place to drink a beer nonetheless.
Dutch beer! Huzzah!
Craig B.
Craig B. Nov 15, 2012
Although not particularly exciting or interesting when it comes to decor--the long bar, small tables, and dim lights do little to distinguish this brown bar from most others--Proeflokaal Arendsnest more than makes up for it with their expansive selection of almost entirely Dutch beers, both in bottles and on tap. Even cooler, each beer is served up with a specially paired piece of glassware. It took me a couple rounds to find a beer that really wowed me (unfortunately, the Dutch microbrew scene is still in its infancy), but when I did I was sure to make note of it. I asked the bartender about Texels, my favorite, and he was able to point me in the right direction to try more from that brewery: Texels Brouwerij is located on Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands, and is accessible by ferry.
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