Amsterdam breweries during crisis

WaltherBrewery Tour

Amsterdam breweries during the COVID-19 crisis

Amsterdam has so many amazing and unique craft breweries and very tasty craft beer!

While we can only enjoy the beers at home. What do the breweries do during the  COVID-19 crisis?

All Amsterdam breweries and the tasting rooms had to close their doors to visitors as of mid March.

Amsterdam breweries during crisis

Click here to read the blog in Dutch.

Because of this decision, the smaller breweries in Amsterdam have a very difficult time right now. The biggest part of their income often comes from their own tasting room and the distribution of their beers to other restaurants and bars.

What really surprised me is that a great number of breweries deals with the lockdown situation in a creative way.
In less than a month, many Amsterdam breweries have managed to launch a webshop and take out services to gain alternative income.

These are thirsty times for the people at home, of course, and many beer fans like to ‘support the locals’ and they buy the beer directly from the breweries. Often you can also order a snack with it. Isn’t that great?

Beer delivery service

Speciaal bier bezorgen amsterdam

I also went to a few of the breweries to buy beer and delivered this to the homes of friends and relatives. One of the many bad choices I have made in my life.. 

Now I get requests every weekend to fill up their beer stock again.

Or indirect requests like, “if you happen to be at one of the breweries, can you bring me a six pack or two..”.

I have to admit that during these days it already feels like a party if I can ride to the gas station, so I am not complaining about these requests.

Brewery Poesiat & Kater

Another wonderful example is the brewery ‘Poesiat & Kater’. This brewery is owned by very creative and enterprising people who also brew great beer. A golden combo!
 
One of their bestsellers is Princesse (princess) beer. This craft beer is currently available with a beautiful orange label, because of the upcoming Kings day (a Dutch holiday). Because all the festivities during Kingsday are canceled they change this into “home” day.
Kingsday becomes Home day
This may sounds strange, but in Dutch is actually rimes (Koningsdag – Woningsdag). The brewery offers a great deal on Beerwulf for the home drinkers on Home day. A full tray of Princesse beer for a good price, including a voucher of € 16 which you can spend at the tasting room when they are open again.
 
On the actual “home day” they have a live bingo event on facebook. This is a great opportunity to drink the Princesse beer. If we were not in lock down on this day, I would still stay home for this!
There are also breweries right now that started to offer online beer tastings. During these tastings you often also get a virtual tour through the brewery. These are great initiatives that definitely have to stay after lockdown as well!

History

This is a picture of the Poesiat & Kater brewery. The building has served as an animal shelter for 80 years. The current name had nothing to do with the shelter.
poesiat en kater brouwerij amsterdam
The name is linked to the very rich history of beer in Amsterdam. Although the name suggests otherwise, it has no link with the animal shelter of the time. This has to do with the enormously rich history of beer in Amsterdam and the historical figures Mr. Poesiat and Mr. Kater.
 
More about that in one of the future blogs about this history story.

What do the breweries do during the  COVID-19 crisis? We can conclude that the Amsterdam breweries get really innovative during these difficult times. And the creative ideas are immediately implemented as well.

A big shout out of respect to these entrepreneurs.

For now Stay Safe! And for the Dutch people; enjoy Kings day!

TASTE.LOVE.CHEERS.
Walther
Brew Bus Amsterdam

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