The last and final part of the beer sommelier course! With a group of enthusiastic fellow beer students from all parts of Holland I spent an exciting two days in Austria learning more about German and Austrian beer styles, barrel aging, glassware and beer and food pairing. An experience to never forget. Here are a few highlights from that inspirational...
Category: Brewery
Alvinne’s Fellowship of Exceptional Ales
Last month I got one of the best Christmas presents ever: I went for a weekend trip to Belgium to visit the Alvinne brewery and watch them brew. It was a special invitation for members of the Alvinne Fellowship. Here is the story of the Fellowship, their excellent beers and why this brewery has become one of my favorites.
Grand Prestige: Hertog Jan’s crown jewel
Recently I had the opportunity to tour the Hertog Jan brewery and taste different vintages of their Grand Prestige, including the new barrel aged version. Here is a short recap of that wonderful day with a behind-the-scenes look at the brewery.
Becoming a beer sommelier – Part 2
The adventure continues! In March I started Stibon level 2 in Amsterdam. Here is a short account of our brewing experience at Brouwerij Klein Duimpje.
A taste of popular French craft breweries
An overview of the French craft beers I've tried this year.
Made in Rotterdam! Discovering local brews
Do you know how many brewers there are in Rotterdam? Until recently I thought I knew. At least six. Most people I asked can name three or four. Then I did a little research. I counted fifteen! Here is an overview of craft breweries in Rotterdam.
Blue economy beer
If you live in Rotterdam or occasionally visit, you most likely will know the glass dome of Tropicana on the Maasboulevard. Formerly a tropical swimming pool, it has stood abandoned for many years. What you may not know is that it is back in use since 2016 and is thriving as a circular economy experiment called BlueCity. There are over...
Top 10 craft beer bars in Rotterdam
Rotterdam has become a trendy city for a number of reasons, not least of all because of the fun and diverse range of craft beer bars that are popping up all over town. Here is my personal top 10 of really awesome bars for the full Rotterdam beer experience.
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