Brouwerij 't IJ

A taproom in an old bathhouse

Brouwerij 't IJ is the Amsterdam craft brewery most people have heard of. Its taproom, Proeflokaal De Molen, sits in the former public bathhouse of Funen, right at the foot of a windmill. You come for the beer and stay for the setting.

The mill is De Gooyer, the tallest wooden windmill in the Netherlands. It was a grain mill and has stood on this spot since 1814. The brewery's terrace faces it, so you drink with the sails turning above you. It is a good way to spend an hour in the east of the city, away from the busy centre.

How it began

Kaspar Peterson, a former musician, opened the brewery in October 1985. At the time several small breweries were starting up in Dutch cities, because drinkers were tired of the beer from the big companies. 't IJ was one of them, and it is still going.

The name refers to the IJ, the body of water that forms Amsterdam's waterfront. The logo tells the rest of the story: an ostrich with an egg, and a windmill far behind them.

The brewery makes twelve standard beers and three seasonal ones, plus limited editions. Four of the standard beers, Natte, Zatte, Columbus and Struis, are certified organic. Brewing happens in the basement of the pub and in a second building on the nearby Zeeburgerpad. In 2019 the brewery also opened a bar in the Blauwe Theehuis in the Vondelpark.

What to look for

Start outside and look up at the mill. It is a private building, so the view from the terrace is the point. Then go in and look at the old bathhouse itself.

Order at the bar, then find a seat at the long tables. If you want something light, there are lower-alcohol and alcohol-free options on the list. If you want something with weight, Columbus and Struis both come in at 9%. Natte is a brown dubbel, Zatte a golden tripel, and IJwit is the white beer. The IJbock is a dark seasonal bock.

The snacks are as local as the beer. Try ossenworst, a spiced raw-beef sausage that is an Amsterdam speciality. There are also boiled eggs, fresh peanuts from the nearby Dappermarkt and a farmhouse sheep's cheese. The brewery also offers tours and tastings, if you want to see how it works.