Review

For the casual visitor to Amsterdam who likes to sink a few (beers that is, not 'pink'; Amsterdam has plenty of opportunities to 'sink the pink'), there might not be a lot to offer around the central, tourist area other than British bars and the ubiquitous beers such as Heineken and Amstel. If taking advantage of the relaxed drug laws in The Netherlands is your thing, then you're spoilt for choice; if, however, you're looking for a decent watering hole then you need to try a little harder ('watering hole', 'try a little harder' - I need to be careful how I phrase things in relation to Amsterdam, or you'll get the wrong impression).

Where the Centrum (central) area of Amsterdam meets the Jordaan, one of Amsterdam's most attractive and sought after residential areas, you will find a Dutch Beer Pub, Biercafé 't Arendsnest. Situated on the Herengracht canal, this pub breaks from Dutch tradition and doesn't sell Belgian beers - inside you will find nothing but beer from around 60 Dutch breweries, which can total around 350 different beers!

Sadly, during our visit there were no beer-themed events happening, but I am reliably informed that these occur regularly throughout the year. Judging from the incredibly knowledgeable barman/owner (a qualified beer specialist; a 'beerologist'), you're certainly in for a 'hands-on' lesson in Dutch beer. Enter this pub and tell the barman what type of beer you usually drink - bitter or lager - and he'll give you something to try, which will both cater to your taste and prove an enjoyable experience. For only 5 Euros (£3.26), you can try 5 different Dutch beers from draft - an amazing experience, as the barman stays with you throughout, asks your opinion after each beer, assesses your response, and produces another of the abundant beers that meets your expectations exactly (the only downside of this is that you get your tasting in 12cl glasses - just under a quarter of a pint)! During my 'initiation' to Dutch beer, I was given a 9% lager-type beer, which lessened my ability to navigate those Dutch bridges and canals!

As for the pub itself, upon entering, the large wooden bar stacked with an inconceivable amount of bottles, beers and brews immediately takes you aback. Take a pew on a stool at the long bar and prepare yourself for a treat, and enjoy the free bar nibbles. The walls are crammed with pictures, memorabilia and the objet d'art of pub life that you can see in many British pubs, although the Dutch version is not caked in ancient grime and dirt - Dutch pubs are clinically clean, which 'makes a refreshing change' (no Carling isn't served in this pub - ignore the pun) and the toilets are usually just two cubicles off the bar, one for each sex (sadly, not a single unisex one, as I had imagined)!

Beware this pub gets busy at weekends, and can stay open until 1am, 2am, or maybe 3am. It's a regular haunt of Amsterdam's young and happening crowd, who appear to speak English better than the British, especially after a few beers, as moderation is endemic to the Dutch, so there's plenty of totty to keep you amused and make allowance for the obvious lack of quiz machines. If you only visit one bar whilst in Amsterdam, make this it; you can experience great Dutch beers, talk to the English speaking staff and locals, learn about the real 'Amsterdam' from them, mingle with the 'real' Dutch, and avoid the usual inconsiderate, tourist hordes who flock to Amsterdam for unsociable activities (this is a drug-free pub, as were all the best pubs we visited - the warning signs on the doors are clearly unambiguous).

And finally, if there were quiz machines in Dutch pubs, asking questions in Dutch, would we manage any better than the British ones at home after a few 'scoops'?

Review by mr_psm