If you want a pint with a view of a genuine windmill, the Amsterdam windmill brewery is the place. Brouwerij ‘t IJ occupies a former municipal bathhouse next to De Gooyer, a tall wooden mill on the eastern side of the city, and has become one of the best-known craft beer addresses in the Netherlands. It is easy to combine with a walk through the Plantage and Oosterpark neighbourhoods, and it offers a very Dutch way to spend an afternoon. Here is what to expect.
The mill and the brewery
De Gooyer is a wooden windmill standing on the Funenkade. Its origins go back to the early eighteenth century, and it was moved to its present spot in the early nineteenth century. It is often described as one of the tallest wooden mills in the country. The mill no longer grinds grain for trade, but it is a protected landmark, and it gives the brewery its trademark silhouette.
The brewery set up in the former bathhouse next door in the mid-1980s and grew from a small local venture into a widely known name. Its logo, an ostrich, is a play on a local pun and appears on bottles and glasses across town. It is a good idea to treat the building as a destination in itself, with its tall windows and relaxed tasting room.
What to drink
The core range includes beers in several Belgian-influenced styles, as well as seasonal specials that change. Names you will often see include:
- Zatte, a strong golden tripel style
- IJwit, a Belgian-style wheat beer, popular on warm days
- Natte, a darker, malty beer
- Plzatte, a pilsner-style lager
The beers are fairly strong, so pace yourself. Alcohol levels vary by beer and are printed on the menu, but several are noticeably stronger than a typical lager. Seasonal and guest beers rotate, so ask staff what is on tap that day.
Food and snacks
Expect Dutch bar snacks rather than a full menu: cheese cubes, sausage, and sometimes a small plate or two. Local cheese is a classic pairing with the stronger beers. If you want a proper meal, the nearby streets have plenty of restaurants, or you can wait and eat in the Plantage or Dapperbuurt.
Opening times and tours
The Amsterdam windmill brewery tasting room traditionally opens in the afternoon and stays open into the evening, and it is typically open every day, but hours can vary on holidays or for private events. Guided brewery tours have run on set weekday afternoons in the past, with limited places and an English-language option, but the schedule has changed over time, so check the official site before planning around it. Tours often sell out, especially in summer.
Because the tasting room is popular, it can fill up on sunny weekends. Arriving soon after opening usually gets you a seat, and you can sit on the terrace outside in good weather, close to the mill.
How to get to the brewery
The brewery sits at Funenkade 7, a short distance from the Oosterpark and the Tropenmuseum. Trams and buses serve the area, and it is walkable from Amsterdam Centraal in roughly half an hour, or a few minutes’ walk from the stops nearest the Mauritskade. Cycling is the most local option, but be aware of Amsterdam’s cycle traffic if you are not used to it. Use a journey planner such as 9292 for the current best route.
Making a day of it
- Start at Artis, the zoo, or the Hortus Botanicus in the Plantage district.
- Walk through Oosterpark and visit the Tropenmuseum.
- Finish at the brewery for a drink at the mill.
Other windmills near Amsterdam
If the mill is what interests you, there are more in and around the city. The Molen van Sloten in the western suburb of Amsterdam Nieuw-West is a reconstructed polder mill with a small museum and cheese-making demonstration. Within easy reach to the north, the Zaanse Schans offers a cluster of working mills with an open-air museum, and Kinderdijk, further south near Rotterdam, is the classic UNESCO-listed site. These are not breweries, but they pair neatly with a beer tour.
Practical tips
Be sure to carry ID in case you are asked to prove your age. Tap-and-pay cards are widely accepted, but confirm that your card works before you arrive. The brewery sells bottles to take away, which makes sensible souvenirs; check airline limits if you are flying. Prices, hours and tour times change, so verify everything on the official site, Brouwerij ‘t IJ, before you go. For a relaxed taste of the city beyond the canals, the Amsterdam windmill brewery pairs a good drink with a well-known landmark, and it rarely feels like a tourist trap.
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Image credit: Columbusbier via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
