My accommodations were just around the corner from this cozy, pretty standard looking, Dutch beer bar. One of those typically brown colored places that can be found on about every block in the Netherlands. Despite the prevalence of these bars, this particular establishment is really a cut above.
I stopped into ‘t Arendsnest around 7pm on a Thursday and the place was absolutely packed. Standing room only. The crowd was very diverse. The bartender was taking his job very seriously and no one was without beer. He even took his time to explain different beer styles to some noobs that were bumbling about. “No, this type of beer is much more flavorful than Stella…”
Not only were the bartenders very friendly and helpful, they weren’t f&%king around either. Of course the whole frenzy of violently cleaning glasses followed by an epically dramatic pour from the tap is pretty common in this part of the world; but these guys had some mad skills. Pure finesse.
‘t Arendsnest offers a pretty good selection of beer; Dutch origin only. The draft menu was very large and written on a blackboard on the wall. A ton of beers that I had never really heard much of.
A must-try for me was the Oak-Aged Black Damnation on draft. I’ve had regular Black Damnation from a bottle and enjoyed it thoroughly. A collaboration (isn’t every craft beer these days?) between De Molen and Struise brewers.
The draft / oaked version was just as big and rich as the bottled version. I didn’t think the oak came through very strong, although there was a pleasant but subtle vanilla / peat overlay. I little chocolate, a little coffee and huge rich maltiness with a bit of that treacle taste (I'd like to say Marmite-ish but that freaks some people out).
I also downed a bottle of Bat Out of Hell. Another collaboration; this time De Molen and Flying Dog. The latter brewery has extremely wide availability here in the Netherlands. I can pretty much get all of their beers at my two local bottle shops in Groningen; I like the Gonzo Imperial Porter and Double-Dog the best.
The Bat Out of Hell came in a conveniently small bottle with a ramshackle label. Way more roasty than the Black Damanation. Much more of that bitter coffee and slightly carbony / burnt taste. Very nice on the nose but it could be a little more balanced.
One of the more interesting Dutch beers I had that evening was the Emelisse Triple IPA. A west coast style, high-gravity IPA. Big on the citrus notes with a great biscuity malt backbone. This is one example of a European brewer embarking into the dark (well more like a copper orange) waters of the modern American IPA with outstanding success. Reminds me of Central City Red Racer.
My Advice; go to ‘t Arendsnest and try these beers.
Info:
Cafe 't Arendsnest
Herengracht 90
1015 BS Amsterdam, Netherlands
020 4212057
http://www.arendsnest.nl/english.php
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