A quicky in Amsterdam

No not that type of quicky, but it should be interesting to see how many hits this post gets.  On whole I do not appreciate the airline industry, but recently I profited from a cancelled flight when 3hr on Schipol turned into 8hr in Amsterdam.  On the original plan I was not going to chance a trip into town, but on the extended layover it became a necessity.  In weather I never get at home the locals persisted with their version of a snowmobile.  Bicycles.  I wonder if they put snow tires on? 

Nearly heaven

Impromptu fridge. Snow(?) bicycle tire on the left

After some walking from memory and slipping from icy pavements I found my favourite shop in the whole world.  De Bierkoning.  They stock an amazing range of beers from around the world, but despite over a thousand beers the focus is on quality, not quantity.  The picture is of me in the anteroom of heaven ⁽¹⁾ on Paleisstraat.  Faced with overwhelming choice I turned to nostalgia and the lovely shop assistant for help.  Ijwit from Brouwerij het Ij brought back many good memories from a 2008 trip, so that was easy.  The other three were suggestions from the shop.  By shop I mean a person working in the shop.  The building didn’t become sentient.  Although who could blame it with all that beer?  So I stuck to the wit beer theme.  From the other Amsterdam brewery, De Prael, I had Heintje.  Also a very nice beer.  From the Ramses brewery their Moby Dick this one a wheat rather than wit beer.  And my absolute favourite the JopenAdriaan.  Based on an old recipe from Haarlem it is spiced with yarrow ⁽²⁾ , rosemary and sweet gale. ⁽³⁾   We used the snow as fridge and had a good time. 

Proefplank

Mucking about in the streets, trying to stay upright, we happened on De Bekeerde Suster.  And as luck would have it, it is a brewery.  I really had no idea.  Just seems to be attracted to these places.  And a very good find it was.  In the picture the “proefplank” of beers.  From left to right it is Witte Antonia, De Blonde Barbier, Manke Monnik (a tripel) and a Christmas beer.  My favourites the blonde and the seasonal.  Of course no visit for me to these climes would be complete without some bitterballen.  Too bad I had to leave.  But it was to Germany and USA.  There are worse beer destinations.

   

(1)    In heaven the beers would be cold and free

(2)    I have no idea either

(3)    Still no idea