Rotterdam

Rotterdam is well-known for its raw, straightforward and unapologetic character, which is also evident in its bars, breweries and beers. Rotterdam is a major port city in the Dutch province of South Holland. The Maritime Museum's vintage ships and exhibits trace the city's seafaring history. The 17th-century Delfshaven neighborhood is home to canal side shopping and Pilgrim Fathers Church, where pilgrims worshiped before sailing to America. After being almost completely reconstructed following WWII, the city is now known for bold, modern architecture. Rotterdammers are proud of their city and not always keen on sharing their best secrets. But the city has started opening up more, although the best places aren’t necessarily the most crowded ones. Here’s my low down on the breweries (6 as of Feb 2021) and bars to grab a beer in this interesting city.

Kaapse Brouwers, Veerlaan 19D

Located slightly off the beaten track, generally to be visited by Metro and a 10 minute walk along the pier, it's in a cool old warehouse in some dock in Rotterdam, away from city cente, among some food stands, this is a nice place to hang out. This is a micro / brewpub the ambiance is nice and industrial. If the weather allows, outside seating with terraces at the waterfront is really nice. A bit of a hipster (or is that hamster?), with lots of seating inside the big room and the brew kit at the rear, but most of their stuff is brewed at De Molen Brouwerij. They have 30 taps, mostly Kaapse but some other guests. Note the line for ordering seems never to be interrupted, many waiters though, so you don´t have to wait too long. Only one pour size available but they do a flight or tasters. The staff are friendly and competent, but beware as they only accepted payment by Chip Card, NO cash. Plus there is a bottle shop attached 😃.

Brouwerij Noordt, Zaagmolenkade 46

A peculiar location, and hard to find? Horribly situated in the middle of ugly 80s flats. But the building it's self is very characteristic, the interior is light and industrial. The brewery space is very spacious, with enough room for expansion it seems? The tap room is very modern with lots of cool wood and steel. They offer only their own beer on tap, albeit 20 of them, so plenty to choose from so great for ticking and beer geeks. They also have a little bottle and swag shop to take stuff home. A great relaxed place to enjoy a good beer, certainly worth the journey if you’re ticking off local beers (not that I ever would🤪).

Stadsbrouwerij De Pelgrim, Aelbrechtskolk 12, Delfshaven

This is a quant and cozy little brewpub with lots of wooden interior, located in the heart of Delshaven, an area everyone should visit when in Rotterdam. In the summer, it is possible to sit outside on the patio that watches over the old Delfshaven harbor and the old buildings in the street, or in the cobbled courtyard. There are six of their beers are on tap, accompanied by a few bottles. For around €5 you can order a tasting plank with five of their tap beers (be aware that the glasses are just shot glasses though), while it is possible to order their beers in three different sizes. The staff are quite friendly the prices are average, even though the beers are brewed over there. The quality of the beers is decent but this place is more about really cool atmosphere a must do visit 🍻.

V11, Wijnhaven 101

A brewpub / restaurant and concert space on a huge red la lightship that was in service in the Irish Sea between 1951 and 1988 and is now permanently docked in the Rotterdam harbor. Awesome! Easy to find as only two metro stops away from central station. Mostly a restaurant feel. They do have seats at the two bars but only a few. A nice mix between a classic English pub but with a more modern fancy decor. The food menu is interesting and fairly priced. They have 5 of their own beers some on cask, mostly UK style, though the quality of the beers needs improvement. A nice welcoming atmosphere, nice ambiance, especially on the deck, is fantastic. Good to come for the cool venue and to tick the beers.

De Gele Kanarie, Goudsesingel 284

The Yellow Canary is a really nice informal spacious café/bar. A very modern interior with lots of pine tables and chairs, a large covered patio at the front to sit and enjoy a beer while people watching in the summer. There is a window in the floor to see through to the brewery in the basement beneath. The stainless steel kit is a small 3 to 4 hectoliter brewery. The staff are nice and attentive. A nice place to have drinks and something to eat at very affordable prices even though it's always very busy but too big to be really cozy there is still a nice atmosphere.

BrewDog Outpost Rotterdam, 1 Halvemaanpassage

Opened as an outpost in 2020 that houses a 5HL brewhouse, 10 fermenters and 10 serving tanks. The brewkit is used to make small-batch exclusives for Outpost Rotterdam customers. Also it features an awesome selection of craft beers from 18 taps of local and international brews. Like all BrewDog bars they serve food. Located in a glass-fronted corner spot behind Rotterdam's City Hall, just a stone's throw from the river. Inside it's the typical industrial feel with a large outdoor terrace and further tables down the side. Friendly staff. Typical expensive prices that you tend to find in all BD bars (so much for the "Punk" ethos).

Boudewijn (Belgisch Biercafé), Nieuwe Binnenweg 53 a-b, 3014 GD

Situated in an area with a few other bars and opposite Coop. A nice traditional Bruin Café with quite a big bar in the center. Inside it's mostly a wooden interior and split over 3 levels. The decor is pretty decent and has a nice ambiance. The beer range is a split between Belgian and Dutch Belgian styles in bottles and on tap. For each beer, there is a matching glass. The bar is surrounded by hundreds of glasses. Quite imposing really. The beer menu is very organized. The beers are sorted by type. This makes it easy to choose a beer for your mood. Most of the time the crazy names of the local beers don’t tell what kind of beer it is. The service is good and friendly, and the food menu is good a nice place, worth a visit.

Kaapse Maria, Mauritsweg 52, 3012 JB

An "L" shaped venue on a wide main road, it sits on Mauritsweg which is one of the main routes from Rotterdam Central station when heading south towards the river, it's a 13 minute walk and about a km from the station. It's a rather elegant looking white building with large windows. The decor is very smart and modern  but still warm and cosy with a good atmosphere, with the bar facing the entrance, with a lovely original wooden floor, a nice curly wurly staircase, some black and white floor tiles near the bar and a nice spacious feel to the place the kitchen is at the rear. Plenty of seating available both inside and out. The beer range is great with plenty from Kaapse beers plus some other interesting Dutch guest beers. The service is super friendly, the food is a version of tapas and is good. A recommend a stop.

Bierlokaal Locus Publicus, Oostzeedijk 364

Located smack opposite the Oostplein tram stop, is easy to get to. This is a spacious brown cafe' full of character in this big square room with nice wooden interior, and even an open fire! I must say the place looks amazing. Mostly older people frequent this place, and the beer selection reflects that. Lots of Belgian classics and sweet high abv beers. They have 20 taps of mostly Belgian, Dutch and German brews. The beer list is helpfully put on large chalkboards behind the bar. The place could easily be one of the best in Rotterdam if only they put more energy in the beer selection? Overall; Good and friendly service with a cool vibe.

Sijf, Oude Binnenweg 115

A nice bar located on a corner, easy to spot with the murals around the upper stories, it's deceptively big place, with a big patio that is full even in the winter. Inside it's on split level's with seats at the bar. Lovely antique place with Jugendstil/Art Deco design elements. Wooden floors throughout and more comfy seating towards the rear the decor is nice and traditional. The vibe is old timey brown café with a cosy feel. A solid tap list with some generic Belgians and other unusual Dutch beers, with average to high prices. It gets very busy in the evening's. Not particularly a ticker friendly bat, but a solid place.

Bokaal Rotterdam, Nieuwemarkt 11

Located quite close to Blaak station about a 6-8 mins walk away, it is situated in a mainly residential area, there are shops but it’s surrounded by apartments. Inside it's a large square shaped one room place with a large centrally located bar, there are recycled wooden tables and bench seats in the window with cushions as back rests and with lots of seating outside. There are twelve taps, with a special blackboard on which the “local heroes” are listed.  The beers on tap are displayed on boards above the bar. A nice place to visit if you are beer hunting in Rotterdam.

Dertien, Schiedamse Vest 30

This was a modern gastro style restaurant with a huge wood fired oven. The food is top notch, especially the chocolate and cheese plate! The tables are polished concrete with standard wooden chairs and set in spacious semi industrial interior over two levels. It's a good place to eat but the staff are quite happy you to sit and just have a drink. Nice selection of beers, mainly bottles, but also a few on taps. Super friendly service. The Beurs Metro station is a short walk away. It's worth the trip to Rotterdam to eat here 🤪

Proeflokaal Reijngoud, Schiedamse Vest 148, 3012 BG

Quite a big modern bar in lively area. They have 16 taps of joy, with lots of classics and a few local/new Dutch craft beers. A two stories corner pub with an outdoor patio, the first floor has a spacious interior balcony with seating. It’s rather spartan/modern/industrial like inside but there’s a nice black and white photo on one wall of a boy on a fairground swing over the Maas. The place gets quite full on weekend nights. Another Rotterdam bar that seems like a social hotspot. The staff are nice, but they don’t give the impression that they know beer?

Haagse Bluf, Haagseveer 90

Haagse Bluf is located about 3-4 mins walk from the Rotterdam World Trade Centre on street called Haagseever and backing onto a canal called Delftsevaart. You can sit outside on the canal side. The bar itself is no looker either being a rather plain brick building with apartments above. But inside its quite cosy with a local's feel to it The beer choice is pretty good Beer list is by no means overwhelming, but solid and beats hell out of most of the other local cafes. A good place for a quiet dinner on the canal and some quality beers.

Café De Oude Sluis, Havenstraat 7

A lovely brown café in the scarce historical part of town, by the main road bridge in Delfshaven. There are some interesting carved wooden pictures on the walls and is full of interesting local characters, history and some curious such as the strange glass fronted picture on the wall with a black and white head of a creature with a large tongue, there is a button underneath which when pressed illuminates his eye red and mechanisms then move his jaw to open and close. The terrace lounge (which doubles as the smoking room) with views on the water and old buildings that is a suntrap.A small taplist, but usually at least one interesting beer. Belgian classics their feature is having all trappist beers. A nice bottle selection too, but you have to ask... No kitchen, just snacks. Good friendly staff and bit of a little gen of a beer place.