Heineken Experience
Heineken Experience
AN EXPERIENCE FOR BEER FANS
Heineken Experience Amsterdam
Heineken is one of the biggest names in beer in the world. And guess where it’s from? Amsterdam! What started off as a small brewery has gone on to conquer the world. That’s a fact whether you think it tastes good or not 😉 At the Heineken Experience, you can learn about the history of the beer, explore the brewery and enjoy a cold one or two.
My Rating:
The positives:
It’s a well-organised tour of Heineken through the ages and a good introduction to the art of brewing. Not to mention you get to sip a nice cold beer at the Heineken bar!
The negatives:
There’s no beating around the bush – it is explicitly aimed at tourists. The only way any of the locals would be seen here is if they were entertaining guests from another country. But that doesn’t stop it being a bit of fun that you won’t want to miss out on.
Top Tip:
Make sure you buy your tickets online, as there is sometimes only limited space on the day. Plus, you’ll save EUR 3.00!
Last Modified: 06.06.2023 | Céline & Boris
Heineken Experience
Tickets
The details
at a glance
Opening Hours
Monday – Thursday,
10.30 a.m. – 7.30 p.m.
(last admission 5.30 p.m.)
Friday – Sunday,
10.30 a.m. – 9.00 p.m.
(last admission 7.00 p.m.)
Public Holidays:
24 and 31 December, 10.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.
(last admission 2.00 p.m.)
Weekend times apply all week long in July and August.
show less
Prices
Standard Heineken Tour:
EUR 23 for adults
EUR 14.50 for young people between the ages of 12 and 17
Free entry for children under 11 years
VIP Tour: 55 euros per person
Tour and canal cruise: EUR 34.20 per person
show less
I Amsterdam Card
Free entry to the Heineken Experience with the I Amsterdam Card!
A time slot must be reserved.
-> More information about the card
Heineken Experience
Photo Gallery
What is there
to see?
150 years of brewing history and company tradition that you can enjoy with all your senses (when there’s not a global pandemic, of course). If you’re a beer drinker, you won’t want to miss out on this tour. Follow the red star that will lead you up to and into the first Heineken brewery. Experience the magic of brewing beer from hop cone to head.
If you go for the standard tour option, you get a special introduction at the start of the experience. And then you’re free to go off and explore the rooms. Staff members are on hand to provide information and answer any questions you may have at various points along the tour. You can go back in time to learn about the Heineken family, witness the brewery being set up and see how a local beer evolved to become the global best-seller it is today.
You’re bound to be impressed by the huge brew room complete with copper brewing kettles. And the smell is incredible despite the fact that the kettles haven’t been used since 1988. This is a fantastic way to get a real good look behind the scenes.
Heineken has really made a name for itself all around the world. I mean, you can be sitting with a Heineken in your hand on your grandpa’s sofa in France and on a beach in Thailand. This is one successful brand, right?!
The beer bottles have gained cult status and you’ll hear a funny story or two on this tour. Any company that is awarded a Grand Prix (at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris that the Eiffel Tower was built for) reserved for the world’s greatest discoveries is sure to have a story or two up its sleeve.
At the Heineken Experience, the brewery shows off just how modern it is, with the balance between tradition and innovation well and truly mastered. The multimedia exhibits and contemporary design turn every visit into an unforgettable experience. Every so often, you’ll have the chance to get involved at an interactive station. Prepare to get pedalling or put your vocal cords to the test!
You’ll be rewarded for your efforts at the end of the tour with two fresh Heinekens. And we all know that’s what you’ll have been waiting for all along! 😉
Heineken Experience
A bit of history
The Heineken brewery was founded by Gerard Adriaan Heineken in 1864. At the age of 22, he bought the De Hooiberg brewery, which was the largest in Amsterdam at the time, having been around since 1592. To start with, Heineken followed the trend and brewed top-fermented beer, providing a breeding ground for bacteria. But he switched to bottom-fermented beer in 1886 and started to do things the German way… Perhaps that explains his success 😉
From 1912, Heineken was way ahead of the local competition and by far the number one beer brand in the Netherlands. And then along came globalisation! In 1931, the first overseas branch was set up in Dutch India, which opened the door to distribution within Asia.
The 1930s also marked the moved to the US market. Whilst Heineken sales slumped in the Netherlands after the war, the overseas markets kept the company afloat. And that’s where the brand’s focus remained over the decades to come.
By 2000, Heineken had become the world’s second beer brand after the Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev Group, which is responsible for the likes of Budweiser and Corona (beer not virus).
Heineken beer was produced at the brewery built in 1867 in Amsterdam up until 1988. The company then moved production to a more modern and spacious facility out of the city centre.
The historical brewery site has been open to tourists since 1991. 2007 was a year of renovation and modernisation work with the aim of improving some parts of the exhibition and the journey through the history of the brewery. This upgrade made the attraction even more on brand as a must-do item on the itinerary for any trip to Amsterdam.
Official website of the Heineken Experience: www.heinekenexperience.com
Text and image rights: © Céline Mülich, 2021 – 2023
With the support of Boris Hermann
