Fall Beer Festivals in Amsterdam

Taste the Seasonal 'Bokbier' at These Events

For beer-lovers in this part of the world, fall means one thing: bokbier. Don't ask why the literal translation means "goat beer" in Dutch, just have a taste of the sweet, caramel-colored brews at the biggest fall beer festival in Amsterdam, the PINT Bokbier Festival.

You may have heard of "bock" beer (this is the German spelling; the bock style of beer originated there), and while there is a lighter variation served in spring months called meibok (as in the month of May), the ales you'll encounter at this event will be much more like a doppelbock style. That means three things: they're sweet, they're rich and they're strong! Most of the beers featured at this fall beer festival in Amsterdam have an alcohol content of at least 6% and some have as much as 9%!

PINT Bokbier Festival

Hosted by Dutch beer-enthusiast group PINT for more than three decades, this is supposedly the biggest beer festival in the Netherlands. The festival has called the former stock exchange building home for the last several years.

• When: Friday to Sunday, October 31 - November 1, 2009
  Friday: 5 - 11 p.m.
  Saturday: 12 noon - 11 p.m.
  Sunday 12 noon - 7 p.m.
• Where: Beurs van Berlage
  Damrak 277, Amsterdam (just off Dam Square)
• What: More than 50 varieties of bokbier and live music every day.
• Cost: € 7 entry fee, which includes a 20-cl tasting glass; buy tokens for € 2 per taste.

Can't make it to the festival? Be sure to see Amsterdam for Beer Lovers to find other hot-spots with good hops on your visit.