A while ago we talked about combining Westmalle double and triple. Combining these beers is very tasty and is also known as the Trip Trap. We got a lot of response on that article, apparently there are loads of well-known beer blends that were send to us by other beerlovers. We would like to take a closer look at one of these reactions with you today and that is the “Sjoes”.
The recipe
The Sjoes recipe is very simple. Open a bottle of Oud Bruin (Old Brown), fill your glass for 25% with ‘Oud Bruin’, walk to the tap and then add 75% lager. There you go, the Sjoes is ready!
Oud Bruin?
You don’t see that on the menu very often and not all liquor stores will have it in-house. Oud Bruin belongs to the realm of disappeared beers that Roel Mulder writes about in his book ‘Vanished Beers of the Netherlands’. The sweet, brown beer is no longer popular. Oud Bruin has its origins in Limburg, where Maastricht’s most successful breweries were located around 1850. Later, other large breweries also started making the sweetened lager. It is therefore not surprising that you can order a Sjoes in a good bar in Limburg, but probably not in the North. This well-known blend is also sold by Limburger brewery Gulpener, in bottle form.
Do you want to visit an authentic café in the south of the Netherlands and feel like a sweet thirst quencher? Look no further than the Sjoes. You can even tell you grandchildren that you drank a Sjoes before it went extinct.
‘De sjoes’ in Roosendaal.
p.s. in Roosendaal you can go to café de Sjoes. The owner? You guessed it, his roots are in Limburg. Cheers!
We like to write about special beers, we also drink them, but that is part of the job. Most of the time we have written about special beers from lesser known names. Until this time. Now we are going to talk about a special beer from the well-known brewers Duvel and ‘t IJ.
Among beerlovers it is no secret that Duvel bought an interest in brewery ‘t IJ in 2015. Shortly after (in 2017), a first collaboration arose in the form of a Black Rye IPA called ‘t Ei van de Duvel. A very well-found name that very clearly brought together the best of 2 worlds in terms of name and design.
‘t EI van de Duvel.
The beer with the sinister alcohol percentage of 6.66 percent was an immediate success and sold out in no time. There was still a lot of requests to start production, but it has not been brewed since.
Until now, or not?
The collaboration and the smooth sales apparently tasted like more because out of the blue there was suddenly… ‘t IJ van de Duvel. And as it befits the name; the devil is in the detail.
‘t EI has become ‘t IJ and instead of the Black Rye IPA they have turned it into a Hazy IPA and the color of the label has been adjusted. It is still a very good quality beer, the dark alcohol percentage has remained the same and these beers are also sold like hot cakes.
A little close up
With warm and sunny days ahead, this is a beer that we recommend in any case.
The first week of working from home is over. It is a bit of a hassle, working at the kitchen table while the children are asking every 5 minutes if I will play with them, but I must say I’m managing quite good. I can’t complain though, compared to my wife who works at a nursing home during the corona crisis, working from home isn’t so bad. Since my wife has had a long week, it seemed to me like the perfect time to open a bottle of ‘Keizer Blauw’ from 2015. A beer we both like to drink fresh, but we have never drunk a matured version before.
Doesn’t it look good?
The children are in bed, time to put 2 spotless glasses on the table and pick up the bottle from the basement. What is peculiar, is that the bottle continues to foam gently but steadily when uncorking (given the fact it’s matured). The foam head has some residue on top of it, just be sure I remove it.When pouring it in the glasses, it foams slightly less than with a fresh one, but still more than enough.
Just a bit of foam.
Time for the first sip … Man this beer is delicious! Over the years, the flavors taste like they blended into each other and the less carbonation present makes the beer softer. You’d almost forget that it’s a beer of 11 percent. The taste is reminiscent of caramel, chocolate and hazelnut, a combination that would do well in many desserts.
Often there is a tip with regard to food pairing. However, I am not going to give you that tip. Honesty commands me to say that it is usually just chips I’ll eat with it, and when we truly want to celebrate, a piece of old cheese. I can recommend both with this beer though, so still a tip!
Winkelen, ik gruwel haast bij het idee alleen al. Althans wanneer we het hebben over het struinen langs allerlei kledingwinkels. Winkel in- winkel uit met mijn vrouw om allerlei broeken, shirts en schoenen te passen om uiteindelijk iets te kopen in de eerste winkel. Het wachten bij de pashokjes naast andere ‘slachtoffers’ en vooral het ontwijken van de verkopers die vragen of ze je ergens bij kunnen helpen. De voorafgaande lunch en de afsluitende borrel in een café naar mijn keuze maken de dag enigszins draaglijk. Echt uitkijken naar een dagje winkelen zit er voor mij helaas niet in. Tenzij..
In een winkel als deze raak ik nooit verveeld!
We naar een heel ander type winkel gaan, de bierwinkel! Er zijn er meerdere waar ik graag even binnenstap. Van een kleine specialist tot de grotere Belgische bierverkooppunten. Uiteraard kom ik er graag om nieuwe bieren uit te kiezen, maar er is meer!
In een goede bierwinkel:
Staat de muziek nooit op standje technoclub
Geven ze advies wanneer je hierom vraagt
Weet je altijd iets te vinden waar je blij van wordt
En als je helemaal gelukt hebt, kennen ze de klant.
Zo overkwam het mij afgelopen week dat de eigenaar van een bierspeciaalzaak zei: “Ik heb nog wat kratjes Gouden Carolus Cuvée van Keizer uit 2015 op te kop kunnen tikken met twaalf flessen erin. Dat is wel iets voor jou toch? Ik heb maar drie kratten dus de schappen zullen ze niet halen.” Even bedacht ik mij dat de al kelder aardig vol zit en ik stond ook al met een krat Ter Dolen in mijn handen. Bovendien zijn deze flessen meestal aardig aan de prijs. Toch maar even vragen: “Wat mag dat kosten zo’n krat? “Ik zal er een mooi prijsje van maken” klonk de eigenaar als een ware verkoper “€ 89,95 is ie voor jou”. Voor negen tientjes was ik spekkoper en vijf minuten later lag de kist in de kofferbak. Dit is dus waarom hier zo graag kom. Mooi weekend in het vooruitzicht!
As a young boy of about 8 years old – now almost 30 years ago – I regularly went with my father to the store of Oevelen just across the border in Essen, Belgium. In our garage there were always 6 crates of beer: Amstel, Leffe blond, Duvel, Westmalle double, Westmalle tripel and Palm. You can tell where the passion for beer was born.
When we arrived at the liquor store, my father would unload the empty crates and an elderly man in a dusty coat counted the packaging. He then wrote the value on a note with a pencil which he then handed to my father. At the time – when my pocket money was (converted) 2 euros a week – I found it amazing that the beer was so expensive. With my weekly allowance, my father could not even buy 2 bottles of beer, how could he spend so much money on beer?
I was thinking about this moment when I was buying beer from a liquor store last week. I was in the mood for some nice IPAs. With the thought of spending a few weeks at home and the sun coming up, we had to make the best (and safest) of this situation.
With that in mind, I walked along the shelves at an appropriate distance, I was advised regarding my purchase and eventually settled on € 34.20. While I was on my way home I realized I had just paid € 34.20 for 6 cans, almost € 6.00 per can. Although I will undoubtedly love the taste of these beers, I couldn’t help comparing them with the classics like Duvel that my father and I still have in the garage. For a Duvel I usually pay around € 1.40 and yet I – and a lot of other people – are willing to pay 3 to 4 times this amount for a different type of beer. So apparently there is a market.
But why are people willing to do so? Is it an image / marketing thing? Is this the cool beer you enjoy looking at and which you want to be seen with? Is this brewer hip and happening at the moment? Is it a taste thing? Once you’ve tasted champagne, you don’t want to go back to a cava? Do people just have money to spend in times of economic growth and do they just not care, or is there a whole other reason?
Old school vs. new school
Personally I think you can compare it a bit with the wine market. A large number of suppliers ensure an ever growing diversity of products in all kinds of price and quality classes. In a bar you get a cheapish wine, a more expensive sauvignon blanc during dinner and a champagne with New Year’s Eve. I see the same thing happening with beer. For example, we have a regular beer at home when having a birthday party, a nice Leffe for after mountain biking and an IPA during the evening while watching Top Gear.
What I’m trying to say is that when the quality lives up to the price, I would gladly pay 6 euros a can!
Beer lovers of all shapes and sizes increasingly share their love for beer online. We like to see what others drink, so we regularly check social media. On the Belgian Beer Board group we came across a photo that triggered our curiosity, a US Marine with an obvious passion for Belgian beer. We reached out to him and moments later we got ourselves an interview.
Who is the man behind the photo of a cellar full of Belgian beers?
My name is Scott Patchcowski, a man of 49.9 🙂 in a month I turn 50, from Doylestown Pennsylvania. Former Marine and currently employed by the US Census Bureau.
Scott Patchcowski proudly next to his Belgian collectibles.
You stood out with an online picture of your beercollection, how would you describe your collection?
The collection is my attempt to try every Belgian beer I can get my hands on. It started as a way to decorate the basement, but has taken over. Most are empty bottles, but I do have the St Bernardus Collectors Editions Magnums (every year except 2016), and 3L 2015 Corsendonk Dubbel on display. I also have an extensive glass collection, as required to properly enjoy a Belgian Beer! In addition, I also have started buying a 12 pack of Orval every few months, drinking half, and stashing the other half in the basement to forget about for a couple years.
How big is your collection currently?
According to my Excel Spreadsheet (and I have a few in the beer fridge that haven’t made the list), I have 697 different beers.
A collection that you can be proud of!
What made you start collecting Belgian beer?
I met a beautiful lady at a local drinking establishment in 2011 that I started dating in 2012. No one could (and still can’t) figure out where her accent is from… well it turned out to be Brussels, Belgium! We celebrated our 5th anniversary in January.
She took me home to Belgium for the first time in 2013. I had always been a fan of craft beers and preferred stronger beers to the “Miller Lite” scene. From my first beer in Belgium ( I believe it was a Waterloo Tripel at the restaurant next to the Waterloo Battlefield), I was hooked.
She is not even a beer drinker (can get her to sip a framboise lambic on occasion, but that is about all), but we visited both Orval and Chimay on that trip to visit the Abbeys. We were at The Lambic Expo in Beersel and found out it happened to be the day of the Open Door reopening of ‘3 Fonteinen’. I met Armand (the Master Brewer) and was introduced to lambic beers and loved them as well. She and her father also took me to Brugge and Ghent. It was in Brugge that her father bought me “All Belgian Beers”, which at that time was a 1200 page encyclopedia attempting to list and describe every beer brewed in Belgium… The old US Marine in me considered that a challenge, and the collection began!
You are well on your way Scott!
I have been to Belgium 4 times to date and always come back with as many bottles as I can carry. My father in law visits once or twice a year (just got the devastating news his flight for next month is cancelled) and always brings new beers for the collection. I keep my Excel spreadsheet up to date for him and any friends that may be coming to visit us from Belgium. My wife’s friends have been absolutely great to me. For a wedding we attended in 2018 the groom gifted me 4 Westvleteren XIIs! They are aging comfortably in the basement…
Where do you purchase your beers?
It is obviously getting difficult to find new beers for the collection, but I’m always on the lookout. I get down to Monks Café in Philadelphia (about an hour away) a few times a year to enjoy harder to find beers and can usually find something new. Occasionally I’ll find a restaurant in the US with a good beer list.
What is the best place to buy your beer?
The best place I’ve found to order beer is online. I have ordered beers several times in Europe and often they charge Belgian prices. Despite the high shipping costs to the US, I think it is no more expensive than the price you pay at a specialty beer store. Moreover, Belgian beer is really difficult to obtain.
Do you have a favorite brewer/ favorite beer, both domestic as international?
My favorites are the traditional Trappist and abbey style Dubbels and Tripels, with a properly aged Westvleteren XII at the top of the list (shocker, I’m sure). For something more obscure, I love the Pannepot Fisherman’s Ales (the more age, the better). I mostly drink Belgiums, but I’m from Michigan, and enjoy a good stout such as CBS or KBS from Founders in Grand Rapids Michigan.
These beers are ready to drink, good choices!
Which beer is on the top of your wishlist?
A rare Cantillon.
With whom would you like to drink a bottle of beer and why?
I’ve tried to think of someone, but I’m not a starchaser… I just like drinking with friends or drinking with and where people are having fun!
What is the showpiece of your collection and why?
I’ll go with my 20+ Brasserie De La Senne beers. Not only were most of them fantastic, memorable beers, but the artwork is very cool as well. For full beer, it’s a a 25.03.18 Wesvleteren XII that is about to be enjoyed for my 50th birthday a few days after its 5th!
What would you give as advice to someone just starting to collect beers?
Try everything you can… Share what you love.
What do you think is the beertrend of 2020?
I’ve heard that sours are “The next IPA”… I hope that’s true… I sure know I can’t understand the IPA craze here in the USA.
Dear reader, if you know someone or if you have a Cantillon yourself, please send us an email to info@beerndx.com and we can put you in touch with Scott Patchcowski. It will undoubtedly get a nice place in his collection!
Good news for fans of matured beer. The creator of beer style Quadruple has released a special magnum bottle on the market in limited edition. The same beer, but in a larger, specially developed bottle.
The bottle – developed by the O-I factory in Rinteln Germany – was developed to allow the beer to mature. When the bottle and the beer do their best, the quadruple will develop further in the bottle, eventually making the taste rounder and softer.
Taste the silence.
Striking about the bottle are the details on the outside. For example, there is a bottling year on the side of the bottle and the expiration date is 10 years after production, while this is normally 3 years.
La Trappe Quadruple is already an excellent beer for maturing (and for drinking fresh), we are curious about the result and have some in the cellar.
A job application came in from Rob. Can I do an internship at BeerNDX? During the introductory meeting, we obviously could not ignore the question: “Do you drink beer? “Yes, preferably Amstel.” Do you also drink different beers? Our second question was. Yes, Jupiler. Since we had an excellent conversation with Rob, he began his internship at BeerNDX, provided he had to discover more of the beer world. So there was a beautiful Saturday in early March where Rob went to discover the (matured) beers of Hertog Jan, and what better place to taste these beers, then at the Bourgondische Bierkelder (Burgundian Beer Cellar).
On a beautiful sunny Saturday, Rob and our photographer entered the food halls in Breda. Crossing the food halls we came to a door that would lead us to the Burgundian Beer Cellar. The first thing you see as you walk down the creaky steps are candles on empty beer bottles and especially lots of full bottles of beers of all shapes and sizes. Inquiry with Bas shows that he now has a total of around 9000, mainly 75cl, bottles in Breda and Megen.
Today Rob joins the matured Hertog Jan tasting, with the following beers: The Hertog Jan Double from 2015 and 2019, the Hertog Jan Triple from 2015 and 2019. The Hertog Jan Grand Prestige from 2019, 2015, 2010 and to top it all off a ‘Hertog Jan Ongekend # 2’ from 2014. It can only be called ‘Burgundian’ if the tasty beers would be accompanied by some tasty food, and so during the tasting, several tasty things passed by. Including ‘bitterballen’ (look it up!) made from Zealandish bacon.
The beers for the tasting, next to each beer the matured counterpart.
Rob listens to Bas’s story with full attention. We start with a Hertog Jan Double from 2019 and he gets a leaf on which he can take notes. Fermentation? Aftertaste? Suddenly Rob looked as if he was reading Chinese, but with some explanation from Bas Schampers he did pretty good. In addition to the Double from 2019, a glass from 2015 was poured. Rob immediately started to take a big sip, but he saw the rest smelling the beer first, so he did as well. When asked what he smelled, he said: “The 2015 beer smells different from the 2019 beer, but I have no clue what I’m smelling. ”I do taste that the beer from 2015 is a bit more sweet, while the beer from 2019 has a more bitter taste”. It appears that the 2015 double has very little carbonation, Rob adds. Bas explains that the carbonation disappears from the beer over time, but that it also matters out of what bottle the beer is poured. The neck of the jug ensures that more air can enter, so that the carbonation disappears faster. “Learned something new” said Rob, who is passionately writing along.
Rob in action.
In the meantime, plates with mozzarella, Serrano ham, fuet sausages and much more are brought to the table. Time for the Hertog Jan Tripel from 2015 and 2019. First, Bas explains that this type of beer is generally not very suitable for maturing, but that it is interesting to try as an experiment. Rob likes the Tripel from 2019 a lot. He starts to learn how to taste and describes the aroma as spicy. The taste he finds pleasantly bitter along with some spices. He says somewhat proudly, “I find the taste of this beer complex”. The 2015 Tripel is immediately a lot less complex. The bitterness has almost disappeared, in terms of taste it becomes a bit more intense, but that is mainly because it has become a lot sweeter. Apparently not everything gets better with age.
The fellow tasters extensively test the Hertog Jan Triple.
It seems to be time for the final, the Grand Prestige.
But first, a plate full of all kinds of Syrian delicacies arrives. Since Rob’s head was still full of newly acquired beer knowledge, he was unable to remember the names, but it certainly was tasty.
Time for Rob, who until 4 hours ago would still see the Grand Prestige as a dark beer, to taste the holy grail of Hertog Jan. “This sight doesn’t immediately make me thirsty, it is really dark beer man.” While he then tries – as an accomplished taster – to find out which scents he can discover, the terms of the other tasters fly around in the cellar. “I smell raisins.” “Clear notes of liquorice and chocolate” the other shouts. Rob seems to summarize it all and notes “Sweet” with determination.
After reconsideration, Rob again compares the 2019 Grand Prestige with that of 2015.
The 2015 is then poured and many of the tasters in the hall are a bit disappointed. The carbonation has largely disappeared, but not much has changed in taste. Rob looks at me questioningly and says: “I don’t taste any difference at all, maybe a little less bitter ?!”. When Bas pours the 2010, the smiles return to the faces, the intensity in the beer has increased enormously. The beer has become fuller, sweeter and at the same time very pleasant. “I do taste a big difference here,” he says, while he expertly writes on his testform: “Sweeter”.
While the ‘bitterballen’ from Zealandish bacon are served (seriously tasty!) Bas serves us the closing, the ‘Hertog Jan Ongekend # 2’. It is a Grand Prestige that has been in a fermentation tank for a full year (!) Before it was bottled, that promises something. The year of fermentation has ensured that this Grand Prestige has become 10.5%. Looking at Rob’s tasting note, it quickly becomes clear what that extra year has done. “Sweet, licorice and spicy” is written on it.
The afternoon of tasting is over and we climb out of the cellar. When asked what he thought of it, he replied: “Heavy afternoon dude, did not know that there could be so much taste in beer. Particularly liked the Double, Triple and the food. I also got thirsty, so time to look for a bar to drink some beer.
A good glass of beer can be accompanied by a plate full of delicious food. The barbecue is not just a suggestion that you have to make in the summer. Joey Buys from BBQ Experience Center in Roosendaal is happy to explain why you can enjoy cooking in your garden all year round.
The BBQ Experience Center showroom has been located in part of the old juniper distillery Wenneker since last year. It only takes seconds to notice that the barbecue is not limited to a grid, some briquettes and a piece of meat. Barbeques in this shop come in all shapes and sizes. It is the largest kamado showroom in the Netherlands with brands such as Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg and Bastard. But open fire is also broad and clearly represented, such as the South African Braai, Arteflame and Ofyr. Pellet grills from Green Mountain Grills and Traeger, fireplaces from Bonfeu to electric, charcoal and gas-fired grills from Napoleon.
A (small) portion of the product range.
You have build a nice business here. Explain to us, why the full focus on barbecues?
It started with the passion for cooking, but at a certain point we wanted to use our “catering skills” in a different way. We want to help and inspire people to bring their cookingskills outside. Try to lift tasty and high-quality cooking to a higher level. We want to show them that there are other preparation techniques.
So no more burgers on the grid?
Look, the easy way of barbecuing is quick baking and fast food. We want to pay attention to high quality dishes, being outdoors and staying in touch with your guests. It is, of course, also a piece of garden design, because people have increasingly moved into the garden. We also have barbecues, which you can see as an outdoor kitchen, complete with sink and everything. Everyone can come to us to get inspiration or to seek advice. Our main concern is that we can share the passion for barbecuing with others, and to help those people further.
Speaking of inspiration … can you challenge us with a tasty dish, then we will try to select the perfect beer. Deal?
Necessities – Chicken container with moisture container
1 – Light your barbecue and prepare it for indirect heat at 190 ° C. We will prepare the chicken and later we will put it indirectly in the barbecue. This means not directly above the fire, but next to it or with a heat shield in between. 2 – Carefully remove the skin from the chicken by putting your finches under it, possibly using a glove for this. Spread under the skin so that it comes directly onto the meat. Also spread some rub on the outside of the skin. Fill the cavity of the chicken with the herbs. 3 – Heat the beer until it almost boils. Then pour it into a chicken holder and place the chicken on the stand. Then put it in the barbecue. 4 – Cook the chicken until the breast is 70 degrees and the thighs at least 85 degrees. This will take approximately 45 minutes. 5 – Remove the chicken from the barbecue, let it cool a little and grate lime zest over it.
Ter Dolen Armand in its natural habitat, next to a barbecue.
BeerNDX has a nice suggestion for a nice beer with Beercan Chicken: Ter Dolen Armand. This beer, named after the founder of brewery Ter Dolen, fits perfectly with this Beercan Chicken. The beer has flavors of citrus fruit and spices, which fits very well with the chicken. The taste is powerful, but not predominant, and the dry aftertaste makes you long for the next sip. Don’t forget the chicken!
We also search the digital world for interesting stories in the wonderful world of beer. On social media we came across the following description “The smallest beer shop in the Netherlands”, our interest was raised! One phone call with Fred Buddingh, owner of ‘Driemeterbier’, was enough. ”An article about my store? Nice, there is enough to tell, come by.” So here we are at ‘Little Beershop’ – an interview with Fred.
First of all, Fred, the name ‘Driemeterbier’, tell us the story!
We are now in the store called Little Beershop, which is the result of the ‘Driemeterbier’ store (translation: ‘Threemeterbeer’). In the time that I was still working as an editor for television, it always interested me to start my own beer shop. My brother-in-law has a delicacy shop in town and we came up with the concept 3 years ago to create a kind of shop in shop by placing a rack of ‘Driemeterbier’ with very nice beers in his shop. And so the smallest beer shop in the Netherlands was born with literally three meters of beer.
Every week I adjust the product range with 15 new beers. A good working concept, now there are also two locations of Driemeterbier in Hilversum and Amersfoort. Because the concept ran so smoothly, I started thinking about my own store and so I began looking for a suitable place. This area used to be a prostitution area and redevelopment turned this into retail property. After a successful crowdfunding campaign in which I even sold beer in one of the (vacant) red-light district rooms, this store started. The new name of the store was Little Beershop, to fit the theme of Driemeterbier.
How did you gather the knowledge to put together the right assortment?
Well, I kind of grew into it. I have been interested in specialty beer for a long time and have visited many beer festivals. I also had a lot of practice in the time when I only had Driemeterbier at the ‘Amsterdamsestraatweg’ (street name). We were just a small beer shop at the time. I learned a lot during that time by trial and error.
We see a special device and beer taps in the store, you don’t see that often, please explain!
At the time when we only had Driemeterbier, we also filled bottles with beer ourselves, so that people could take home fresh beer. Then I started searching for a way to also can beer and I came across this mini-cannery – a machine that could seal cans filled with beer. I wanted to create the atmosphere of a bar, but a bar where people can’t drink. You can drink it everywhere except inside the store, that is the underlying idea. It is quite new, nobody is familiar with this concept. ‘Frontaal’ Brewery also has one, but that’s the only other store to my knowledge.
Is there another thought behind the beers that you can can yourself?
9 out of 10 times I’ll try to find beer that you can hardly get in bottles or cans. For example, I currently have 3 beers from a German brewer with very good IPAs that can only be purchased on kegs. We immediately build a theme around it named ‘Deutsches Wochenende’, including German schlager music.
Three custom made designs, specially made for the mini-cannery.
How do you determine what to include in your assortment?
I am in contact with both the ‘middlemen’ and directly with the brewer himself. You get so much offered as well and I’ll just make a selection from that. The Netherlands has so many brewers that I have chosen to support the local community. For example, I have a rack here with all the beers from the area, think of ‘Kromme Haring’ and ‘Van de Streek’. I prefer to sell more local beer and support local friends than, for example, to offer beer from Enkhuizen (a town further away). The funny thing is that people really appreciate the local beer, but also want to try beer from all over the world.
What trends do you see in 2020?
You always see that people specify a certain beer style here, for example “this is the year of alcohol-free and of sour or NEIPA”. I also think this will be the year of NEIPA, but I think this will also be the year in which a very large group of people will finally discover specialty beer. I notice more and more that people who used to drink standard ‘LaChouffe’ at home now come to the store and say: “I recently had something with tropical fruit” after which I point them to a beer and they say “I’ll take 6 of them!”. This large group of people is starting to discover the possibilities of specialty beer.
Who are your customers?
Pretty diverse, but generally young people. Few elderly people … some, but few? This is probably due to my assortment. For example, I have little Belgian beer, those beers aren’t runners either in my store. 98% comes from modern breweries.
What do customers indicate as the main reason why they keep coming back?
I really try to create an atmosphere in the store. For me it is fun to make it a ‘Deutsches wochenende’ now. For my store in Hoogland I had also canned beers with the label of the village, and the Brexit was also a theme in the store.
In addition, the constantly innovative range is of course also something that is appreciated. That is perhaps what I focus on the most, I just want to be the store for the new beer. I just want to have the coolest beers available.
How would you describe the atmosphere?
It must be a kind of bar where you like to stay and have a chat, and yes it is a shame that you can’t have a beer with it, but that’s the way the law works. It would be my ideal store if you can just order a beer while shopping here. Until then we are a store where you can buy fantastic beer in a bar environment that you can drink anywhere except here, haha!
Proost Jochie! (which translates closest to: Cheers buddy!) The slogan of the Little Beershop.
And your future plans?
Future plans? I still have so many things that I want to do in this store, I still have to put finishing touches on a lot of things. My to-do list is still huge haha. For now I am busy with that, and with a feeling that I just want to be here and practice my passion.
