The visionary founder who purchased the ‘De Hooiberg’ brewery in 1864 and built this facility.
Exploring inside the Brew Room
1/4
The 'Brouwzaal', or Brew Room, is the soul of the original Stadhouderskade brewery, where the world-renowned Heineken pilsner was crafted until 1988. Beneath the soaring ceilings, you will find the eight massive 19th-century copper kettles that once boiled the signature blend of water, barley, and hops. It is a preserved monument to the industrial revolution of beer.
The Brew Room is located on the second level of the Heineken Experience building in the De Pijp district, situated along the path of the self-guided tour.
Access to the Brew Room is included with all standard Heineken Experience tickets. You reach it naturally as you progress through the heritage section of the museum.
| Ticket type | Is Brew Room access included? | Why go for it? | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard tour | Yes | Budget-friendly core experience | From €24.95 |
| Tour + Rooftop | Yes | Best views of Amsterdam | From €29.95 |
| Combo tour | Yes | Maximise your Amsterdam city trip | From €31.46 |
This room is where the Heineken family transformed a small local brewery into an international powerhouse. It was here that Gerard Adriaan Heineken implemented groundbreaking quality controls, making it the first brewery in the world to house a dedicated laboratory. The Brew Room symbolises the shift from traditional ‘top-fermenting’ ales to the clear, consistent ‘bottom-fermenting’ lager that revolutionised the global beer market. It remains a sacred site for beer enthusiasts as the birthplace of one of the world's most recognised brands.
When Heineken stopped brewing at its original site in 1988, Freddy Heineken decided to keep the historic building alive. It reopened in 1991 as an engaging visitor centre, showcasing the brewery’s rich past through interactive tours and exhibits. Major updates in 2008 and 2022 modernised the space, making the Heineken Experience a must-see destination blending history, technology, and storytelling in Amsterdam.
Open Sunday to Thursday from 10:30am to 7:30pm; Friday and Saturday until 9pm.
Last entry is 2 hours before closing.
Stadhouderskade 78, 1072 AE Amsterdam.
It is easily reachable via Trams 1, 7, 19 (Vijzelgracht stop) or the Metro line 52.
The historic building has been modernised with elevators, making the Brew Room accessible to those with reduced mobility.
The Brew Room is roughly halfway through the tour. If you are a photography enthusiast, wait a few minutes for the tour groups to cycle through to get a clear shot of the copper kettles.
No, it is a standard part of every Heineken Experience tour.
Definitely. The focus is as much on history, innovation, and brand culture as it is on beer. You won’t feel out of place.
No, active brewing moved to Zoeterwoude in 1988, but the equipment is perfectly preserved for visitors to explore.
No. Brewing stopped at this location in 1988. It’s now a museum-style experience, but much of the original machinery and layout is still intact.
By the 1980s, demand outgrew the brewery’s capacity. In 1988, production moved to a larger, modern facility outside Amsterdam.
Yes, the brewing kettles, malt silos, and fermentation tanks from the original setup are preserved and integrated into the tour route.
While the yeast itself is microscopic, the Brew Room features exhibits explaining its 1886 discovery and why it requires horizontal tanks to thrive.
These eight kettles were used to boil the wort. Their copper material was chosen for its excellent heat conductivity, and they remain the most iconic part of the 1867 building.
To preserve the historic metal, the staff will ask that you do not touch the kettles, though you can get very close for photos.
Most visitors spend about 20 to 30 minutes in this section to read the history and take photos.
Heineken Ambassadors are stationed throughout the room to explain the brewing process and answer your questions.
Yes, there is elevator access to the Brew Room level for visitors with mobility requirements.
There is no formal dress code, but comfortable walking shoes are recommended as the historic floors can be uneven in certain sections.
These massive vessels are the centrepiece of the room. You can walk right up to them to see how the ‘wort’ (the sugary liquid that becomes beer) was boiled and flavoured.
Located around the perimeter, these interactive displays allow you to touch and smell the high-quality barley and hops used in the recipe.
Look up to see the beautiful windows that bathe the copper in a warm glow. These windows date back to the brewery's early years and celebrate the labourers who built the brand.
Learn about the secret ingredient discovered in 1886 that gives Heineken its unique fruity notes, a strain still used in every bottle today.
In 1886, Heineken’s in-house lab developed a proprietary yeast with the help of Dr H. Elion, a student of Louis Pasteur. This breakthrough ensured consistent taste and quality, supporting long-term global production without sacrificing flavour stability.
Heineken’s approach emphasised brewing with only natural inputs. Every batch began with clean water, carefully selected barley and hops, and its special yeast strain, establishing a consistent, reliable foundation that stood apart from more heavily modified industry practices.
Horizontal tanks increased the surface area where yeast met wort, encouraging more effective fermentation. This helped streamline the process while improving consistency across batches—a thoughtful design choice rooted in both scientific logic and attention to detail.
After fermentation, each batch underwent a six-week ageing period at near-freezing temperatures. This technique helped flavours settle and develop fully, contributing to consistency and a refined final product without the need for rushed timelines.
By switching to steam engines, Heineken ensured stable temperatures during brewing. This shift minimised inconsistencies, increased batch reliability, and marked a major step forward in bringing industrial precision to traditional production methods.
One of Heineken’s standout innovations was integrating science directly into operations. By establishing laboratory oversight early on, the brewery ensured that each batch met the same standards, no matter when or where it was produced.
The visionary founder who purchased the ‘De Hooiberg’ brewery in 1864 and built this facility.
A student of Louis Pasteur who discovered the famous Heineken A-yeast in the brewery’s lab in 1886.
The second-generation leader who expanded the brewery's scientific approach and social policies.
In 1864, Gerard Heineken bought a tiny Amsterdam brewery and turned it into a global icon of Dutch craftsmanship. The original 1867 building now hosts the Heineken Experience, an interactive space packed with historic brewing halls and creative exhibits.
This industrial hall serves as a bridge between 19th-century craftsmanship and modern brewing science. It is the most photographed part of the brewery for a reason.
The Brew Room is a prime example of 19th-century industrial architecture, designed to be both functional and imposing. Built in 1867, the space features a combination of heavy brickwork and elegant iron supports. The high ceilings were a necessity to vent the heat from the boiling kettles, while the expansive floor plan allowed for the massive scale of production required as the brewery became a global exporter. The preservation of the original tiles and brass railings offers a rare, authentic look at the Golden Age of Dutch brewing.
Included with Heineken Experience tickets
RECOMMENDED DURATION
2 hours
Go on an audio-guided tour through Heineken’s 158-year-old brewery & age-old brewing process.
Inclusions #
Entry to Heineken Experience
Live presentation in English
Audio guide in Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese
2 complimentary Heinekens or soft drinks
Additional paid upgrades:
60-min Amsterdam canal cruise
Audio guide in Dutch, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan, Turkish, Polish, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, Hebrew, and Hindi on the boat
Rooftop access
3 glasses of Heineken
What to bring
What’s not allowed
Accessibility
Additional information
Learn the brewery secrets before heading up for expansive rooftop views over Amsterdam’s canals.
Inclusions #
Entry to Heineken Experience
Rooftop access
Live presentation in English
Audio guide in Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese
3 complimentary Heinekens
What to bring
What’s not allowed
Accessibility
Additional information
What’s not allowed Rijksmuseum
Heineken Experience
Accessibility Rijksmuseum and Heineken Experience
Additional information Rijksmuseum
Heineken Experience
Inclusions #
Rijksmuseum
Entry to Rijksmuseum
Access to all exhibitions
Multimedia tour in 10+ languages
Heineken Experience
Entry to Heineken Experience
Live presentation in English
Audio guide in Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese
2 complimentary Heinekens
What to bring Red Light Secrets Museum + Heineken Experience
What’s not allowed Red Light Secrets Museum + Heineken Experience
Red Light Secrets Museum
Heineken Experience
Accessibility Red Light Secrets Museum + Heineken Experience
Red Light Secrets Museum
Heineken Experience
Additional information Heineken Experience
Inclusions #
Red Light Secrets Museum
Entry into Red Light Secrets
Audio guide at the museum, available in English, Dutch, German, Spanish and French
Heineken Experience
Entry to Heineken Experience
Live presentation in English
Audio guide in Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese
2 complimentary Heinekens or soft drinks
Experience Amsterdam’s most iconic 360-degree skyline views from this exclusive rooftop atop the Heineken Experience.
Inclusions #
Heineken rooftop access
2 complimentary Heinekens or soft drinks
Exclusions #
What to bring
What’s not allowed
Accessibility
Additional information
