Tucked between grey office blocks and the kind of urban sprawl that makes you question your life choices, there’s a green hangar near IKEA that smells like hops, grilled ribs, and good decisions. Welcome to De Proefzaak – part tasting room, part monastery, part post-apocalyptic beer bunker (in the best way possible).
This is the spiritual and boozy heart of Brouwerij Kleiburg, the only brewery in the Bijlmer, and if you’ve never tried a monastery beer brewed within walking distance of an IKEA meatball counter, you’re in for a treat.
Beer brewed just steps from your glass
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: this place is hyper-local. Like, take-a-step-from-the-mash-tank-and-you’re-at-the-bar local. The Kleiburg brewery sits right next to the tasting room, so what you’re drinking was probably swirling around in a steel tank just days ago. The staff? Super friendly and wildly knowledgeable – they’ll talk your ear off about hops, fermentation, and the monastery origins if you let them (and you should).
My favourite? The Sicilian White – a 5.5% golden white beer that tastes like summer in Palermo but was born right here in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Think zesty orange peel, Belgian-style smoothness, and just enough citrus to make you forget you’re sitting next to a corporate office park. It’s crisp, fruity, and dangerously drinkable.
Snack game: strong
Yes, you came here for the beer. But you’ll want to stay for the food. The menu is a love letter to classic pub grub with a bit of modern flair: juicy burgers, sticky ribs, chunky salads, and lighter lunch options if you’re pretending to be healthy. Got friends in tow? Order a spread of snacks – cheese boards, sausages, fries – and settle in for a long, lazy session.
That beer garden though
You wouldn’t expect to find a lush, leafy terrace in the middle of the Bijlmer’s concrete jungle, but here it is: a sprawling beer garden that’s basically an after-work paradise. Around 5pm, the place fills up with local office folks clinking glasses and winding down. It’s got that rare blend of chill vibes and low-key buzz that makes time disappear.
A little history with your pint
Here’s where it gets wild: De Proefzaak is technically part of a monastery. You read that right. The beers you’re sipping help fund the Kleiklooster, a modern Christian community that lives in a former social housing flat nearby. They eat, pray, brew – like monks, but in the Bijlmer. Their mission? Connection, hospitality, and very good beer. It’s wholesome, it’s weird, it’s very Amsterdam.
Post-IKEA pit stop? Yes please
Look, if you’ve just fought your way through the IKEA maze and survived without a marital breakdown, you deserve a beer. De Proefzaak is practically next door, and there’s no better place to celebrate your new teal bathmat or impulsively purchased cheese grater.
You can visit De Proefzaak at Hullenbergweg 6
Find De Proefzaak online:
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