Brouwerij ‘t IJ

Brouwerij ‘t IJ brews unique Amsterdam specialty beer.

About the Maker
Brouwerij ‘t IJ was founded in 1985 by Kaspar Peterson, with the aim of bringing specialty beer from Belgium to the Netherlands. The Belgian influences are clearly visible in the names of their beers, such as ‘Natte’ and ‘Zatte’. The brewery is located in an old bathhouse on the Funenkade, a location that was perfectly suitable thanks to the existing tiled floors and installed taps. Kaspar was able to purchase the bathhouse for a symbolic amount, partly due to the municipality’s wish to have its own brewery.

In 2008, Kaspar sold the brewery to Patrick Hendrikse and Bart Obertop, experienced catering entrepreneurs who had long been interested in the takeover. After their student days, they had founded several catering establishments and IJ beer was often on the menu in their cafés. They admired the relaxed atmosphere of the brewery and took the opportunity to learn from Kaspar. A year later they took over the brewery and started working on improving the consistency and quality of the beer.

Production Process & Sustainaility
The production process of Brouwerij ‘t IJ is focused on consistency and quality. The malt is ground, boiled and filtered, after which herbs or aroma hops are added. After boiling and filtering, the beer is fermented at 25°C. The beer ages for two to three weeks to increase in flavor. The beer is then bottled and packaged, ready for distribution to the catering industry and consumers.

Brouwerij ‘t IJ strives for sustainability through (amongst other things) the use of organic malt and the reuse of spent grains as sheep food. They work with disposable glass to minimize transportation and cleaning chemicals. They also work with freight company Simon Loos, which aims for fully electric trucks. All this contributes to their goal of operating as environmentally friendly as possible.