Gollem's Proeflokaal

My neighbor Jan is a beer person. Not in the annoying way, but in the genuinely curious, always-trying-something-new way. And Gollem's Proeflokaal is his church. Gollem's is Amsterdam's original craft beer bar, and the Proeflokaal on Overtoom is the one that started it all in the 1990s. They have over 200 beers. Belgian trappists, Dutch craft, German wheat beers, obscure stouts — it is all here, and the staff know what every single one tastes like. Walk in, sit down, tell the bartender what you like. They will pour you exactly the right beer. My neighbor Jan has been testing them for years and they have never gotten it wrong. The bar is small and cozy. Low ceilings, wooden tables, beer memorabilia on the walls, candles. There is no pretension — people in jeans and sweaters, talking about beer or not, and the vibe is warm and relaxed. They do flights for first-timers. My coworker who only drinks wine went here under protest and discovered she loves Belgian dubbels. Gollem's turns non-beer people into beer people. Food is limited — bar snacks, cheese boards, bitterballen. This is a drinking bar. Price depends on what you order — a simple pilsner is a few euros, a rare Belgian trappist can be 10-15 euros. Go on a weekday evening if you can. The staff have more time to chat and you can hear the person next to you.