Kaapse Brouwers
The Netherlands
"I was trying to make one of the Rotterdam beer bars into the best beer bar in Holland."
Katendrecht, a Rotterdam hotspot
The general thought was that no one would come to Katendrecht for good drinks and good food, as it is a part of Rotterdam with a rough past. In the early 20th century the first Chinese migrants came to live in this working district and Rotterdam soon had its own Chinatown, the first of this kind in Europe.
Later on also quite a lot of prostitutes settled in Katendrecht and eventually it became one of the largest red-light districts of Europe. During World War II the neighbourhood was prohibited for German soldiers as it was considered way too dangerous.
Today it is a whole different story. The area went through some drastic changes and is rapidly developing. Now craft brewery and brewpub Kaapse Brouwers and the Fenix Food Factory are a major tourist attraction that draws quite a crowd, especially in the weekends.
Fenix Food Factory
Tsjomme Zijlstra, a former Philosophy student, returned to Rotterdam after a stay in London, where he worked at The Rake. There, in one of the city’s first craft beer bars, he got infected with the craft beer virus. It all started with giving beer tastings and organizing beer and food pairing events.
Finally it resulted in the opening of the Fenix Food Factory in a former warehouse in the Katendrecht district. Together with some other entrepreneurs from Rotterdam, they created a new hotspot in the city. Inside you find little shops with fresh vegetable products, freshly baked bread, cheese, coffee and even a butcher’s shop. And last but not least, locally brewed beer by Kaapse Brouwers.
Kaapse Brouwers
Kaapse Brouwers opened in 2014 and started with just a small brewing installation that was used for experiments and smaller batches of barrel fermented beers. The main line of beers was made at co-owner and - among beer geeks - well known quality craft brewery De Molen in Bodegraven.
In 2020 Kaapse Brouwers regained independence by buying out the majority shareholders. They moved to another location nearby, had an upgrade to a proper brewing installation and also opened a new bar in the Fenix Food Factory: Kaapse Kaap.
With over twenty taps to choose from you can taste all the different beers from the Kaapse Brouwers. No, that’s not all, they also serve beers from other good Dutch and European breweries. The thing to do is to grab a bite at one of the little food shops and walk over to Kaapse Kaap and ask which beer pairs well with your meal. Succes guaranteed!
Things to know about Rotterdam
Just a small bridge for pedestrians and cyclists separates the Kaapse Brouwers and the Fenix Food Factory from Hotel New York. This landmark hotel, built in 1901, is the former head-office of the Holland Amerika Line, a direct steam service to America. Thousands of Europeans left from here for the ‘promised land’. A beautiful place to visit, or even better, to stay for the night. Catch a watertaxi from here that brings you for an affordable price to the city center.
Looking for good beer bars in Rotterdam? Check out our Rotterdam Beer Guide part 1 & part 2! Head on to the northern side of Rotterdam for another great craft brewery with taproom, Brouwerij Noordt!
Picture credits:
- Black/white picture Katendrecht copyright by Hans Peters / Anefo (CC0 1.0)
- All other pictures copyright by Tina Rogers (010beerblog)
Updated: 11-09-2024
