The Heineken Experience was the most unexpected aspect of my time in Amsterdam. I absolutely loved seeing the brewery, and recommend anyone to have The Heineken Experience in their Amsterdam itinerary (even though I didn’t originally)!

Here, I’ll share the pros and cons of buying your tickets in-person, and talk a bit about the museum experience itself:

How to Plan Your Visit

Because my visit to The Heineken Experience was so impromptu, I tried to buy tickets online for a time slot that same day. There were some available, but sold out for the time slot I wanted as I was booking them.

That being said, I wanted to book online since you receive a discount for doing so.

When we arrived to the brewery, the line to purchase in-person went quickly. A couple of guys even offered their extra ticket to my friend and I, which was really nice!

Tickets cost 21 euros at the ticket window, and are 18 euros when booked online in advance.

When you arrive, you’ll also receive a bracelet with two tokens to trade in for beers at the end of the tour.

What to Expect at The Heineken Experience

The Heineken brewery sits in the southern part of Amsterdam, on a busy street that still manages to be so charming.

Once you arrive, you’ll know it. The Heineken name sits proudly atop the building that houses the official brewery and museum.

Having never been to a brewery that doubles as a museum, I had no clue as to what to expect. From the get-go, I noticed that the staff at the Heineken Experience are not only friendly.

They are such fun people, with energetic personalities that make you want to be as excited about Heineken as they are!

The museum displays are a truly interactive experience that appeals to all the senses. They also have original Heineken bottles on display throughout the years, from the company’s inception until today.

History of Heineken

Once you’re past the first exhibit, you can walk through a timeline of Heineken’s history.

One of the most impressive aspects of Heineken as a company is how well they take care of their employees.

During the Great Depression, Heineken provided an employee welfare program and retirement plan. That’s amazing, considering how many people lost their jobs at the time.

This part of the self-guided tour will also detail how Heineken rose to become the lead beer company in the Netherlands, and one of the best in the world.

The Brewery + Bar

After the historical aspect of the tour, you’ll move to see how the beer is made. There’s a mixture of interactive aspects to this section, as well as Heineken Experience staff members giving talks about the product itself.

There are two opportunities to have a Heineken while there, for a total of three drinks. First, you learn how the Dutch give a toast, and have a sample size of Heineken. At the end of the entire tour, you can spend time at the bar and are allotted two more Heinekens.

The bar has plenty of space to hang out and talk, and it’s been decorated well. I enjoyed my time there, and I’m not really into nightlife.

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My Takeaways

This tour was much better than I thought it would be, and I’m glad I went! I’d definitely go again.

I don’t drink very often, but when I do, it’s beer. I prefer Guinness, but I’m surprised I liked a beer as light as Heineken.

The success of Heineken is inspiring, and I enjoyed learning more about their path as a business!

Finally, even though I’m a pretty frugal spender, I found The Heineken Experience to be well worth 21 euros. I recommend for anyone (of drinking age, of course) to spend a couple of hours at The Heineken Experience when in Amsterdam!

. . .

Moral of the story: you should go to The Heineken Experience, and you should book online in advance for the best deal. You don’t have to book days or weeks ahead, but the day before should be fine.

Even if you’re not a beer drinker, I found this experience to be a cultural one that is well worth having.

What do you most want to see at The Heineken Experience?

Enjoy your time in the Netherlands. Proost!