At the Sint Olofspoort, near Central Station, sits one of the smallest bars in the Netherlands. No terrace, no cocktail menu, no music in the background. Proeflokaal De Ooievaar fits in one room and serves only what distillery A. van Wees makes: Old Dutch genevers and liqueurs based on original recipes that have lasted for centuries. Anyone who walks in here is immediately at the heart of a tradition that has all but disappeared in the rest of the city.
Behind the distillery is the Van Wees family, active as distillers since 1883. De Ooievaar itself goes back even further: founded in 1782, and by now the only remaining artisanal distillery in the city. What that means, you notice when you stand there: the products poured here come directly from the Jordaan, where the distillery still runs on artisanal methods. No large volumes, no industrial production.
The interior matches exactly what is being served. Authentic, somewhat dark, with the character of a place that has been around for a long time and knows it. Display cases, old bottles, a counter behind which stands someone who knows what's in each glass. Museum-like is a word that sometimes comes up, but it's not quite right: it's too lively for that. The regulars who sit there are not afraid of a conversation with a newcomer. That gives it something you find in few Amsterdam pubs anymore.
The regulars who sit there are not afraid of a conversation with a newcomer. That gives it something you find in few Amsterdam pubs anymore.
Its location is no coincidence: on the route from Central Station to the Red Light District, on a street you never actually look up but always pass. The Jordaan, where the distillery is located, and this small tasting room on the Sint Olofspoort are two sides of the same business. Those who want to know what the city once smelled like don't have to look far. The Stork is still there.