Exhibition

Small craft brewers

In recent years, the number of Dutch craft brewers has grown enormously. In 2016, there were nearly 400 registered brewers. In addition, there is an unknown number of hobby brewers, who brew beer on a small scale for their personal use. These small brewers often concentrate on the brewing of traditional beers and develop new beers as well.

Not all small brewers have their own brewing equipment. They often use the installations of fellow brewers. Such brewers are called "gypsy brewers." The contacts between these brewers often lead to new collaborations. All these developments have greatly changed the Dutch beer culture. There are now thousands of Dutch beers on the market, each with its own flavour.

De Die
Dampegheest
Dampegheest

In a showcase is a selection of craft brewers in the region of Alkmaar. Brewers with their own installation (eg. Dampegheest from Limmen) as well as gypsy brewers (Zeglis and De Die, from Alkmaar) and hobby brewers (HuygenMeester, from Heerhugowaard) are included. Small brewers are united in the KBC (Klein Brouwerij Collectief).

Beer crockery and offertory box Alkmaars Kaasdragers Gilde

Beer crockery

The pewter beer crockery is a gift from the Alkmaar City Council to the Kaarsdragers Gilde. They used it a few times per year during the beer nights of the guild. The beer was poured in the large cans from a keg. At the table it was poured into the small cans and then into the cups. In the showcase a selection of the crockery is on display. The other items are in care of the Alkmaar Stedelijk Museum.

Bierservies

Offertory box

The wooden case is an offertory box. When the market was closed, the cheese bearers received the money earned with bearing the cheese. Every cheese bearer got a rounded amount. The rest of the money was put in the offertory box. The guild kept this so called ‘rye money’ for more difficult times, usually winter time, and divided it between the cheese bearers.

Bier en bodemvondsten

Taps - brass

Together with the Archeologisch Centrum, the Biermuseum put together the exhibition “Bier en Bodemvondsten” (Beer and Archaeological Finds). Archaeological excavations in the city centre of Alkmaar led to the discovery of many objects related to beer, often found in cesspits. This exhibition shows a selection of beer jars, glassware and taps from the 16th and 17th Century.

tap - bronze

Heineken Brewery seen through the eye of Paul Huf

Paul Huf became famous with his photo series for the advertising campaign of Grolsch brewery “Vakmanschap is Meesterschap”.

In 1951 he got an order from Heineken to shoot a photo series about life in the brewery. He photographed everybody in their own work setting: the brewer, the coachmen, the administrator, the agent, the secretary, the warehouse hand etc..

These beautiful images of the Heineken Brewery are exposed in the museum.

Collage - pictures Paul Huf ’Life in the brewery’