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They've just made 400 years worth of Dutch newspapers available online. The first word I searched for? Stout.

This was hit number two.


I don't want to incur Tandleman's wrath again, so here's a translation:

STOUT DRINKERS!
Why is an incorrect opinion often expressed about one Stout or another? Because in most cases it is not properly treated or delivered without being properly matured. The extra-Stout, as of the Brewery, has little flavor and is very insipid. Tapping (new system), the right length of maturation and the good treatment are certainly key requirements for making Stout tasty and invigorating. Artificial methods, used to make it quickly foamy, cannot give the beer the same full and vigorous taste, it gets from maturing.

The well-matured Stout from any Brewery, the assessment is left to consumers, is more of a tonic for anemia than anything else.

Largest turnover of Vollenhoven's Extra-Stout.

VOLLH. Extra Stout 12.5 Ct.
DELI Extra Stout 12.5 Ct.
Bass Extra Stout 17.5 Ct.

Ned. Stout Bottelarij
N. Heerengracht b/d Weesperstr., Amsterdam





Van Vollenhoven's Stout has been a persistent little devil. After the brewery was purchased by Heineken it was transformed into a bottom-fermenting beer, but hung around until the 1990's. I tried it a few times. It wasn't great. Then a group bought the rights and contracted De Schans to brew a version based on old recipe. Now that's a great beer. Just frustratingly hard to find.

The Deli brewery, on Weesperzijde, was founded in 1886 and closed in 1939. It wasn't the most successful of the new generation of modern breweries founded at the end of the 19th century, never really challenging the likes of Amstel and Heineken. Surprisingly, parts of the brewery survived until 2003, buried in a later industrial building. I spotted parts of them as they were being demolished. The wall with the circular windows was part of the Ijskelder.

I think you know who Bass were.


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