Newman55

I'm transferring back to the US through Schiphol and was wondering if anyone knew if the duty free shops in the non-schengen area had decent beer selections. I'd love to bring back a few Belgian beers back with me...

Ditto

I think you will be disappointed, while I never specifically looked for such beers in the duty-free, I highly doubt you will be able to buy any.
If you have the option to go land-side and check a bag afterwards, this is a different story as Gall & Gall have some decent selection of beers.

ne52

Wasn't specifically looking so don't remember well, but I believe it was just some Heineken gift sets (beers with glasses or bar towels)

mgn2000

Visit the Schipol website, You can print or downlaod a Coupon For 5 Euros,if you spend 25 Euros

theSaladDays

It's been a while since I've been through Schiphol but I don't recall ever seeing Belgian beer for sale there. However, if you ever get a chance to fly via Brussels the beer selection in duty free is quite good.

Pjh104

Agree with the others, I travel through there every week and I don't recall there being beers on sale (save for Heineken gift sets) in any of the duty free outlets.

Newman55

That's too bad. I'm definitely not looking for Heineken, but I'll enjoy my short visit to Schiphol anyway.

SpinzCity

Several times I've used my 2-bag allowance to check one through upon departure, then wheel a carry-on out through customs on the connection in AMS, and fill it with beer. There's a great shop in Haarlem, Melger’s Wijn en Dranken, 30 minutes away by the #300 bus, which is a pleasant ride through countryside direct to the center of this very pleasant town.

I prefer that to the tumult of central Amsterdam, but there De Bierkoning by the Dam Square is another great shop.

If you don't have the 4 hours you should allow for that (though I've done it with 3), then the grocery store and the liquor store in the airport central terminal area do have some selection.

Then, it's upstairs to check the 2nd bag through to the final destination, and through security back to the departure gates. There have been times in the last couple years, though, when security (and sometimes passport) has been annoyingly slow.

robcheshire

I strongly agree with the OP's sentiment here.

European airports are being extremely slow to appreciate that they should be stocking an interesting selection of local craft beers, which can attract unit prices similar to inexpensive spirits.

One exception to the rule is Oslo airport, where I was recently able to pick up a great selection of 500ml bottles from arguably the best-known Norwegian craft brewer Nogne O.

Ditto

They are also available in BGO and so I suspect in other Norwegian airports as well

Newman55

I've noticed a few duty free shops getting more local products lately elsewhere. I was hoping that trend had extended to the amazing beers produced around AMS. I've seen some nice chocolates in the past (and of course tulips), but realize things are different with alcohol.

1flyer

Well, beer consumption during the day is much more common in some European countries than elsewhere (think Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, ...)

Allowing beer sales in duty-free shops might cannibalize the sales of airside pubs and restaurants. It may not be slowness at all. It may be profit maximization by airports over all airside shops and restaurants simultaneously

Furthermore, many speciality/gift shops airside at European airports do stock some beer. It's often not chilled, it's expensive, and frequently in souvenir/gift-style packaging. And usually it's beers for which there's some sort of of brand recognition. I guess most small craft beers might be too tough a sell (they'd be very expensive, too, with the sort of markup at airside shops).

robcheshire

Some interesting thoughts....

Personally, I highly doubt that a Duty Free store in a major airport is going to refuse to stock a product line for fear of hurting revenue at a bar or restaurant that is under different ownership. Maybe in a smaller airport, but not anywhere with a significant amount of traffic.

Regarding cost, at least in Scandinavia, alcohol duty is very high away from the airport, so the duty free stores are relatively great value. The 500ml Nogne O beers that I bought recently were roughly 50 NOK each (~£5 or $6.50), which is approximately half of what they would cost in an Oslo city bar.

YVR Cockroach

That's the key. Belgium may be relatively close to AMS but it is still another country.

Never looked for it but does the landside supermarket at AMS stock any beers?

Ditto

Yes, Gall & Gall have a nice selection of Dutch and non-Dutch beers.