Featured beer store #1

The very first featured beer store is Beer Lokaal. This atmospheric store in the center of Breda is a mecca for the true beer lover.

Name: Bier Lokaal Breda
Owner: Hans Vermeulen
Founded: June 1st, 2018
Address: Boschstraat 150, Breda
Website: www.bier-lokaal.nl

Where does the name Bier Lokaal come from?

The name is two-folded. In Dutch, lokaal means both local as space or room. This space is in fact a room full of beer. Another part of the concept is me trying to sell as much (local) beers from Breda beer as possible. 

Why a beer store?

Very simple. The craft beer product has been my passion for at least 15/16 years. There are so many differences in flavor, experience and design. Though there are not many different styles, every beer is  just a little bit different. You keep tasting new things and that still brings a lot of pleasure. With this store I can convey my passion very well.

Who are your customers?

In terms of customers you can say that there is a divide. On the one hand it’s people who are looking for local beer. These customers often give it away as a regular or promotional gift. On the other hand, it’s the enthusiasts who are looking for the special things. The craft scene, beer geeks, whatever you want to call it. The sometimes come to me like: “Hans, beer X will be on the market next month. Can we buy it from you?”. That of course, is very cool. Because of my ever growing network of suppliers en importers I can get the craziest beers sometimes. If necessary, I will collect it myself or have it brought here by a transporter.

Many of the beers that do well for the beer geeks are the IPAs, imperial souls, barrel aged, limited editions and collaborations. As long as it’s unique, special or intense, there’s market. With this I’m fairly well in a niche market. It sometimes costs a little more but it’s really worth it. These are really top-notch products.

Where are your customers from?

Mostly locals from Breda. But I notice that more and more Belgians come to Bier Lokaal and keep coming back. They do indicate that the range in beer shops differs a lot between Belgium and the Netherlands. Belgians are increasingly open to extreme and unusual beers that are easier to find here than in Belgium. In Belgium, they are more likely to sell doubles and triples. 

What trends do you see in beer sales?

More and more cans. Canning is solid growing and I expect this to continue for a while. Of course this also has its advantages. There is hardly any air and light, which are the natural enemies of beer.  Tin-plate is directly suitable for all styles of beer. It sometimes feels a bit strange to serve a barrel aged or imperial stout from a can. I’m curious to see what aging in a can will do in relation to a bottle.

Another nice trend that I see is that the more acidic beers are becoming increasingly popular. Not only the sturdy and dry old gueuses but also the more accessible ones such as Beriner Weissner. I think this wil further continue in 2020.

What does your product range look like?

As diverse as possible. I want to be able to sell anything that is interesting and delicious. I am not committed to one supplier or importer. I look out for anything that’s interesting for my customers. Listening very well to your customers is very important. If you do so, you always know what to buy. Just after I started I had 280 different beers and I slowly grew to 500 beers. Later, I brought this number down again because more does not always mean better.

I’m changing products really fast and my customers appreciate this a lot. Of course I also change products within different seasons.

What’s your personal favorite?

Would it be silly if I name my own brewery Witte Anker? I am really fan of Frau Gruber at the moment. These are genuinely good IPAs. Wylam from Newcastle is also one of the outside category. If you would ask about my favorite style, it would certainly be the saison. A bit of a stranger in our midst that people sometimes find difficult to place. In particular, you should definitely try the Witte Anker saison!