Oproer Brouwerij
The Netherlands
"Sustainability, authenticity, inclusiveness, respect for the environment and animals, and a creative DIY attitude are important values for us."
Craft brewery Oproer has been on our wish list for a long time to add to this website because it is, after all, one of the top breweries in our hometown of Utrecht. Somehow it didn't work out, also because we wanted to wait for them to possibly move to another location. And then disaster struck at Oproer.
Merger of two Dutch breweries
Oproer brewery was founded through a merger of two small breweries in Utrecht, RUIG Brouwerij and Brouwerij Rooie Dop. Owners Bart-Jan Hoeijmakers and Mark Strooker joined forces in 2016 and established their brewery in the CAB building. This striking industrial heritage on the west side of Utrecht dates back to 1947 and is a municipal monument since 2013.
The Central Auto Repair Company (CAB) was part of Dutch National Railways, which also used buses, including for train replacement transport. The building has some characteristic baroque elements. Oproer Brouwerij established here, amidst other tenants, not only a brewery, but also a tasting room and vegan restaurant.
Hot spot in Utrecht West
The Oproer brewery, restaurant and pub grew into a popular hotspot, and the large outdoor terrace, made entirely of recycled materials, was soon packed with people. Both the brewery and the pub were soon expanded due to the growing succes. More and larger tanks were needed and also more wooden barrels for maturation.
A new production brewery was opened on an industrial estate in 2017, creating more space in the pub in the CAB building. After a renovation of the kitchen they were able to serve many more guests and the place was packed quite often. Until that day in 2021…
Dealing with a double disaster
The COVID-19 pandemic had already presented enormous challenges for many breweries and brewpubs. But in January 2021, disaster struck again and the Oproer pub was destroyed by smoke damage from a fire elsewhere in the CAB building. How much bad luck can you have? It was a bitter pill to swallow for Oproer, but later that year the brewery started a successful crowdfunding campaign that made it possible to open a new brewpub.
Oproer Biercafé raised from the ashes not far from the CAB building. On the ground floor of a brand new residential building that houses over 600 students a new brewpub was realized. Students and beer, that sounds like a solid foundation.
A sustainable brewing business
A love for hops, barrel maturation and also experimenting with wild yeasts, bacteria and fruit, that is what Oproer Brouwerij is all about. These guys simply care about good, balanced and tasty beers. And as a shared beer always tastes better, Oproer also likes to collaborate and make collab brews with local (a.o. Oersoep, Van Moll and Oedipus) and international breweries (a.o. British breweries Brew By Numbers and Buxton and American breweries Gigantic, Hair Of The Dog and Deschutes).
Besides sixteen Oproer beers and two local ones on draft, the brewpub also serves plenty of other drinks, lunch, dinner and all kind of snacks. The entire menu is plant-based, to contribute to a better world for all of us.
