Susan Huitenga is going to make her dream of her own Malt tasting room for Dutch beers come true. She rents a monumental building on the Zuiderdiep.
Two years ago the first thoughts came to her to open a tasting room under the name Mout somewhere in or around the city center of Groningen. “It took quite some effort to find a suitable property. I thought in a city with so many catering companies I could get started faster. It has been a bit disappointing.”
The entrepreneur-to-be says she is delighted with the monumental building on the corner of Gedempte Zuiderdiep and Pelsterstraat. “Something still needs to be done, but the owner is busy getting the permits for the renovation. We should be able to put the first beers on the table sometime in the next year.”
Eight months ago Susan Huitenga announced her plans and at the same time the counter started to run on crowdaboutnow.nl. Meanwhile, the total amount of enthusiastic friends, acquaintances and beer lovers from all over the country stands at 81.700 euros. Enough to now go towards opening her own company. "With an extra 30.000 euros I can still invest in the inventory."
Future guests need not worry about product knowledge and service. Susan Huitenga has eight years of experience in the hospitality industry in Greece and worked for the same period in the Belgian café De Pintelier, where 23 different beers flow from the taps and many are available in bottle.
Susan unfolded her plans through social media early last year. She was surprised by the reactions. “I got a lot of hopeful reactions. It explains the increased interest in craft beer. For producers and consumers.”
This interest strengthens her in the idea that a tasting room has a chance of success. “Certainly in Groningen, where dozens of breweries used to be located. Look at the annual beer festival in the city that attracts five thousand gourmets every year.”
Source: Dvhn.nl
