Amstel is a popular European lager, known for its crisp, balanced taste with subtle malty notes and a clean finish, brewed since 1870 in Amsterdam by friends Charles de Pesters and Johannes van Marwijk Kooij, embodying a spirit of friendship and quality with its "European quality, born in Amsterdam" tagline. It's a mildly bitter, refreshing beer, often enjoyed at social gatherings, available in various forms like lager, pilsener, and lighter/shandy versions, and is now part of the Heineken family.