# BELGIUM suggestions please!



## LRJ (15/10/14)

Ahoy, brewers.

I'm planning on being in Belgium for a couple of weeks this December and would love some guidance.

Deon, if you read this - yes I do still have your guide book! Don't worry, I'm good for it, you will get it back eventually. But I did leave it in Aus, where I am not now and won't be until after Belgium. So...

Must visit breweries?

Must visit bars?

Must drink beers?

Anything else related? Getting around? Nice towns? Food?

Thanks in advance,


Liam


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## mje1980 (15/10/14)

Dunno but look up boon brewery, and cantillon. If they're anywhere near where you'll be, ******* get there!


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## barls (15/10/14)

look in the book for the marks we made when we were there.
i remember the bar behind makin de piss and cantillion but thats it. plenty of others. gambrinus was excellent but it wasn't in the book i think.


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## lael (15/10/14)

Brugge is incredible.


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## motch02 (15/10/14)

I read a top beer bar list this was on it: http://www.moederlambic.com/bars/fr/bars/

It's on the outskirts of Brussels

Here's the list: http://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/the-21-best-beer-bars-in-the-world


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## Bribie G (15/10/14)

Double fried Belgian chips "frites" served in a paper cone with a dollop of mayonnaise "fritesaus"


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## beercus (15/10/14)

I prefer Antwerp over Brussels, and Brugge (check out De Halve Maan brewery a little commercial but a good tour) is worth the trip. Just remember that anywhere in Belgium is easy to get to by train and a trip between cities takes no time at all, ie. Brussels to Antwerp about 60min....

Beercus


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## lukencode (15/10/14)

Tried a few places in brussels - Cantillion brewery was awesome also the cafe delirium bar.


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## AndrewF (15/10/14)

Leuven is a cool city to visit it's the birthplace of Stella Artois. Its short train ride from Brussels (all of Belgium is easily accessible via there train network). They have what they boast to be the longest bar in the world which is essentially a long street of many bars stocked full of fine Belgium beers. 



Bribie G said:


> Double fried Belgian chips "frites" served in a paper cone with a dollop of mayonnaise "fritesaus"


Had some Belgian frites with fritesaus and stoofvleessaus (it's like a beef stew) so good!!


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## Da Bear (15/10/14)

For Brussels, Cantillon is a must see, one of my favourite breweries in the world, but in a bit of a dodgy part of town, locals may not know it, or may know it as the Gueuze Museum (Musee de la Gueuze). Find it and set aside some time, taste all the things.
Moder Lambic is an awesome craft beer pub with Cantillon on Hand Pump and other local beers available. A little pricy by local standards, but cheap as frites by Aus standards.

I loved Ghent, it was a little less touristy than Brugge, and with a main street full of awesome castles and cathedrals and town halls... They also have a brewery named Gruut, which makes tasty belgian style Tripels and Quads etc. but without any hops at all. Have the Charcuterie Board! http://www.gruut.be/eng-introduction.html

In Brugges, definitely do the De Halve Mann tour, they've got a great stable of beer.
And while in town, check out Cafe Rose Red, a great little pub with a slammin bottle list, sometimes including the elusive Westy 12
http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g188671-d4322161-Reviews-Cafe_Rose_Red-Bruges_West_Flanders_Province.html

But if you're going to drink Westvleteren, go to the source. You may not be able to get into the monastery, but you can get close, and the cafe across the road ( http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2169/ ) has a great food and an atmosphere befitting the almost mythical status of the beer. Be warned, it took us three trains and two busses to get there. So Worth it. It may or may not be the best beer in the world, but the adventure to get there, the exceptional beers and the vibe of it all was definitely up there with the best beer experiences in the world.
We stayed in Poperinge, a cool little town with a long history in the hop industry. they have a hop museum that was worth a look, a little school field trippy, but interesting.

Het Anker Brewery (who make the Gouden Carolus beers) is in Mechelen, just south of Antwerp. http://www.hetanker.be/en
The brewery and the town are beautiful, I would highly recommend a visit. The brewery have a bed and breakfast, the hotel style rooms are nice but simple, but the package we got included breakfast, a 4 course dinner with beers, take away bottles and a brewery tour. and once the bar closes, the common library area in the accomodation has a vending machine full of corked and caged bottles which would be upward of $25 here, for around 5 euro each.
Climb the local cathedral bell tower the day before, because your stomach might not handle it the morning after.


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## Northside Novice (15/10/14)

http://beermapping.com/maps/maps.php?m=belgium#lat=undefined&lng=undefined&z=9


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## stakka82 (15/10/14)

Highly recommend leuven, Ghent is also worth a look


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## mikk (16/10/14)

LRJ, maybe if you tell us which areas of Belgium you'll be in or near, and what style of beers you like, we can help you a bit better. I spent a few weeks in Belgium at the beginning of the year, and also 3 years ago, and love the place. I'd go there for every O/S trip if I could!


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## VP Brewing (16/10/14)

+1 for Poperinge. Long history of growing hops and a nice little town close to the town of Ypres. My family is originally from there (last name is van Popering) and we have made the journey to a few hopfests over the years. Brugge is good too. The whole country is heaven for beer lovers so you can't really go wrong.
Ed: Left in the late 16th century and kept the name. Headed north to holland and got the name of van popering. Van means from or of.


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## Jez (17/10/14)

Here's a list I used for Brussells when I was there:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/place/city/24/

Definitely go to Cantillion and if you want Westvleteren go to Au Bon Vieux Temps, the decor is awesome medieval dark wood panelling and stained glass windows


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## squirt in the turns (17/10/14)

As others have stated you'll be spoiled for choice and can't really go wrong. In Bruges I can recommend 't Brugs Beertje: a slightly weird little joint that carried an absurdly large selection for the size of the bar. I had a Belgian IPA there that I wish I could remember the name of - big hit of floral Euro hops and a massive whack of phenolic Belgian yeast character.

As Da Bear says, if/as you make your way to Westvleteren, you may start to wonder where the hell you're going, but it's worth it. I wish I'd had time to go to nearby Ypres (not exactly a beer haven but by all accounts well worth a visit).


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## kevo (17/10/14)

Beer related...

Delirium cafe in Brussels is pretty cool. Watch out for the statue in the alley outside!
Wish I had been more aware of Belgian beer when I was in Belgium almost a decade ago. 

Non beer related...

Have a look if you had any relatives who served or were killed in Belgium in WW1. 

National archives are good for a look and access to service records which can be handy in finding where relatives may have served and been buried.
Commonwealth war graves commission is also very handy to find where relatives may be - they are based in Ypres from memory too.

I had relatives who served and died around Ypres and this was an amazing town visit and stay in for a few days allowing us to be the first to visit their graves since the war. There is a last post ceremony every night at the menin gate in Ypres - moving and worth attending.

Like in many other areas, if locals find out you are in town to commemorate relatives, they are often very generous to assist and show their gratitude.

Not far from Ypres to westvleteren too and the 8 is probably the best beer I have ever tried so why not combine the two...wish I had been aware of this in 2005...

Have a great trip!

Kev


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## roastinrich (9/1/15)

Hey LRJ how was Belgium?
You back yet? Any pics?
Im planning a trip there in May and curious how you went where you went etc.
Some good advice was given so far and am keen to hear an up to date report.
cheers.


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## mojonojo (9/1/15)

i will just leave this here - http://issuu.com/visitflanders/docs/belgian-beer-experiences
Its a 65 page booklet on beers and breweries put out by the flanders tourist board, lots of maps and lists and things.


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## LRJ (12/1/15)

Yes, Belgium was fantastic - I drove back to the UK with quite a plunder as well.

We got to a number of beer bars in Amsterdam, so if anyone wants a rundown on them, then let me know and perhaps that can be another thread.

I'll keep it simple:

- Antwerpen for Kulminator

- Brussels in general I didn't like very much. However the visit to Cantillon is well worth the journey. Also La fleur en papier dore is a lovely bar with a couple of nice sours but also traditional food and great character. I got to the new Moeder Lambic but didn't like it very much. If I'm in Europe I want character, and Moeder doesn't have it.

- Gent is a beautiful city, that is far less touristy than both Brussels and Brugge. Go to Het Waterhuis aan de bierkant. De Trollenkelder is also worth a visit. Dranken Geers is a bottle shop on the outskirts of town where I did most of my beer shopping. Incredible place, so many Belgian beers (and a small amount of worthwhile Euro beers) and good prices.

- Brugge is like a post card, it is beautiful but touristy. On a purely beer level it was not as great a plce to visit, but it is still worth it. Cambrinus is a restaurant with good traditional food. 't Brugs Beertje is worth having a couple in.

- Poperinge area. Of course it's worth trying to get to Westvleteren and grabbing some cases, or at least going to the cafe (whose food is sh!t and expensive by the way - if you go there then go nuts on the beer and cheese and glasses to take away). I found the blonde and 8 really boring. The 12 is an excellent beer, but only has it's 'status' in the world due to its hard to get factor.

- Try and be there on a Saturday afternoon, and go to De Struise brewers. To be honest I found the majority of their barrel aged beers that I tried to be way too intense, actually not enjoyable. But it is an interesting place, and nice to see a place doing such crazy beers. Cool school classroom 'tap room' also.

- Go to 't Hommelhof in Watou. Great restaurant with lots of game dishes and much of its cooking using beer and hops.

- Alvinne (Moen) only has limited open times. If you can tee it up, great, but at least try and find some of their beers. They are doing some amazing stuff.

- Lambic-wise, other than Cantillon we only got to Tilquin, which was also interesting and worth the visit.


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