Belgian Beer Trip - Help

[Asher]

Hi guys...

Well as plans for my first trip to Europe (belated honemoon) become more real I find myself struggling with an itinerary..

The plan so far is to spend a week in Lybia. Then onto France for my Father-in-laws 60th. Then I've got a week to kill before heading off to visit rellies in London & Ireland.

As it happens this trip coincides with Oktoberfest. So we are hopeing to spend a week travelling through Belgium taking in some more exotic beer locations/monasteries etc. before a day or two bumming around at Oktoberfest... Yeah!

The dilemma is...... I have no idea where I should be going!
Can people possibly recommend some interesting spots worth a visit or some good information sources.

Is there a beer travel guide to Belgium?

Thanks
Asher

 

[scotsdalebrewery]

Cant help with a website......... any room in the suitcase?

 

[Kerrs Rd Brewery]

http://www.visitbelgium.com/beer.htm

 

[Pumpy]

KRB that is an excellent link I am over that way soon may check it out

pumpy

 

[Darren]

Asher,
Don't miss Brugge whilst in Belgium.

cheers
Darren

 

[Kerrs Rd Brewery]

Yeah its a great site, has got me looking up how much annual leave I have for a Belgian adventure!!!

 

[Asher]

Very nice link. Its got a map of the abbey breweries - thats a start!

 

[Guest Lurker]

Asher,
Don't miss Brugge whilst in Belgium.

cheers
Darren

[post="115370"][/post]​

Seemed to be full of tourists and chocolate shops when I was there. Whats the trick to having a good time in Brugge?

 

[Pumpy]

Asher,
Don't miss Brugge whilst in Belgium.

cheers
Darren

[post="115370"][/post]​

Seemed to be full of tourists and chocolate shops when I was there. Whats the trick to having a good time in Brugge?

[post="115377"][/post]​

Maybe a good woman or may be a Leffe Radieuse B)


Pumpy

 

[JSB]

Asher,

My partner and I will be there at the same time.....I am reading Wild Brews, Brew like a Monk & Farmhouse ales for some guidance and direction.

Cheers
JSB

 

[Ross]

The plan so far is to spend a week in Lybia. Then onto France for my Father-in-laws 60th. Then I've got a week to kill before heading off to visit rellies in London & Ireland.

Thanks
Asher

[post="115361"][/post]​

Asher,

I travel to Libya a bit, but on a business visa - some friends of mine tried to join me there last year & were told no tourist visas allowed - have things changed?

 

[warrenlw63]

Asher,
Don't miss Brugge whilst in Belgium.

cheers
Darren

[post="115370"][/post]​

Mmmmm... Straffe Hendrick. :beerbang:

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Seemed to be full of tourists and chocolate shops when I was there. Whats the trick to having a good time in Brugge?

[post="115377"][/post]​

So that differs from the rest of Belgium how? :unsure:

Warren -

 

[kook]

Asher, I'd definately get hold of Tim Webb's book, Good Beer Guide to Belgium. Additionally, get a hold of "Lambicland" if you're interested in visiting Lambic bars, brewers and blenders.

To be honest, I havent really ventured out of the cities much when I've been over there. We've always stuck to staying in Brussels, Antwerp or Brugge. The only time I've been to other cities (or towns) is for specific festivals.

If you've got a week there though, I'd definately get out into Payottenland and visit places like Beersel and Lombeek.

Malnourished should be able to shed some more light on other great places to visit as he recently did a bit of a tour around Belgium.

Few places I wouldnt want to miss whilst there:

Kulminator (Antwerp) - Incredible, friendly bar with an amazing vintage list
Cantillon (Brussels) - Friendly family, cool brewery and great beers!
Bier Circus (Brussels) - Feels a little sanitised since they moved last year, but they have a great (and cheap!) list of vintage beers
Delerium (Brussels) - A bit full of tourists at times, but a simply amazing beer list and some great cheese too
't Brugs Beertje (Brugge) - Probably the best bar in Brugge, cosy with a good list. If you're there, try the Pannepot, as it's one of the few locations in the world where you can buy it!

 

[Asher]

Thanks Guys

Kook. Just the sort of stuff I was after - some names and places to concentrate my research on.... Yes I'm definitely interested in Lambic bars and would love to try and find some out of the way Flanders styles...

JSB - An aussiehomebrewer assault on Oktoberfest..... I've got the set too! Think I will invest in both Tim Webbs book & lambicland also.

Ross - as for the Lybian leg of the trip. We have friends working/living in Tripoli and will be getting visas with help from the company they work for... wink wink
Its not going to be cheap to get there. About 500quid each just for a return trip from Dubai!

Asher for now

 

[Screwtop]

Asher join this website and contact the guys, could be a good source. They send a newsletter each month.

 

[sinkas]

Hey Asher,
I would reccommend the book that Kook suggested, its got great reviews and tips in it, I woudl email a few of your favourite breweries, and let them know you are coming, as that way you may be able to get inside, as not many of the breweis we rode bikes past were visitor savvy.

A your a cyclist, I wodl suggest chekcing out the numerous beer cycling tours, which susually take half a day and have you loop around an area passing breweins, and visiting pubs and bars, bloody good fun, the best one I went on was near the moortgat brewers in Puurs, near antwerp.

ALso a gerat city to go to in Mechelen, they have a great famous beer shop/bar, which I cannot remeber the name of, with also a nuber of breweries near by, ( this is also near to antwerp)

dont go to Brugge on a weekend, youll die.

Case

 

[nonicman]

Hi Asher,

This is a post from our trip to Beligum. The Cantillon brewery which is a must see. If you can make it for the first weekend in September, the Belguim Beer Week held in the Grand Place is a must, over 20 breweries serving in correct glass, mostly from the tap. Something not to miss.

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...37&hl=cantillon

There is a pub/resturant called something like World Beers, that promotes itself as something like 300 beers available, it's over priced but worth a stop for a feed (the spaggetti is cheapest and very good) and a few bottles of harder to get beers.

The Grand Place also has the Brewers Guild building (the Grand Place is worth a look just for itself), but we didn't sit through the video as we were advised it's a bit boring and there is so much else to do beer wise.. There is also an onsite brewery in the Grand Place, though I'd had a few prior to sampling their product, but it when down a treat, however cobble stones hurt the next day if you fall over. The outside seating cafes are overpriced and don't have much selection in the Grand Place.

Not sure of the exact location. But if you look up where the Brussels flea market is held (it's in a large carpark) there is a Geuze bar accross the road from one of the corners. With a big dog called Boris(?) who walks around the outside plastic tables and inside. They have a great selection of lambics, and are priced well. They don't speak English, and the old lady that serves you can get stroopy if you don't make an effort to speak French. Well worth a lazy afternoon, good prices on food as well.

We found a number of interesting little cafe/pubs when walking around that were aimed at the locals, which are great to stumble across. A trip to the supermarket is a must, 80c Duvels and more Abby beers than you can poke a stick at and extremely cheap prices.

Hope you enjoy Brussels as much as we did (didn't go outside of Brussels when we were there, not enough time).

Are you going to Northern Ireland, we enjoyed Northern Ireland alot more than Dublin. If so Derry is a great place to visit, with some great pubs (follow the signs to Londonderry, and call it Derry when there or when talking to the Irish, Proddies in Derry call it Derry, but in Northern Ireland Proddies outside of Derry call it Londonderry).

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[Asher]

I found the books and ordered them direct from Tim here http://www.booksaboutbeer.com

Lambicland/Lambikland
by Tim Webb/Chris Pollard/Joris Pattyn

Tim Webb's Good Beer Guide to Belgium
by Tim Webb

Tim contacted me via email within hours of placing the order letting me know when they will be sent. So should be here next week (fingers crossed)

Asher for now

 

[Darren]

Asher,
Don't miss Brugge whilst in Belgium.

cheers
Darren

[post="115370"][/post]​

Seemed to be full of tourists and chocolate shops when I was there. Whats the trick to having a good time in Brugge?

[post="115377"][/post]​

GL,
I wonder why all the tourists are there in the first place? Historical buildings,no vehicles allowed into the city, chocolate (if you're with SWMBO) the "Venice" of Belgium (boat rides through the town in canals) plus Bertjes (sp?) with 300 + beers all in the correct glass did it for me. Was a great atmosphere in Beertjes too. Plus only 10 kilometres from the coast! Did you go there GL?

I must admit I only had two days there but people who were born in Belgium suggested it as THE place to visit.

cheers
Darren