Visiting Belgium - Which Breweries

[Screwtop]

Brother in law flies out on the 16th Oct for the UK and Europe for a few months. He will be in Belgium for a few weeks and asked which breweries he should visit.

So for those who have been and experienced the Breweries/Beers of Belgium, tell us of your favs. Also for those lovers of Belgian brews, which breweries would you visit. I'm hoping to really surprise him with some Lambic, Trappist, Sour, Gueuze, Saison, and also for him to experience Oud Bruin, Golden and Wit.

Give us your Must Visits please

Screwy

 

[Trent]

Screwtop
Get yer hands on Wild Brews, they have alot on the sour breweries, but I am sure there are other here that have been to most of em. As far as Brussels goes, I would wanna go straight to Cantillon brewery. Havent tried their straight lambic or Oude Geueze, but their Rose de Gambrinus (raspberry blended lambic) was a total beer epiphany for me. Not like those sweetened lollypop lambics that Lindemans (IIRC) and Belle-Vue put out, intensely sour, but balanced at the same time. If there is a beer that will turn him onto sour, this will probably be it. And see if hw can go to Orval, that would be nice. Obviously Westvleteren make some of the best dark storngs in the world, so it would probably be well worth the visit there. I think that there is a travelogue from homebrewers that are into belgian beers on ww2.babblebelt.com.
Very jealous.
Trent

 

[voota]

You absolutely should get hold of Tim Webb's "Good Beer Guide to Belgium" it not only shows the breweries, but the beer shops, bars and such that sell all the good stuff.

As for my must visit breweries, Cantillon obviously, I also loved Oude Beersel... I personally went to mostly lambic brewers mainly because it's such a different experience from a 'normal' brewery, and lambic is just great .
Orval, and for that matter all? of the trappist breweries are not really there for brewery tours, you visit the abbey, then pick up beers from the gift shop or bar... Its still pretty cool and worth the visit.

Hope that helps a little.
chris

 

[winkle]

You absolutely should get hold of Tim Webb's "Good Beer Guide to Belgium" it not only shows the breweries, but the beer shops, bars and such that sell all the good stuff.

As for my must visit breweries, Cantillon obviously, I also loved Oude Beersel... I personally went to mostly lambic brewers mainly because it's such a different experience from a 'normal' brewery, and lambic is just great .
Orval, and for that matter all? of the trappist breweries are not really there for brewery tours, you visit the abbey, then pick up beers from the gift shop or bar... Its still pretty cool and worth the visit.

Hope that helps a little.
chris

Don't forget the glasses & t-shirts for Screwtop.

 

[sinkas]

I just noticed its not you thats going.
IF your brother in law isnt a beer geek, he'll problaly be bored shitless after one brewery, the bars, featured in the good beer guide might make it worth his purchasing though.

 

[Screwtop]

I just noticed its not you thats going.
IF your brother in law isnt a beer geek, he'll problaly be bored shitless after one brewery, the bars, featured in the good beer guide might make it worth his purchasing though.

He's into beer, asked me to find out the names of the best breweries/places/bars to visit in Belgium. Taking mobile technology with him so we will be keeping in touch during his visit. Will be travelling with a mate from Europe who knows the area well and is also into beer so they should enjoy the time. He's staying a month in the UK then visiting France, Spain, Belgium, Germany (staying in Cologne as he's visited other parts before), Italy, Hungary (Budapest) and Turkey. Have asked is some Klsch glasses can find their way into his luggage.

 

[faryg]

Tell him to go to Bruges, as it is a lovely town to stay for at least one or two nights and if he goes to Antwerp don't worry about looking for the diamonds try to find the Kulminator Bar.
Wish I was going!

 

[Screwtop]

Bro in law Glen staying in Ypres sent this a couple of days ago:




And these last night:

 

[sathid]

Tell him to go to Bruges, as it is a lovely town to stay for at least one or two nights and if he goes to Antwerp don't worry about looking for the diamonds try to find the Kulminator Bar.
Wish I was going!

+1 for Bruges. Amazing place. Awesome range of beers in all the shops!

If he's into backpacking, there is a really nice little backpackers place called "St Christophers Bauhaus" in the old city. Really nice atmosphere, nice bar(maids). But it is very basic.

Inside the bar:

The city:

 

[petesbrew]

Nice Pics, Sathid!
Brugges is beautiful. There's one brewery there called Goudenbaum Brouwerij... I think. They do brugge blonde among many others.

A tour of Flanders Fields is a must too (squeeze it in amongst the brewery tours).

 

[Muggus]

My girlfriend and I will (hopefully) be in Bruges after Christmas in Amsterdam later on this year. It's part of a tour and unfortunately we'll only be in Bruges for the day, so i'm keen to get as much in as possible...beer-wise that is.

 

[kook]

My girlfriend and I will (hopefully) be in Bruges after Christmas in Amsterdam later on this year. It's part of a tour and unfortunately we'll only be in Bruges for the day, so i'm keen to get as much in as possible...beer-wise that is.

I'd recommend Erasmus if you're looking for somewhere nice to have dinner there. Great food (many dishes cooked with beer actually), and a very well chosen (though small) beer menu. I've stayed in Brugge on 3 occasions and it's definately my favourite place to eat.

As for drinking, 't Brugs Beertje has the largest selection. I'd recommend trying the Pannepot (probably my favourite beer of all time), or any other beers from De Struise Brouwers such as Aardmonnik or Tsjeeses. They're quite hard to find at times, but 't Brugs Beerje normally have some!

 

[sstacey]

I was there in April. I really enjoyed Cantillon tucked away in north Brussels, just a short walk from the north train station. I also visited Orval. A bit out of the way but very interesting and beautiful place to go. Unfortunately it is not possible to get inside the actual breweries at the Trappists. I spent a long time walking around Brussels looking for a bar/cafe that sold more than just the basic trappists and interbrew beers. I eventually found a great cafe opposite the small peeing statue thats a famous landmark in Brussels. You can sit outdoors and they have well over 100 beers including Saison dupont, Cantillon, etc, etc, etc. Everything that I could not find anywhere else. The pub next to the statue is also quite good, some nice beers but not as good a beer range.

Also, if you are going to drink the beer, head into a supermarket and get a chunk of trappist cheese to go with the beer. I ate Chimay cheese which was pretty good with some Boon lambics.

Hope its a good trip!

 

[bro_shoppe]

I've been a couple of times and am returning in April next year. I can recommend Tim Webb's Good Beer Guide to Belgium and Holland. Try and get to Cafe Bottelje in Ostend, which had 13 beers on tap (the usual culprits such as Stella, Guinness, Tennants and Fosters(!) but they had 312 different bottled beers. Ask for a copy of the beer menu to take home. Da Dolle Brouwers in Esen conducts tours and tastings. They had 5 beers on tap and you can buy a box of 20 mixed beers for a very reasonable price. In Brugges there is a small brewery - I forget the Flemish but the name translates as "Half Moon". In De Haan I spent a few hours and Euros drinking Rodenbach from the tap (beats the bottled stuff hands down) in a bar called The Sphinx. Poperinge has some great little bars and is the centre of Belgium's hop growing.
Hope this helps.
Shoppe.

 

[Jase]

Hi All,

First post in quite some time......

Found out today that I'm off to Ghent, Belgium Friday week, for a week. The workshop that I'm attending runs for three days, so I have two free days to explore some breweries and bars over there.

Has anyone been to Ghent in their travels? What's the public transport system like in Belgium, so I can travel to places like Brussels and Bruges?

Any further info would be great.

Cheers,
Jase

 

[Muggus]

+1 for Bruges. Amazing place. Awesome range of beers in all the shops!

If he's into backpacking, there is a really nice little backpackers place called "St Christophers Bauhaus" in the old city. Really nice atmosphere, nice bar(maids). But it is very basic.

Inside the bar:

Hang on a minute...I bloody well stayed at that hostel over Christmas last year!



I love Bruges. Nicest place i've ever been to.

 

[Snow]

Bro in law Glen staying in Ypres sent this a couple of days ago:

View attachment 16094


And these last night:

View attachment 16095 View attachment 16096

That brewery on the top looks like the Westvleteren Trappist Monastery. I was there last year. You can't go into the monastery and the cafe that adjoins it was pretty ordinary, as was their food. They have a pretty good gift shop, though, where you can buy their beers (supposedly the only place outside the monastery where you can legally buy it). Their Abt. 12 wasn't as good as I expected after it's write-ups in Ratebeer and Beer Advocate.

Cheers - Snow

 

[warrenlw63]

+1 Love Brugge. Was snowing when we went. Remember freezing, getting on the Straffe Hendrick to warm me up (both blonde and brune are highly nice biggish session beers). The rest of the day was a pissy blur. :lol:

Oh a couple of Brugse Tripels would be in order too. Unfortunately it is no longer made. May it RIP. What a beautiful example of the style it was.

Warren -