Brussels & Area Recommendations

[Callan86]

Folks,

SWMBO and I will be paying a visit to Brussels next weekend. Apart from the obvious like the Cantillon brewery and Delirium Café are there any other beer related visits we should make? We'll be there from Thursday to Sunday, had planned an overnight in Bruges as well but there's no accommodation left that's sanely priced, but we might try and fit a day trip in while were there.

[ac13]

Bruges

De Halve Maan (Brewery)
La Trappiste
Cambrinus
2BE Bar & Beer Shop
De Garre
Fort Lapin (Brewery)

Brussels

Brasserie de la Senne (Brewery)
Brouwerij en Stoemelings (Brewery)
Brussels Beer Project (Brewery)
Nanobrasserie de l'ermitage (Brewery)
À la Mort Subite
Au Bon Vieux Temps
A La Bécasse
Moeder Lambic

I'm sure I forgot a few ...

[phildo79]

I wouldn't bother with the Delirium Café. It's a shit-hole! Good luck getting served at the bar though, if you do go. And perhaps by now they have fixed that giant hole in the floorboards.

I couldn't fathom the popularity of that place. I mean, pretty much every bar in Brussels has a beer menu the length of your leg. Why people were queueing 5 deep at this place baffled me. I don't do queues or pubs that are standing room only as I am no longer 21 years old.

[Water_Wolf]

There's various other 'delerium' branded cafes around brussels that wouldn't be as hectic. I ended up in this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8459904,4.3526433,3a,71.7y,329.68h,79.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sggb47trQiuHdXAxB_DXIOw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

But you're spoilt for choice anyway.

[robotmonkey]

+1 for
Brussels Beer Project
À la Mort Subite
Moeder Lambic

[brendy_éire]

+2 for À la Mort Subite.

Théatrê Royal de Toone is certainly worth heading into.  Pretty quirky place with marionettes, chickens and a cat.
'Le Cercueil' is round the corner.  Means 'the coffin' in French, and that's what you'll find in the place.

If you get the window seat in 2BE bar in Bruges, you can waste hours watching the boats go by.  Might not be the same in the winter, mind.

[phildo79]

I always thought the Poechenellekelder bar was a really cool place. And not exactly hard to find as it's right beside that statue of the little lad taking a whazz.

[phildo79]

There's various other 'delerium' branded cafes around brussels that wouldn't be as hectic. I ended up in this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8459904,4.3526433,3a,71.7y,329.68h,79.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sggb47trQiuHdXAxB_DXIOw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

But you're spoilt for choice anyway.

I've been to that one but I prefer the Golden Bar right beside it. Even though 4 Kwak costs an extra euro. Don't remember seeing the Delirium sign when I was there. But then it was a few years ago. Those two little bars a practically in Grande Place but a lot cheaper. Then again, most places are reasonable compared to Belfast these days.

[Callan86]

Thanks for all the helpful replies Folks. Based on the feedback here and from others who've been A la Mort Subite is a must visit. Has anyone been to the Cantillon Lambic brewery?

[Callan86]

So during the trip I got to visit the following:

A La Mort Subite
Au Bon Vieux Temps
Delerium Café

I also visited the 200 Beers of Belgium store just of Grand Place. I was very pleasantly surprised to see Westvleteren on sale. The shop assistant confirmed their authenticity, so I shelled out to get a bottle each of the Blonde, 8 and 12. Great beers all, worth paying €18 for a bottle to cross off the beer bucket list, but at the same time I'm not sure I'd pay €18 to sample a bottle on a regular basis (found out later that Au Bon Vieux Temps had Westvleteren on the menu). 

[phildo79]

It's a nice beer but way overpriced. Especially when you consider the Abbey that makes it sells it for about 2 euro a bottle. My friends and I found a bar in Brussels that had it so we ordered a bottle. Think it cost over 20 euro. Again, it's nice but not THAT nice.

Exclusivity drives up the price and reputation, of course, but bars and shops don't half rip the arse out of it.

[Callan86]

I was surprised to see it at all, I had thought that the Westvleteren monks were very particular that any beers bought from them were strictly not for resale. In general beer was pricier over there than I expected.

[molc]

Yeah you can buy it everywhere for a stupid price or at the monastery for a very sane one. A very nice beer, exceptionally balanced and drinkable considering the abv. Try homebrewing it for a real challenge.

A little late to help you, but heading out to drei Fontaine in beersel is well worth it if you like lambic. Great little spot in the middle of nowhere selling some of the best beer in the world.

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