Breweries in Ghent or Bruges?

I will be going to Ghent and Bruges Belgium and to Holland in April/May. I am wondering if anyone has some brewing highlights (pubs, breweries, or beers) that I shouldn't miss while I am there. I will be busy but should be able to fit in a few highlights.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I've enjoyed the bar in this picture the times I've been there:
http://travelfoodanddrink.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/BelgiumGhentBarAtFriday-Market-Square.jpg
It's called the "Herberg De Dulle Griet."

First entry on the list, Thanks.

Someone recommended a place called Brewery de Halve Maan (Half Moon?) in Brugge. Looks like a great venue and has brewery tours. I'm going to try to book something in advance. Anyone been there?
http://www.halvemaan.be/index.php?id=13&L=2

Wife and I were there a couple years ago. Had quite a nice lunch and sampled the beers. No tours were being given because of a private party but I definitely recommend going.

I've been to the Halve Moon Brewery, it's a pretty good standard tour. Beer is good, but they only brew certain days of the week, so you might not see any action.

Go to a bar called The Beer Shop (I think), best beer bar in Brugges. Also, we conceived our daughter there, so be careful!!! Joke.

Jenkotronics said:

I've been to the Halve Moon Brewery, it's a pretty good standard tour. Beer is good, but they only brew certain days of the week, so you might not see any action.

Click to expand...

I'll second the tour experience at Half Moon. I've done it a few times, and it's enjoyable. There are stairs, some steep, to be climbed, so if you have any mobility issues, it may not be fore you. One of the nice things is that they take you to the roof for a nice view of the city (or at least they used to).

My favorite pubs in Brugge are Staminee de Garre and 't Brugs Beertje. If you want a nice meal (but rather expensive), hit up Den Dyver for "cuisine a la biere". Also, don't miss the Dumon chocolate shop-- a small little place (literally-- you have to duck down to enter if you're even slightly tall) with excellent sweets.

in holland brouwerij de molen is a good visit, one of the few experimental breweries on this side of the border, and in amsterdam if you get sick of belgian beers (is that possible?) the beer temple has lots of familiar hoppy stuff on tap

I believe ghent is the place I went to and a bar served beer in kwak glasses, but to get one, you have to give them a shoe. Even had to walk one shoed to the WC. In bruges, there is a two story bar on a alley near the main square. They server cheese with every beer and their house beer is amazing. I think it is a triple, around 12%. I can look the name up. If you can make it to antrwep, the Kulaminator is an experiance. Bring some hard to get american stuff, the owner will be very appreciative.

Thanks all for the comments, they have all joined the list. The same person that recommended Halve Maan, recommended Dumon so thanks for backing that up.

If you want Westvleteren 12 in Bruges go to Bierbrasserie Cambrinus.

you have to go to 't Brugs Beertje in bruges, otherwise known as the little bruges bear. This it's my favourite bar in THE WORLD

Well, I'll have to save many of these suggestions for next time. As it turns out, I just returned from Holland and Belgium. I had many beers, most were not on the list but were what was available where I was. Because most of the time I was with a tour group organized by my wife oriented toward gardens and horticulture, I was often left without much time for independent activities. Nevertheless, I drank a dozen different beers and covered the range from lambics to gueze and from pales to quadruples. Most were from the areas I was visiting from Amsterdam to Maastricht to Ghent to Brugges. I will write a list later and maybe post some pictures but, for now, I will just say that I enjoyed most of them and did get a chance to visit and tour Brouwerij de Halve Maan which was a joy. Thanks for all of your suggestions. If they didn't come in handy for this trip they will be useful for next time and, based upon what I have seen, there will be a next time.