The trip is just about over
..Ill provide a little re-cap of some of the places visited and beer consumed.
Hopefully this thread will give ideas on places and recommended beers for others that travel to Belgium.
Brussels bars: Le Bier Circus & Delirium Café had by far the best selections in Brussels. The former had a nice list of vintage beers and the latter boasted 2004 different beers! Delirium brought me back for a second visit. I was at Le Bier Circus one night for 5 straight hours! The bar was closed, front doors locked, lights out, stools on tables, and they continued to serve me and a couple of Aussies I ran into. Very friendly staff.
I ducked into a handful of other pubs and cafés, but all of their selections were quite similar1 or 2 Trappistes, Duvel, Rodenbach, some Abbeys, and an occasional Kriek.
Antwerp bar: Only visited the Kulminator
for obvious reasons. We were there on a Monday, so had the whole place to ourselves. Their list of vintage/aged beers was astonishing. The difference in age was more noticeable in the Lambics, than with some of the others.
Bruges bars: Die Halve Maan (The Half Moon) Brewpub included a brewery tour and ends at their bar so you can try the two beers they brew. Interesting in the fact that it is the only operating brewpub in Bruges. Their beer is found on tap in every bar in Bruges. The brewery tour was interesting, but didnt blow me away like the Cantillon in Brussels.
Also in Bruges, had several drinks at the bar Bruges Beertje. Since it is December, there were quite a few Christmas beers on their menu. The staff there spoke English and made the time to pause and talk about the beer you are drinking and make recommendations, despite it being crowded. Head to the back bar past the bathrooms for more room at your own table instead of cramming into the front.
Highlight of Belgium: The Cantillon Brewery! They brew their lambics from OCT to APR and they just happened to be brewing on the day that we were visiting. The smell of sweet wort was in the air and famers were lined up with trailers to haul off the spent grains. Cantillon was brewing with turn of the century (1900) equipment. Pulleys, spinning wheels, and oak barrels adorned the place. There was a sampling of their Gueuze and Kriek afterward. Learning about their spontaneous fermentation and seeing kreuzen bubbling out of the tops of barrels was a sight to see. If you go during their brewing months, call ahead and try to sync your visit while they are brewingseeing the work in progress made for a better time. I parted with some souvenirs to include Gueuze cheese and marmalade.
I also loaded up on bar-glassware at the Bier Tempel. They wouldnt ship them for me, so I had to hike them over to the post office. I wont begin to talk about shipping & handling!
Vintage Beers consumed:
Chimay Grand Reserve 1999
Rochefort 10 2003
Chimay Blue 2003
Mort Subite Kriek 1996
Cantillon Gueuze 1999
Cantillon Bruscella Grand Cru 1999
3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze 1999
Stile Nacht 2007
Christmas beers:
Bush de Noel
Stile Nacht
Kerst Pater Special Christmas (my favorite)
Gordons X-mas (Great beer, but Belgian? Maybe Scottish?)
Trappistes consumed:
All Chimay (Red, White, Blue, Grand Reserve), Orval (8), Rochefort (8,10), Westmalle Tripel, and Westvleteren (8,10,12)
My favorite Trappiste is the Rochefort 10. Second place goes to Westvleteren 12sorry to disappoint some who are gung-ho about Westvleterenstill a fantastic lineup.
Lambics consumed:
Gueuze, Kriek, Framboise, Rose di Gambrinus, & Faro among the brands Liefmans, Mort Subite, Cantillon, & 3 Fonteinen.
Other beers consumed of note:
Le Chouffe, Chti Bier de Garde, Rodenbach Grand Cru, Deus (Champagne style beer), Kwak, Divine, Maredsous 10
.and theres only about 10 other types of beer I tried that arent note-worthy enough to mention.
Awards:
Favorite Trappisten beer: Rochefort 10
Favorite Lambic beer: Cantillon Gueuze, especially the aged ones.
Favorite every day beer: Tripel Karmeliet ( I vow to make a home-brewed clone!)
Favorite Christmas beer: Kerst Pater Special Christmas
Favorite Serving-style: Kwak. The glass and wooden holder were the most unique.
Favorite Bar: The Kulminator in Antwerp. Not loud, just chill
.and good beer.
Favorite Interesting Beer: Deus. Came out served in an ice water bucket and champagne glasses. The Brut of Bier.
Favorite Find beer: Westvleteren 8,10,12. Never on a menu or sales floor, but Beer Tempel stocked them to go and Le Bier Circus served them. Delirium Café, despite having 2004 beers did not have any of the three Westvleterensnone of the smaller bars and cafes that I encountered had them either.
Ill post pics in subsequent threads