Belgium Travel Thread

[omegagogetass4]

I can also bring whatever beer I have or beer from San Diego to share

 

[Saind]

I will be visiting Belgium with NY girlfriend in late December/early January. Anyone want to share some vintage bottles at Grote Dorst on Christmas morning?

opperkleurder

 

[bostonvert]

I will be visiting Belgium with NY girlfriend in late December/early January. Anyone want to share some vintage bottles at Grote Dorst on Christmas morning?

I dont think they will be open on Christmas day, I'll check when I stop by next time

 

[Saind]

I dont think they will be open on Christmas day, I'll check when I stop by next time

They are actually

 

[omegagogetass4]

I dont think they will be open on Christmas day, I'll check when I stop by next time

I sent them an email and they said they will be, very fortunately for me. My first time in Belgium and my first day, spending it at the happiest place on earth.

 

[LuxWanderer]

Anyone gonna be at Billie's Craft Beer Festival this weekend in Antwerp? Will be attending Saturday

 

[Saind]

Anyone gonna be at Billie's Craft Beer Festival this weekend in Antwerp? Will be attending Saturday

Going on sunday. If the amount of notifications I'm getting on Facebook is an indication of how the ticket sales are going it's not going to be too crowded tho

 

[GetchaPull]

Anyone gonna be at Billie's Craft Beer Festival this weekend in Antwerp? Will be attending Saturday

Wanted to, but can't make it.

 

[LuxWanderer]

Going on sunday. If the amount of notifications I'm getting on Facebook is an indication of how the ticket sales are going it's not going to be too crowded tho

Was thinking the same thing. Beer list looks pretty great, and who doesn't like to spend a weekend in Antwerp

 

[Saind]

Was thinking the same thing. Beer list looks pretty great, and who doesn't like to spend a weekend in Antwerp

I'm not sure how I feel about dividing the beer list over two days
Can't go on Saturday so I'm missing out on some cool stuff.

 

[METSBWD]

Anyone gonna be at Billie's Craft Beer Festival this weekend in Antwerp? Will be attending Saturday

I’m there both days. Should be fun!

 

[METSBWD]

I will be visiting Belgium with NY girlfriend in late December/early January. Anyone want to share some vintage bottles at Grote Dorst on Christmas morning?

I could be up for that. This is the 25th? Or the 24th?

 

[Digita7693]

Don’t skip l’Ermitage when you visit Cantillon, it’s only 150m away.

Cheers

 

[omegagogetass4]

I could be up for that. This is the 25th? Or the 24th?

25th at 10 am. Awesome! I love meeting new people. It'll be fun.

 

[Digita7693]

Anyone heading out to 3F next Friday 8 December?

 

[shanrath]

Anyone heading out to 3F next Friday 8 December?

My girlfriend and I are going on the 9th!

 

[Digita7693]

My girlfriend and I are going on the 9th!

Will be heading back to Germany on the 9th. Was going to maybe swing by on the 8th and try Zenne Solera if someone wanted to split it, but may just do the Cantillon and l'Ermitage combo.

Have fun! If you need any recs feel free to ask.

Cheers

 

[METSBWD]

25th at 10 am. Awesome! I love meeting new people. It'll be fun.

Cool. No plans for 25th yet, so sounds great!

 

[METSBWD]

Going on sunday. If the amount of notifications I'm getting on Facebook is an indication of how the ticket sales are going it's not going to be too crowded tho

Wasn’t too bad yesterday. All lines went very fast, if there was any at all. Except the BA abraxas, which was done within 20 minutes.

 

[LuxWanderer]

Wasn’t too bad yesterday. All lines went very fast, if there was any at all. Except the BA abraxas, which was done within 20 minutes.

I thought it was a great festival. Played a bunch of games, drank a lot of beer (mead too), met some cool people. Glad I got in line when I did for BA Abraxas cause it was gone shortly after me. Verdant Brewing and Susperstition Mead were great, new to me, finds.

 

[Saind]

I thought it was a great festival. Played a bunch of games, drank a lot of beer (mead too), met some cool people. Glad I got in line when I did for BA Abraxas cause it was gone shortly after me. Verdant Brewing and Susperstition Mead were great, new to me, finds.

I just dumped a superstition, that **** is SWEET

 

[omegagogetass4]

I'll be at Grote Dorst on Christmas. Ive already got one Talkbeer friend joining. If anyone else wants to join and split some special bottles, please let me know!

 

[omegagogetass4]

Anyone who has been to grote first recently, can I get some recommendations for absolutely must try beers? Im especially curious about how good the really old vintage gueuzes are.

Also if you can recommend other places with a specific bottle I must try there, I would love that!

 

[Saind]

Anyone who has been to grote first recently, can I get some recommendations for absolutely must try beers? Im especially curious about how good the really old vintage gueuzes are.

Also if you can recommend other places with a specific bottle I must try there, I would love that!

05 Schaerbeekse

 

[omegagogetass4]

05 Schaerbeekse

Will do! Anything else there stand out to you?

 

[Saind]

Will do! Anything else there stand out to you?

07 Schaerbeekse. '12 st Lam is good as well. And de Troch lambiek from the cask is really good

 

[omegagogetass4]

07 Schaerbeekse. '12 st Lam is good as well. And de Troch lambiek from the cask is really good

Awesome! Have you tried any of the 80's/90's gueuze by chance? Wondering whether they are worthwhile.

 

[Saind]

Awesome! Have you tried any of the 80's/90's gueuze by chance? Wondering whether they are worthwhile.

The '88 Eylenbosch was more of an experience than really good. Only one I've had

 

[viktormoller]

Going on a belgium tour starting tomorrow! We're renting a car and plan to go between at least bruges, ghent and brussels. Are there any hidden gems beyond Grote and De Heeren where I can find some vintage lambic?

 

[Dbijnagte]

Going on a belgium tour starting tomorrow! We're renting a car and plan to go between at least bruges, ghent and brussels. Are there any hidden gems beyond Grote and De Heeren where I can find some vintage lambic?

Go to tierenteyn verlent in Gent for mustard. Go to Pistolet in Brussels for amazing sandwiches and Chouke (Cantillon bottle exclusive to them).

 

[viktormoller]

Thank you. I plan to visit a few bottleshops to see If I can find something interesting. Do anyone have any experiance of Bierhandel Willems & Zoon?

I also plan to visit Drinks Geers and maybe De Hopduvel if I can find some time.

 

[Saind]

Thank you. I plan to visit a few bottleshops to see If I can find something interesting. Do anyone have any experiance of Bierhandel Willems & Zoon?

I also plan to visit Drinks Geers and maybe De Hopduvel if I can find some time.

Willems is decent, lots of Fantome and some fun stuff but no seasonals or specials unless you're "on the list". So basically only for locals

 

[viktormoller]

Willems is decent, lots of Fantome and some fun stuff but no seasonals or specials unless you're "on the list". So basically only for locals

Stopped by and got a reasonably priced hommage! Also got a free bottle of their own christmas trippel. All and all very nice!

Heading to Rose red café in bruges for the second time now. A lot of good stuff on the menu but quite expensive. Let me know if anyone is here and want to share a bottle or two.

 

[amk1]

Stopped by and got a reasonably priced hommage! Also got a free bottle of their own christmas trippel. All and all very nice!

Heading to Rose red café in bruges for the second time now. A lot of good stuff on the menu but quite expensive. Let me know if anyone is here and want to share a bottle or two.

A couple years ago Rose Red Cafe had 750 mL OGV 2008 available for 30 Euros.

I drank 2 in one night. I'm not sorry.

 

[omegagogetass4]

Is it worth visiting de heeren? Im not going to spend hundreds of dollars on one bottle, even if it' blauw. Do they have somewhat reasonably priced vintage lambics? Their website doesn't have a beer list and it's a drive out there just to find out.

 

[omegagogetass4]

07 Schaerbeekse. '12 st Lam is good as well. And de Troch lambiek from the cask is really good

07 schaerbeekse was my favorite of everything we had. Great recommendation.

 

[GetchaPull]

Is it worth visiting de heeren? Im not going to spend hundreds of dollars on one bottle, even if it' blauw. Do they have somewhat reasonably priced vintage lambics? Their website doesn't have a beer list and it's a drive out there just to find out.

DHVL is worth it, but the vast majority of lambics won't be cheap. There are several "value buys" on the vintage menu that currently escape me, but to each his own anyway. Worst case, you can drive out there for a nice lunch/dinner and a beer or two.

 

[ExPimp]

Is it worth visiting de heeren? Im not going to spend hundreds of dollars on one bottle, even if it' blauw. Do they have somewhat reasonably priced vintage lambics? Their website doesn't have a beer list and it's a drive out there just to find out.

DHVL is worth it, but the vast majority of lambics won't be cheap. There are several "value buys" on the vintage menu that currently escape me, but to each his own anyway. Worst case, you can drive out there for a nice lunch/dinner and a beer or two.

Pretty much, go for the food and non lambic beers. There are still reasonably priced bottles to drink there (vintage tomes and Orval). They should still have some 20th anni and Goedels which are both fantastic even if not many people talk about them or trade them.

 

[omegagogetass4]

Pretty much, go for the food and non lambic beers. There are still reasonably priced bottles to drink there (vintage tomes and Orval). They should still have some 20th anni and Goedels which are both fantastic even if not many people talk about them or trade them.

Sorry... Did you say vintage tomes? ****...

 

[stupac2]

Pretty much, go for the food and non lambic beers. There are still reasonably priced bottles to drink there (vintage tomes and Orval). They should still have some 20th anni and Goedels which are both fantastic even if not many people talk about them or trade them.

The selection of Trappist beers is awesome. If you're into vintages of Orval or Rochefort or Westy then you have to go.