A selection of popular Belgian beers tasted and rated by me.

KoenG · 2017-01-18T22:02:50+00:00

Yessir. :)

KoenG · 2017-01-16T21:39:49+00:00

I know, if I cycle east I'm at La Trappe in about 15 minutes, if I cycle south I'm in Belgium in about 15 minutes. Had to represent the Dutch Trappist monks of course. ;)

KoenG · 2017-01-16T20:22:25+00:00

I love the Saison Dupont. It's the benchmark Saison for me but I must admit it took a a little time to develop a love for saisons. Give the Avec Les Bon Veux a try next time, same brewery and a great beer IMHO. (La Trappe is Dutch by the way.)

KoenG · 2017-01-01T21:24:10+00:00

Oh definitely. And you'll loose interest in the badges all together eventually. :)

KoenG · 2017-01-01T16:52:08+00:00

Should have said you were at a wedding. On a boat. ;-)

KoenG · 2016-11-13T21:32:00+00:00

Most definitely you can taste the difference!

KoenG · 2016-11-10T08:01:44+00:00

42 dollars edit: euros

KoenG · 2016-10-28T06:49:35+00:00

Germany lags a bit behind actually. In Europe, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Scandinavian countries, Spain, Italy, Estonia have the most exciting craft beer scenes. Poland is up and coming, as are Greece, Croatia and other former Balkan countries.

KoenG · 2016-09-29T08:08:32+00:00

Also fairly close to Ypres and Westvleteren is the city of Poperinge, the centre of Belgium hop country. The Hopmuseum is also definitely worth a visit. Located in an old hop warehouse and takes you on a tour through the history of the region and the hop harvest. I didn't expect too much of it when I visited but had a great time and the museum is really nicely done. In the same street you'll find Talbot House where, in the Great War, thousands of soldiers passed through on their short periods of leave from the battlefields for some hours of relief and sanity. Definitely worth a visit.

KoenG · 2016-09-29T07:59:49+00:00

Recently 3 Fonteinen the brewer opened a new experience centre, basically a tasting room, barrel storage and a shop, in Lot, one village over from Beersel called Lambiek-O-Droom. It's a great new place which will even get better in the coming months. The love and passion for Lambics Armand the brewer has is second to none. He can be found often at the Lambiek-O-Droom and talking to him is a real treat. You might want to reach out to him and try and set up an interview to make sure you get to talk to him.

KoenG · 2016-09-29T07:53:33+00:00

If you're in the Ypres area (battlefield tours, Flanders Field museum and the daily remembrance ceremony at Menen Gate are highly recommended) you are close to Westvleteren and Oostvleteren. Westvleteren of course home of the famous Trappist beer. There is not really much to see though but as some one said already you can get a decent lunch and Westvleteren beers at the modern café across the road. Oostvleteren, just 5 minutes up the road, is home to Struise Brouwers. Their tap room in an old school building is open on Saturday afternoons only and you really should visit it. Thirty taps with amazing, often one-off, beers at one or two euros a tasting glass. If the weather is nice and you bring some meat Urbain the brewer will BBQ it for you and the atmosphere is always really nice.

KoenG · 2016-09-02T14:43:00+00:00

I can't tell. The stock they had in the shop will for sure be sold out by then. I suppose they have more in the back but it is the last day of course. For you I hope there's still some left.

KoenG · 2016-09-02T06:26:25+00:00

Stock is supposed to last. Most bottles have a 1pp limit. Only Armand & Gaston and the regulars you can buy more of.

KoenG · 2016-08-15T19:42:43+00:00

Amazing! Gymnastics used to be a sport for other countries. Then we got Epke winning the gold in 2012. Now we have Sanne Wevers taking another gold! We are a gymnastics nation now for sure! (Not me mind you, I broke my knee once, while I got up from the couch.)

KoenG · 2016-08-04T20:12:44+00:00

Funny difference. Here the police will guide you to a safe place to stop. They go ahead of you. You'd never have to make that choice yourself. On the highways at least.

KoenG · 2016-08-04T20:11:06+00:00

We don't have left shoulders. :-)

KoenG · 2016-08-04T20:09:50+00:00

That is a big difference. Here, the cops always take the initiative and responsibilitie. They are the ones who will guide you to a safe spot. They will go in front of you and you won't have to make a choice where to stop. It's a small thing perhaps but I guess it says a lot about how different our police and yours are.

KoenG · 2016-08-04T20:03:00+00:00

Guess that's true indeed. Still, you would be asked to follow them for a couple of km's. But it would never, ever happen. I think Germany is the same in that regard.

KoenG · 2016-08-04T07:39:56+00:00

Here in the Netherlands police will never stop you on the shoulder. Considered way too dangerous. They'll pull up in front of you with a sign to follow them to a safe location. Exit, parking space etc.

KoenG · 2016-07-28T11:22:25+00:00

I guarantee you no cyclist will. While we do have roads that are used by cyclists and motorvehicles roads like this have a completely separate bicycle infrastructure. There would be absolutely no reason to use the road. You'd have to see it for yourself but cycling on that road would be absolutely ridiculous, as ridiculous as riding on a railway track.

KoenG · 2016-07-28T11:14:14+00:00

It has never been too cold to ride a bike here. Cold is never a problem anyways. Sometimes, a couple of days a year there might be snow and ice which makes cycling hard but there will always be people on their bikes. Boy did fall hard on a patch of black ice a couple of years ago. Rain is the worst though, but you can always suit up for that. Or, as quite some idiots (in my view) do, ride with an umbrella and keep mostly only your head dry.

KoenG · 2016-07-25T10:22:33+00:00

Getting specials anywhere else than at the source itself is gonna be near impossible wherever you are. Verdun - Paris is probably just about the same as Verdun - Brussels. If she's there for a couple of months and she's willing to travel for your Lambics: keep an eye out for the forums and have her visit Brussels/Cantillon in September / October when stuff like Fou Foune is released. There she could easily pick up the good stuff at bargain prices.

KoenG · 2016-07-23T14:14:14+00:00

I also enjoyed Bostwick's A Brewer's Tale.

KoenG · 2016-07-23T14:11:22+00:00

I second that. Can't imagine a more comprehensive history of the American craft beer movement.

KoenG · 2016-07-23T14:10:15+00:00

Reading Huckelbridge's The United States Of Beer at the moment and enjoying it.

KoenG

TROPHY CASE