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I am going to Bruge next weekend - my first trip abroad in years!
My pal and I are driving in his van, getting the ferry to Calais and then up to Bruge.
The main aim of the trip os to get sloshed on incredible beer with side quests of food, looking at stuff and bringing beer back in the van.
I've only ever been to Brussels before and never had a car when in Belgium, so do you have any recommendations for places to find great beer? Or even other non-beer tips for Bruges?
So far, I've got a stop-off at Westvleteren on the list, as well as the Half Man brewery in Bruges, and these cafes/bars:
Le Trappiste
Cambrinus
The Beer Wall
Cafe Rose Red
Following... Ddvdk in baarle-hertog is nice.
When in Brugge get thee to Bertie's...
https://www.brugsbeertje.be/en/home-2/
Beer menu as thick as a phone book. Make sure you get there early though as it fills up fast (or at least it used to in the before times).
Tips on what beers to drink in Gent appreciated please guys.
I don't knowuch about Belgian beer so any ideas would be great
A second for t brugs beertje
Canal boat ride to begijnhof.
So far, I’ve got a stop-off at Westvleteren on the list,
Remember that if you want to buy beer there you are limited to a 6 pack each at the cafe (it might be 2) and it is the 12 that is the great one. If you want to buy up to 3 crates from the abbey them you need to preorder on their website
If you just want to drink one then you need to do it there as well as in every other pub it will be a crazy price
Tips on what beers to drink in Gent appreciated please guys.
Dont drink any Leffe 🙂
I'm quite fond of Tournay Noir at the moment but if you want to spend a whole day drinking then it might be better avoided. Same with Triple Karmelite which is nice but not quite as strong. Chouffe is great and a little less strong too
Drankencentrale Rotsaeart Remi-Claeystraat Zedelgem. Cheap, massive choice and Filip will talk through your choices. Always happy to recommend’specials’.
Bar - Bertjes. Cambrinus. De Garre. Their house Tripel is the beer.
Warm boozy few hours playing board games? De Vlissinghe. Off the beaten track. Oldest bar in Bruges.
Beer -Orval
Gent - Waterhuis an de Bierkant. Pakhuis for food. Book. Quick cheap train journey. Recommend not driving.
For your Covid stuff I guess you are less than 48hrs which reduces your requirements but watch out for France which until last Friday was even banning unnecessary travel through France. I think they have stopped that now
Pretty much everwhere will require a covid safe pass to get in
Gent. Great town!
Eat at ‘t Oud Clooster
Drink at Het Spijker
Some Beers:
Tripel Karmeliet
Tongerlo Prior
Kaiser Karel
Orval (‘t Oud Clooster above offered young and older bottles😋)
Excellent stuff, thanks very much all
Yes, we're just going for the 48 hours and have all our vaccinations. Do you think they will accept the NHS Scotland App?
Good tip on Westvleteren - will likely pre-order some crates to pick up.
What other stuff is good in Bruges? I've seen the movie but don't think it's tourist board approved.
Food?
Also, from where it is I'm assuming they speak Flemish?
Dammit! I cannot remember the name of the Abbey that sells the best Trappist ale in 5e world. If you can find that out, book with them to collect a crate. A friend said you can only get one per person, so maybe double up on the way past.
If I remember or find the name I’ll pm you.
Also, Rochefort and Westmalle, both amazing breweries.
Also, a really good idea for a trip. Bastard!
The local brew, Straffe Hendrik, is worth sampling
Dammit! I cannot remember the name of the Abbey that sells the best Trappist ale in 5e world
It's Westvletern and he has it sorted already 🙂
Good tip on Westvleteren – will likely pre-order some crates to pick up
You might be out of luck. The order site isn't open all the time and you have to be online immediately to stand much chance. They aren't always making the 12 either :(. If you want to try the site is here:
Trappist Westvleteren - our beers
It's a bit of a pain but their reasoning is lovely. They only want to make enough to support their monastic life and they don't want to put it at the price it sells elsewhere as then it isn't available to everyone, so they only make a restricted amount and make you order it in advance.
Also, from where it is I’m assuming they speak Flemish?
Yep, but you will get by with English pretty much everywhere.
Yes, Flemish part of Belgium but their English will shame you.
I've been to Bruges and Gent, but it was a long time ago and I can't remember much after the second beer. If you're out all day choose wisely!
Couple of things to remember:
1/ you will need your Covid Passport on your phone to get into anywhere, bars, shops etc.
2/ pre departure neg test is required & if in BE longer than 48hrs another test on day 1/2 & day 7 + a booked test for when back in the UK.
3/ In de Vrede the cafe at Westvleteren in closed on Fridays !
4/ ‘t Brugs Beertje a must visit bar.
5/ Rotsaert Drankcenter is the place to buy beer to bring home, they will ship to the UK as well www.beeronweb.com
6/ Breweries - Halve Maan, Bourgogne de Flanders.
7/ Check out https://www.beerguidebrugge.com/
Have fun
Beerbiker
Yep, but you will get by with English pretty much everywhere.
My recollection is that you're better off speaking English than French.
When I went a few years ago I just loaded up at an out of town supermarket. Cheap as chips and a decent selection too!
Check when Westvleteren opens. I think the cafe/place that you pick up your order shuts on a Friday. Might be wrong though, but seem to remember returning the day after the night before to disapointment.
Nice friendly little campsite a short bike ride from the cafe.........
In my experience, you'll get great beer everywhere - cafes, bars, restaurants even the supermarket.
The only problem I had was finding a bar where the beers were timid enough for me to drink all evening without getting monstered. I found a really nice place full of locals where they sold Jupiler on draught so I was happy 🙂
full of locals where they sold Jupiler on draught so I was happy
You went to Bruges/Belgium and only drank Jupiler?
🤦
You went to Bruges/Belgium and only drank Jupiler?
tbh I try to drink every beer on the menu when I’m in Belgium.
Beer wise it’s all pretty much ace,although there’s a lot strong stuff that doesn’t taste like special brew.
Ooh my kind of thread. I go to Belgium quite a bit, and whilst I've not yet done Brugge (odly) I have done Ghent and Brussels, but I also go to Ypres quite a bit. Ghent is a lovely place to go,much bigger than Brugge but smaller than Brussels. It's split into old and new, but that should t worry you, loads of nice places along the canals. Although it's out of your way, if you do find going to Ypres is on the cards, go 15 mins south to Ploegsteert where you will find the best beer warehouse ever , Vanuxeem.. oh my that's my special place 😅
Also, wherever you go, make sure you get a Kasteel triple down you... Yum..
Also, if you do go to Ypres (which I thoroughly recommend), go and do the Kazmatten brewery tour under where the mennin gate is, pick up a load of wipers times to..
Second the bar recommendations above. If you have time in Ghent, theres' an amazing bike shop called Plum that has a mini museum downstairs. Lots of vintage steel pron. and friendly staff. The big gallery is also cool, if not too pissed...
And for taking back home with you, this stuff is lovely if you can find it in your shop
Some folks find it a bit sweet and at 11% it's not for guzzling but it is really rather fine
Sorry another post. The world of Belgium beer book is good, as is the best Belgium bars, we used this one year in Ghent to find some proper gems.
What's your normal go-to treat beer? There have been some excellent suggestions so far, but insanely varied. I can't stand Orval, for example. But the Westvlateren 12 is every bit as good as everybody says. If you can't get a hold of it, there's a rival monastery stole the recipe and churn it out quite the thing. Think it's St. Bernardus?
I love Chimay Bruin and Blonde if I don't want to be wasted after one glass.
Supermarkets are generally brilliant for beers, but be aware that they're not open on Sundays, unless they're in Baarle.
Worth downloading Untappd if you don't already have it, and you can search through whatever you're fancying and get an idea if you'll actually enjoy it.
Think it’s St. Bernardus?
It is, but it isn't as good. There is something quite special about the Westvletern 12
I love Chimay Bruin and Blonde if I don’t want to be wasted after one glass.
misteralz is very wise 🙂
where they sold Jupiler on draught so I was happy 🙂
Are you a tramp? I’d rather drink my own piss than Jupiler unless on a stag do.
Speaking of which, we went to the Ghent 6 on a stag do and found a little bar with loads of pop memorabilia and stuff on the walls and an extensive beer menu, good for a few hours in the small hours of the morning. We also ate at a place called Amadeus, an all you can eat ribs joint. highly recommended, if you like red meat that is!
For stocking up with things to bring back, last time I was in Gent we got carried away in here :
https://brewver.com/venues/2723/Dranken-Geers
I like buying the glasses as well,for that authentic feel at home 🙂
This thread has unfortunately/fortunately started to make me think of planning a meet up with my U.K. m8s in Ghent/Brussels, just starting to do the route calculations a mere 24 hour drive and beer nirvana awaits.
You went to Bruges/Belgium and only drank Jupiler?
Are you a tramp? I’d rather drink my own piss than Jupiler unless on a stag do.
No, I spent an afternoon in Markt with the other tourists drinking Kwak and Kriek beers and IPAs that were like elephant tranquilisers.
Once I found a nice bar full of locals, I decided to drink something that I could session for the evening without ending up in a pool of my own filth.
They were all happily drinking Jupiler too but if I ever go again, I'll happily tell them that they are wrong on your behalf
Looks like I've missed the window to order crates and crates of Westvleteren online.
We'll be driving up past it on the Saturday morning so will stop in at the cafe for some breakfast and see if they have any bottles for sale - think you can buy 6 each and the stuff will be rocket fuel anyway!
Definitely go to De Garre and have the house tripel. It’s a bit hidden away down an alley, but right near the main square so easy to get to.
What's wrong with Jupiler, it's quite nice as an easy going summer beer (well any season), I get it's a mass market one, but that doesn't take away that it's a relatively good beer.
However, when in Belgium have some of the triples, blondes and Trappist ales, and just bring a crate of Jupiler home.
Also dudeofdoom, can I come 😉
All the places on your list are great but in reality you can't go wrong in Bruges, even at the more touristy places that line the squares. We loved it and if it were not for COVID we would have made an annual visit there. Looking forward to going back.
For food, and if you are a meat eater, I can't recommend enough the International New Museum (www.niew-museum.com. Hooistreet 42 - 8000 Brugge). only a small place so you have to book. the meat is cooked on a wood burning grill and there are recommended beers with every dish absolutely amazing steaks and other meaty dishes.