Special Beer Service (SBS)

 

I get the feeling that this place stocks many bars and cafes in Brussels. They sell all 11.2oz bottles in cases, at very low prices. Larger bottles can be purchased as singles, which makes it more interesting for an overseas visitor. All of the larger bottles are in the back room, many with layers of dust. I didn't see annything crazy rare but I did see a lot of quality stuff that I'm happy to get at good prices.

Given the location (far from anything else you're likely to visit) and the case format for small bottles, I'd say this place doesn't really deserve a recommendation for beer travellers to visit. But I suspect it does serve a useful purpose for the bars and such.

This place is fairly off the beaten path, located southeast of the city center in Etterbeek, right by the VUB campus. Luckily, as a student there, I pass by the place every weekday. The store has two parts: upstairs it is a beer distributor, so beer is sold by the case for generally good prices. For example, st. bernardus abt 12 is sold for about 1 euro per bottle. i remember seeing most beers by brasserie silly, and there are a fair amount of other breweries that i can't recall off the top of my head. I have never seen actual bottles by de dolle, but supposedly they are sold there. the service is actually pretty bad. to get a price list, you need to ask one of the owners (husband/wife i believe) for a big book of prices. the husband speaks english, and the wife only speaks french.

the real treasure here is the downstairs section, which is actually a dusty cellar full of dark crannies packed with beers. oftentimes, on a table there will be an open 750 ml bottle of beer, and you can grab a glass and pour a sample of it. i think the best part of this place is their selection of beers from fantome, which can't be found at bier temple or beer mania. i've seen the spring seasonal, the autumn seasonal, their standard saison, and a few others, all for the great price of 3.60 euro. other offerings in the basement include the kaizer cuvee and beers from girardin, cantillon, abbaye des rocs, d'achouffe, dupont, and many others. a lot of beers there have been aged for 3+ years, but this doesn't seem to affect their price. i've found this place to have the best prices in brussels, prices being a hair cheaper than at places like colruyt (bulk supermarket). there are also kegs upstairs, but i haven't purchased any. overall, a great place, even though the service is not so hot.