Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.... again!!

It's that time of year, kids!
Bierman9 is off once again for my annual trip to Europe (well, almost annual. FU Covid!).

Starting in München 18SEP for 6 nights. Then Maastricht 24SEP for 4 with Gent at the end 28SEP for 6x....

München will have me at my 38th Oktoberfest (37th in a row) plus side trips to Andechs and Bamberg.

From Maastricht I look to visit Amsterdam and bicycle down to the Abbey at Val Dieu. Also maybe Leuven.

Gent? Lots there, plus Antwerp, Bruges, Diksmuide and Ypres....

Maybe I'll cross paths with some of y'all...

Wish my liver well.... ;-)

Prost!!

 

De Gouverneur for food and a great beer list. Or Café Frape for great bier in a relaxed setting

 

Sweet! If you go to Frape, tell Peter, the elder owner, that David will be in Wednesday!

Else, enjoy wherever you end up!!

 

Yes, visited with Peter yesterday and am at Frape right now again....

Cheers

 

Sorry... have been lax on the updates...

Tuesday, day 7. Long day, travel day. Up at 05.30 and got a 06.47 ICE departure out of München Hauptbahnhof. After changing in Frankfurt and Liege, I got to Maastricht just before 14.00. In my comfy Airbnb about 20 minutes later. Unpacked, freshened up and out. First stop was for some great Frittes with samourai sauce. Then settled into my 2nd fave pub here, de Gouverneur. Whiled away a few hours with a Val Dieu Tripel, a St B Tripel and a couple of small pours of Gulden Draak 9000. Off there and snagged a bite at Pothuiske.... finished the night with two bottles of Val Dieu Grand Cru.... good to be back in the Netherlands!

Wednesday, day 8. After a good sleep I snagged a train to Leuven Belgium. Walked around photographing a bit. Had a big-ass cone of Frittes before swinging by Hop 'n' More. One nice NEIPA from Manchester UK started things off. Then down the street to Malz. Had a decent Tripel from de Coureur to lead off. Then a TIPA called Jumpman, Jumpman, Jumpman. Said it was US made but I've yet to look it up. Closed out with a Vleteren 12 Port Barrel. Very nice! Up and out, then back via train to Maastricht. Stopped by my fave local, Café Frape to see my old friend Peter and snag a nightcap. Two Val Dieu Grand Cru later and I was homeward bound....

Cheers!!

 

Yeah, I do pre-plan where I want to try to visit. Weather plays a part, as some places are outside oriented....

 

Staying in Maastricht...

Thursday, day 9..... had hoped to squeeze in a bike ride through the Dutch/Belgian countrysides, as I have the past 2 years. Rain looked like it would hold off until late afternoon, so I said "let's go "!
Rented a regular, multi-speed bike at the station and headed southeast. Plan was for a quick stop in Teuven followed by a long stop at my goal, Abbey Val Dieu. About 45 minutes in it started to drizzle. Pulled over under some trees but it lasted 30 minutes and I was soaked. Oh well! Easily got to Teuven. Main objective, pub Zotte Lambiek, was closed. So I had the house Tripel at the nearby Moeder de Gans. Set off and was at Val Dieu shortly after. One long, gradual hill in between killed me. Had a couple of Tripels, a Grand Cru and some meat and cheese there. Ahhh.... Sun came out and I was warm and dry! Set off back to Maastricht with one medium hill to beat. Beat it I did, but the rain returned, a light drizzle. Back to Maastricht safely, though wet. Grabbed a quick bite to eat before having a DIPA and a Barleywine at Café Frape. Did a smidge short of 34 miles, and my back side knows it! Sleep will be welcome!

Friday, day 10. Weather looked crappy across the region, so I hopped a train to Amsterdam. There 2:20 later. To an old fave, in de Wildeman. Good to see Simon, the owner, once more. Tried a Rochefort Tripel Extra for the first time. Quite nice! Next was a couple de Molen Bommen & Granaten Barleywines.... all set there.... Later, Simon! Short walk to Arendsnest.... there I tried a small pour of Kees Quadrupel. Then, along with a nice plate of meat and cheese, a couple of small pours of de Molen Hell & Verdomenis RIS on nitro. Damn, that was good!!! Done and trained back to Maastricht. One last stop at Café Frape! Peter and his long-time colleague Luc were present. Finished the Dutch portion of the trip with 2 bottles of a local brew, Maastricht Bitter Sweet Symphony American Barleywine. Yummy! Ok, I'm cooked! Back to the room for Zzzzs. Packing in the morn and off to Gent Belgium.

Cheers!!

 

Now in Gent Belgium for the duration...

Saturday, day 11. Another travel day, but not as long as the previous. Left Maastricht about 09.30 and a few changes later was in Gent just before 13.30... into my Airbnb then out to eat and drink. Lovely weather today! Stopped at this little frittes place near Castle Gravensteen called Frituur Filip.... tasty and cheap! And popular, as the line was about 35 minutes long! Then over to Het Waterhuis for libations. Had a Gulden Draak Classic followed by a couple of the Quadruple (9000). Tasted great, especially out on their patio in the late afternoon sunshine. Then over to Trappistenhuis for the first time. Lead off with a Gouden Carolus Whiskey Infused. Had some food, what they call a Bierplank. Had various cheeses, salamis, tortilla chips, olives, pickles, crackers.... whoa! Verry filling! Nightcap was a St Bernardus Abt 12.

Sunday, day 12. Hopped a train west to a village called Diksmuide. There I visited a WWI site called the Trench of Death. Germans and Belgians faced off yards from each for over 3 years here. Unreal. Into town for lunch. Stopped at a pub called Brouwershuys. A couple bottles of locally made Tripel, from Nachtraaf, accompanied a tasty grilled ham and cheese sammich with frittes. Trained back to Gent... Shortly afterwards I was back in the Waterhuis. Had a cheese platter with a Gulden Draak 9000 and then a Rochefort Extra Tripel.... Another good day... back to the room to catch up on Zzzzzsss.

Prost!

 

Back home now ... will get to days 13-16 shortly ..

Prost!+

 

Still based in Gent...

Monday, day 13... weather was rather crappy, so I hopped a train for the quick journey to Mechelen. Stopped briefly at the Dossin Kazerne. This is an old military barracks which the ****s used to gather up Jews before sending them off on transports to their deaths.... I'd done the museum before, but I had to stop into the Jewish Memorial another time. Words can't explain... Then it was a quick walk to Het Anker Brewing... parked in the tap-room and had a tasty Tripel, plus some nice cheese and crackers... Finished with their superb Whiskey Infused Belgian Dark. Oh yeah!! Meandered through town before training back to Gent. Grabbed some chow and then to Dulle Griet for biers....Had heard a lot of good about Paix Dieu.... but it didn't hit me as much more than another solid Tripel, nothing great. Finished up with a couple from the great brewery in western Belgium, Struise. Robert the Great was damn good, and the Black Damnation XIX Maestro was even better..... Kanight!!

Tuesday, day 14... another so-so day weather-wise... on the train to Antwerp.... had a great order of Frittes (with Samurai sauce!) and then did a bit of photo-shooting... Hit the Kulminator but, alas, it was closed for a few weeks. Had tried to ascertain opening hours on the intrawebs, but got nowhere... Back to Gent where I parked my fat ass ass at Dulle Griet and partook of a couple of Rochefort Triple Extras.... damn fine bier!!! Then over to Het Waterhuis where a Val Dieu Tripel awaited me. Choked that down and had a Gulden Draak 9000 chaser.... Trappistenhuis was on my way back to my room, so I sez, WTF, Gus?! There I had a big-ass cheese platter with all the fixins and a couple more Rochefort Triple Extras.... Two more days left here, but the weather is shaping up nicely....

Prost!!

 

Didn't know de Dolle was there.... will plan better next time!

And best to Leen!!