Some good beer plans for this year and one of them is posting Belgian Beer News on a regular basis. In 2026, there will be another Toer de Geuze on May 9-10, an open day for all lambiek and geuze lovers. Most lambiek breweries and blenderies (excluding Cantillon, Girardin) will showcase their best lambiek beers and exclusive bottles. 3 Fonteinen might be open although they are not a member to Horal (horal.be). In case you happen to visit Mechelen (city between Antwerp and Brussels), visit the Beer Bar Den Stillen Genieter (https://www.denstillengenieter.be/index.html). You won't be disappointed. Talking about Mechelen is talking about Brewery Het Anker. Former CEO Charles Leclef received a Life Time Achievement Award from the City of Mechelen. Last year, Huisbrouwerij Domus Brauhaus celebrated its 40th anniversary: https://domusleuven.be/huisbrouwerij-brauhaus/ A new beer from Brewery Seef (Antwerp): Zurenborger. Tasting opinions tend to differ. Beer Godfather Menno Olivier (who once made Brewery De Molen in the Netherlands unforgettable) affiliated to the Spanish Brewery La Pirata. Critial note: have Rodenbach Grand Cru, Rodenbach Vintage and Liefmans Goudenband become less sour due to the fact that they are part of portfolios of large beer companies (large as in Belgian large, I mean)?
Sako is also a HORAL member now. They’re quite an interesting brewery, around for some time (2018), they make their own lambiek and have 1000 hl. of lambiek stored but they don’t seem to have much presence. I quite liked their early beers, but when I visited last tour de geuze, everything was terrible. It was so bad they renamed all their beers a while back. Den Stillen Genieter is indeed up there with the classic bars with an eccentric owners. I can still remember regular Rodenbach having some sourness and foederbier being available. Not sure if I feel that Grand Cru has changed that much recently but definitely possible.
Interesting to hear about Sako aka Bogaerden. I haven't had their beers but bought a ticket for the HORAL bus that goes to Lindemans, Hanssens, Boon, Sako. I've really enjoyed the Boon event during the Toer in the past and was planning on maybe just staying there if I'm having fun and skipping Sako as it's easy to take the train back to Brussels from Boon. Your post increases that likelihood.
If you haven't booked your Toer de Geuze for May 9&10, there may still be spots on the Podge's bus leaving from East Anglia on the 8th. (I wanted to go but can't make this one as I have to scoot back to the States to stay legal in the UK.) The Toer and tour itinerary is at https://www.podgebeer.co.uk/tour-72-hops-pops.html
Here is an update: - Café Cambrinus (Bruges) is already 20 yrs in the same hands: decent food and beers. Check it out: https://www.cafecambrinus.eu/ - Café Vlissinghe, oldest bar in Bruges, has new owners after 28 years. The bar interior is mainly datiing from 1870. - Kulminator: please do not jump to conclusions - wait and see - Dead Man's Hand (Brewery Het Nest) is creating a fashionable 0.0 % ABV - In the Province of Flemish Brabant, 2026 is the Year of the Bear: https://www.visitvlaamsbrabant.be/bier - When you pass Ostende at the coast, go to Den Toogoloog in Middelkerke: https://www.dentoogoloog.be/ - Alain De Laet, owner of Brewery Het Anker, is calling colleagues to join his claim against high import taxes in the US: "Together we are stronger." https://www.rtv.be/actualiteit-en-n...ouwerij-het-anker-roept-collegas-op-tot-claim - Great new beer from Brewery De Ranke: Terre Unique is a fine combination of Chardonnay grapes grown on the fields of a hop farm in West Flanders. - I recently visited Chimay Poteaupré, brewpub in Chimay, and found out that they cut down on their aged, matured cheese. Currently, they only sell "young" cheese, still good but very sad.
