Beer in Brussels

my suggestions:

add Bier circus
avoid Delirium like the plague

 

I wanted to say....AVOID Brussels!

 

Avoid Delirium, but if you go, just hit the Hoppy Loft. Moeder Lambic is your best bet. Enjoy some awesome bottles at Cantillon in their tasting room if lambic is your thing. If you haven't done so already, pick up a copy of the Great Beer Guide to Belgium: http://www.booksaboutbeer.com/collections/frontpage/products/good-beer-guide-belgium

Cheers!

 

Drie Fonteinen

 

3F is in Beersel, a short drive/bus ride from Brussels, but it is not *in* Brussels.

 

Oops, thanks for clarifying!

 

Add Nuetnigenough for tasty food and beautiful beermenu, dinner during the week and lunch&dinner in the weekend. Or a bit more fancy is Les Brigitinnes, about 800mtr. from Moeder Lambic Fontainas, but they have outstanding dishes often prepared with Cantillon or De La Senne beers. De La Senne on tap and a good bottled Cantillon list. Restobières is also an option in the Marollen neighbourhood which is a nice area to walk around, certainly when the flea market is happening on the 'Vossenplein'. Anothe good beer with a good selection is La Porte Noire, rue des Alexiens. It's situated in a basement so if you spend too much time there you will be absolutely clueless wether it's evening, night or norning. A bit further than Deliurium you'll find Délices&caprices, a small bottle shop/bar run by a passionate couple with attention for personal care and a good word with every beer they serve.

 

Though a lot of peeps hate on Delirium, Ive taken friends there twice on separate trips and they have both been very happy I did. Its worth at least one beer to have there. BUT go early in the day!! It is so crowded at night with drunk college age kids.

 

I second this. Awesome place to go for a noobie to Belgium, but go early in the day when it's not loud and overrun by the college kids. I'm over it having been there 5-6 times, but I had a ton of ticks there when I first moved to Belgium. Poo pooing this place seems to be the "more beer nerd than thou" thing to do these days.

 

Sorry, but I disagree. One reason I dislike Delirium is it's generic, college bar atmosphere. Granted, it's better in the afternoon before the drunk kids come out, but the decor and atmosphere make me feel like I'm still in the states. Another reason is the area it's in - the crappiest, phoney, overpriced tourist area in Brussels. The main reason, though, is the large number of unique, atmospheric, and wonderful beer cafes in Brussels that have excellent beer lists that will please any beer fan. These cafes are all over the city, from the center to interesting sectors that are authentic, unlike the area Delirium is in. They aren't difficult to reach and you see the real Brussels in the process. You will meet Belgians in these places, as well as adventurous and curious travelers.

Having spent 4 - 5 months in Brussels on numerous trips to Belgium since 1998, I feel sorry for anyone that has a few days in Brussels and wastes that precious time at Delirium. There is are so many better places to be discovered.

 

Where do you suggest?

 

I post this list occasionally when someone asks for specific recommendations. It's not meant to be comprehensive. The guide I mention takes care of that. I don't list places like Moeder Lambic because they're well known. Nothing wrong with that, though, and Moeder Lambic is much more preferable than Delirium. Spending a couple/three days exploring Brussels with the guide and finding your way to some of these places will show you a number of the city's most interesting areas and get you away from the crush of tourists focused on the Grand Place and Mannequin Pis. Your reward, in addition to seeing the real Brussels, will be discovering it's best cafes and enjoying their beer lists.

You can join the tourist sheep that pack Delirium if you want, but the place has little to interest me.


Here are some of my favorite cafes and restaurants in Brussels. There are numerous others and the best thing you can do is buy a copy of Around Brussels in 80 Beers, by Joe Stange and Yvan De Baets. It's indispensible if you'll be spending time there. It's expensive on Amazon, but the Waterstone's bookstore in the city center shopping district has it for 13 euros. Google map the cafes and locate on a good street map. Check opening hours - many places close early part of week. Have fun and explore.

Cafes:

le Bier Circus
57 Rue de l'Enseignement
One of the best beer lists at 200+. Spend an evening at the small bar in the back and ask owner Patrick for recommendations. Check hours, closed Sun., Mon.

Monk
42 Rue Sainte-Catherine
Classic old brown cafe near city center but away from tourists. Great at night but pm good too.

la Fleur en Papier Dore
55 Rue des Alexiens
old, historic small cafe that is only place in city with Oud Beersel Lambic. Amazing interior.

Brocante
170 Rue Blaes
Great cafe in Marolles area that specializes in lambics. Great atmosphere.

l'Ultime Atome
14 Rue Saint Boniface(Ixelles district)
See my review. Ignore most recent review. go in late pm or evening.

Cafe Belga
Place Eugene Flagey(Ixelles)

Restaurants with beer cuisine:

le Brassins
36 Rue Keyenveld(Ixelles)
Amazing, reasonably priced, food and good beer list. Can walk to/from l'Ultime Atome.

Restobieres
32 Rue des Renards
Great funky atmosphere and fantastic food. Deserts are excellent. Afterward you can walk down street a couple blocks to Brocante.

 

@Kozel awesome, go to Cantillon asap it's rumored that they still have fou. Not sure if that is true, but still awesome place that can't go by without experiencing!!

 

And surely available for drinking on site in any case.

 

I bought some on Saturday morning, so yeah, they still have it.

 

I went today and they had Fou Foune as well as Lou Pepe Kriek.