I need help. Its a once in a decade opportunity for me. I will be in Belgium for about 4 days from the 5 of December. Yes in the winter. So I could waste my time drinking beers I could source from where I am - but what can only be had in Belgium itself? I'll be coming from London, and still have a choice of where I'll land. The Westvleteren is an obvious choice I guess, but what else and where?
This is the beautiful thing: Go anywhere, restaurant or dive or beer-geek mecca, and you will find more unfamiliar and worthwhile stuff than you can fit in a session. I'm not kidding. Unless you've already done a fair bit of seeking out Belgian beers, I wouldn't stress about the must-go bars and such. At least for a first couple days, any likely looking spot will do you. After that, of course, you may want to riff off what you've liked, by getting to some of the oft-cited places (you'll find scores of threads, with scores of places) and asking for onward suggestions. Of course, if you have a list of sorts of your wants versus don't-need-agains, AND an idea of where you'll be, post again here.
Thanks for that. There are quite a few Belgian beers I can find right here in Australia, or at a pinch try and source and freight over. That being the case, my objective is to taste those beers that: can only be had while in Belgium, or those which would not travel at all well, or taste markedly different when young or on tap. So much of what we can get here is months and months in the bottle (ok, not a problem for many beers) and often past their best or at least mature versions of themselves. So my focus is on specific Beers rather than Venues, and where I will go will be determined by the list of beers I will be hunting. That's why I mentioned the Westvleteren - It simply can't be had here. The other Abbies' refectory beers also come to mind. But what else should I look for? Any suggestions most welcome.
Cheap Orval is my thing. Cheap Rochefort, Gueuze, lambics, so many that 4 days unless you drink yourself silly is just not enough time. find a bottle shop and send some back and just eat the shipping. I would spend the whole day at the cafe @ Westvleteren, and unless you got a car you will. I mean its a great day. make sure you check their schedule NOW versus yours.... get the new book Good Beer Guide to Belgium NOW, and make a list. everyone likes different stuff. Belgium may look small, but even in car it takes a while to go to many places that do not have major highways. of course if you just talking the big cities you can go by train fairly fast, I just hope its mild snow winter.
Very true...Cantillon on cask is a great thing. Plus everything else there is great. Go to both locations.
I did the same last year, and Brussels at that time of the year (while cold) is pretty awesome. The Christmas markets are open, decorations are up. Really neat to see. Given 4 days, personally I'd do Brussels (Cantillon, Moder, A La Becasse) with day trips to Beersel & Bruges.
Ah, I forgot to mention, don't be put off from a particular bar if you don't see a lot of taps. The local heritage is more about bottle conditioning so that's what you find. Places with more than half a dozen taps are mainly novelties of the last decade. (Which I welcome.) Similar point for lambic on draft. Good point above about Christmas markets, makes for a fun atmosphere, and there are good ones in most sizable towns.
