Antwerp - Beer Passion Weekend 2025

The 24th Bierpassie Weekend had a new (to Tim) setting in 2025 - Handelsbeurs Antwerpen. 

Since Tim's first attendance in 2016, the festival has been held in the paved open space of Groenplaats with views of the cathedral. 

However, longer serving members of the Belgian beer loving group, that Tim joined in 2016, advise that Handelsbeurs (Old Trade Exchange) was the setting for the first two events in 2000 and 2001.

The entrance to the festival is via Twaalfmaandenstraat, off Meir, Antwerp's main pedestrian street, near one of the inconspicuous entrances to Antwerpen Meir metro station.

At the entrance counter, one can purchase an entrance package including a tasting glass and beer tokens. Those returning with a tasting glass from a previous session or year can simply purchase the number of plastic beer tokens they require. This year tokens cost €3.50 for each 20cl tasting glass pour. 

A useful illustrated programme with a plan (above), music programme and tasting notes by beer sommelier and festival organiser Ben Vinken is also available.

The official opening was at 5pm on Friday 20 June. Tim arrived at 7pm and was joined by Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon about half an hour later. 

Richard & Andrew    +     Keith, Tim & Simon

Seats were available on one of the two long tables covered with white tablecloths. With a view of the stage from the middle of the room, this was our base for the rest of the evening.

Friday's musical entertainment was supplied by Floris and the Flames - a high energy set featuring Floris Willem playing violin.

Out of seven beers tasted at this session, Tim's favourite was Kasteel Tropical (7% ABV) with four others rating highly: Duvel Imperial Blond (10% - limited edition),  Paix Dieu Nova (6%), Stuut Juicy Dolly (5.8% - NEIPA) and Gulden Draak Blond (8%). These were all new beers since the last festival, marked Nieuw in red in the programme.

Handelsbeurs proved a welcome change of setting for the festival. As well as being good for socialising in an historic environment, another benefit was toilet facilities that were free to access, in contrast to the charge made at Groenplaats. We were among the last to leave at midnight.

Our group returned to Handelsbeurs on Saturday 21 June around 8.30pm and were again able to find seats at one of the central tables.

Saturday's musical entertainment was provided by Big Band Ekeren Brasschaat.

Tim's first two beers were disappointing but Brugse Zot Blond (6% ABV) was as good as ever.

Andrew's kind gift of a surplus token was a welcome chance to enjoy another glass of Kasteel Tropical before we left. Cheers!

Antwerp & Lillo by Waterbus 20 June 2025

View of Antwerp docks and Museum aan de Stroom from DeWaterbus

After arriving in Antwerp the previous day and with a day to enjoy before the opening evening of Bierpassie / Beer Passion Weekend 2025 on the evening of Friday 20 June, our group went in two directions. While long time festival goers Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon would meet at Antwerpen Centraal for the train to Gent / Ghent, Tim, a relative newcomer to the group, decided to take his first trip on De Waterbus from Steenplein on Antwerp's waterfront downstream to Lillo.

Hollandstraat - the shady side opposite my apartment

Tim's morning started with a walk from his holiday apartment on Hollandstraat to Lidl on van der Wervestraat. This walk involved crossing Sint-Jansplein with its busy market and discovering two interesting structures at opposing corners of the open space. 

There's a monument dedicated to Panamarenko, the Belgian inventor / artist who lived nearby and a colourful curved kiosk for community events. Lidl proved useful for breakfast foods and coffee pads that would fit the old Senseo espresso coffee machine in the apartment.

   University    -    'T Kleintje    -     Het Steen

After breakfast, keeping to the shade where possible, a walk down Paardenmarkt, Klapdorp, Zirkstraat and Zakstraat gave glimpses of the university and passed some interesting bars and shops and the inevitable roadworks.

A sign at the entrance to the Steenplein landing stage on the river Scheldt, near Het Steen, gives details of routes, times, rules and fares. These details are also available from the DeWaterbus website. 

Tickets can be purchased online or on board the ferry when staff check tickets and destinations. The Zone 3 (North) fares for Lillo are €4 / €6 return with reduced rates for 65+ years (€3.50 / €5 return).

The landing stage offers virtually no protection from the sun / rain but there are railings at the edges. Bicycles are parked in the rear open section which may not leave much room left for passengers preferring to travel in this section rather than the large enclosed cabin which has full length windows.

The route passes docks and industrial sites and possibly freight ships. It takes almost an hour to reach Lillo after three stops on the other bank of the river. Passengers are expected to know when to get off. Stops are not displayed on the cabin screen and may not be announced. Ask a crew member if you have arrived at Lillo if necessary.

There is a narrow pier from the landing stage at Lillo to dry land. A panoramic view towards the landing stage includes cooling towers of the Doel nuclear power station on the opposite bank.

Limited shelter is available for passengers to the right of an information board.

There's a board with a map of Lillo a little further inland. Sections of the moat remain and there is a yacht club harbour near the river. It was time to explore the settlement and find a bar for a lunchtime beer.

The main street leads to a square by a church with a corner bar Taverne 't Pleintje.

With De Koninck listed in the menu as one of the draught beers (€3.30), a Bolleke was the obvious choice for a first beer of the day, brewed nearby in Antwerp. All the customers were sat at tables in the square and table service was efficient.

Duly refreshed, an exploratory walk around Lillo and its raised perimeter was interesting and there was some welcome shade from trees in some parts. The square brick building behind a high wall in the central photo above is the Kruitmagazijn (gunpowder magazine). It was built in 1810 by order of Napoleon to store 50 tons of gunpowder. 

Returning to the central square, an attempt to enter the premises under the sign In de 7 Saeligheden with an exterior featuring beer signs, was refused with the explanation that it is now just an ice cream store with a counter for the street.

Instead I was invited to buy a home made ice cream but another beer had more appeal so apologies were made and a promise to recommend the establishment to friends - please tell them Tim sent you when you visit Marktje 7!

Returning to Taverne 't Pleintje an opportunity was taken to order another classic beer from  Antwerp - Seef bier brewed by Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie reasonably priced at €4.20 for a 33cl bottle. Bootje's bier (brewed with ginger and coriander) and Radio Minerva Tripel are also available.

A short walk back to the pier was timed to coincide with the 3pm departure of DeWaterbus back to Antwerp. 

Don't miss an opportunity to explore the river Scheldt and Lillo c/o DeWaterbus if you find yourself in Antwerp on a fine day.

R,A,K & S at Het Waterhuis (Photo Richard R) - A,K,S & R at Trollekelder (Photo Andrew B)

I could tell from WhatsApp messages that Andrew, Keith, Richard and Simon were having a good day out in Gent / Ghent visiting canalside Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant and two of my recommendations: Artevelde and Trollekelder. 

A message from Andrew on WhatsApp advised that they would arrive back in Antwerp by train at 19.07 and head straight to Handelsbeurs for the opening session of BierPassie Weekend. With another three hours in Antwerp before the rendezvous, Tim had time for a light meal at Msemen and a couple of beers at De Ware Jacob. 

Located on the pedestrianised Hoogstraat, Msemen has a delightful calm inner courtyard with shade and the sound of running water from a water fountain. The Msemen Aladin is a freshly baked crisp Moroccan pancake filled with ricotta cheese, honey, rocket, cherry tomatoes, paprika, chickpeas and spicy olives costing €9.90 and is recommended.

A visit to nearby De Ware Jacob in nearby Vlasmarkt is an essential component of any Antwerp visit for Tim and on this afternoon its nautical theme seemed especially appropriate.

There were customers at the outside tables but the interior, beyond a closed door with a handwritten 'AIRCO' sign, was a more attractive on this hot day.

Among other notable features, the availability of Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux on draught, is always a reason to return and Guy kindly poured and delivered a glass of this distinctive 9.5% ABV beer to my table in return for €5. His shorts, t shirt and bucket hat, as seen above, suited the heat of the day.

Late afternoon on a weekday is a good time to visit De Ware Jacob. The soundtrack included music from Lucinda Williams, Chicken Shack, The Pogues, Johnny Cash and Van Morrison but the volume still allowed conversations across the room to be heard. A visiting American told Guy that he had been in the acclaimed Cafe Kulminator earlier when two customers had been thrown out. The only explanation he could offer for this happening was that one had placed a heavy item on a tray which was supported by two crates!

The monthly guest draught beer was Chimay 175, a 6.5% ABV pale Blonde, available exclusively in casks to celebrate the 175th anniversary of Scourmont Abbey, the home of Trappist monks and the brewery. A rare treat and one to savour.

Once the sun had dropped, Guy opened the door and it would soon be time for Tim to take the 10 minute walk to Handelsbeurs. See a subsequent post for a description of Friday and Saturday evenings spent at BierPassie Weekend ...

Saturday night in Saint Gilles, Brussels

Saint-Gilles lies south of Brussels Midi / Zuid station and the city's Petite Ceinture inner ring road. It's easy to reach by Premetro lines 4 and 10 with routes southwards via Gare du Nord and Gare du Midi.

There are many Art Nouveau buildings in the neighbourhood. Landmarks include Porte de Hal / Halle Gate in the south, Saint-Gilles church at the west end of a broad plaza 'Parvis Saint-Gilles', the Barriere roundabout with a central La Porteuse d'Eau statue where seven roads meet and the Town Hall 'Administration' building (photo below). 

Moeder Lambic Original

On Saturday 8 March 2025, after spending two nights within a half mile radius of the Grand Place, our group agreed to go further afield for the last night of a long weekend trip. Jeff wanted to visit the original Moeder Lambic bar and Tim suggested travelling to the Albert stop which is at a high point in this sloping neighbourhood.

Heading downhill from 'Albert' along Rue Arthur Diderich we reached Moeder Lambic, Rue de Savoie 68, at 7.30pm. Only one outside table was free but a group was leaving as we arrived, freeing up tables inside. The furniture is made from chunky pale wood in a distinctive style.

The draught beer and snacks menu on a blackboard above the bar offers a wide range of styles including six Lambics and Bieres Acides. Two 'Les Pintes du Mois' are keenly priced at €6.50 for 50cl.

Our choices included Harmony (Brasserie des Legendes 6% ABV, in foreground, from Bieres Douces section) and Berliner Bros (Brasserie de la Mule, in the straight glass). There is another Moeder Lambic bar at Place Fontainas 8 in Brussels. We could easily have spent longer at this original bar but the novelty of a different bar also appealed.

Brasserie Verschueren

A longer walk downhill, past the Town Hall (top photo) and then past the Barriere roundabout, continuing past Snack Murat on Chaus. de Waterloo, brought us to Brasserie Verschueren on Parvis Saint-Gilles near the church.

The many outside tables were busy but we found a good table near an open window and ordered beers at the bar before a queue developed at this busy bar where drinks are quickly served. A relatively short list on the blackboard above the bar makes the choice easier. Rich chose a bottle of Tripel Verschueren (Brasserie de la Senne) and Tim chose draught Verschueren Saison (Brasserie De Ranke) which was tasting especially good.

The football league table on the wall at the far end of the bar is one of the special features here. We could have spent longer here but we needed a meal at this point.

La Porteuse d'Eau

We had decided to try La Porteuse d'Eau with its broad menu that included Mussels and Frites. It is only 200 metres down Avenue Jean Volders and features Art Nouveau windows and an illuminated sign of the girl carrying water who is also featured in the central statue at the Barriere roundabout.

The good news was that a round table seating five was available on the first floor up a spiral staircase and underneath a colourful stained glass dome. The bad news was that mussels were off the menu tonight. 

Rich and Mike consulting the menu

We started with a drinks order and consulted our menus. While Tim chose Hopus, Rich chose Rodenbach Alexander, Mike chose a Trappistes Rochefort, Jeff chose Rodenbach Classic and Pat switched to red wine. There was general satisfaction with our meals when they arrived but Tim would have liked more gravy with his Stoemp and sausage! However, the art nouveau decor and surroundings were hard to fault.

Brasserie de l'Union

Leaving the restaurant just before 11pm, left us with time for a beer at Brasserie de l'Union, a short walk back to Parvis Saint-Gilles and then a left turn to the east end of the lively pedestrian plaza where it's located at the junction with Rue de Moscou.

Rich and Mike pour their Flanders Red beers

While Pat switched again to Pastis, Rich and Mike stuck with Flanders Red beers and Tim enjoyed a Tripel Karmeliet. Brasserie de l'Union has links with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise football club. 

The small board with the menu of the day included some good value options with payment in cash suggested.

A short walk down Rue de Moscou, then Rue de la Victoire and then west along Av. de la Porte de Hal would bring us to a Metro entrance after passing the floodlit Porte de Hal, set in gardens, around midnight. 

This had been Jeff, Mike, Pat and Rich's last night in Brussels but Tim stayed on for an extra day in Belgium, allowing for a visit to Ghent on a sunny Sunday and described in a Ghent on foot blog post. 

By Brussels Bourse

View of the Bourse from interior of Falstaff

The streets around Brussels neoclassical style Bourse are now pedestrianised. As well as Belle Epoque brasseries there are nearby alleyways leading to traditional bars. The Bourse itself is now the home of Belgian Beer World with a rooftop terrace and Beerlab bar which may require a ticket to access.

Brasseries

Falstaff

Dating from 1903, Le Falstaff is situated south-west of the Bourse at Rue Henri Maus 19. The interior is laid with matching tables and chairs. 

There are many mirrors and art nouveau style features including the design of the front windows that overlook the Bourse.

At lunchtime on Monday 10 March, 2025, Falstaff was very quiet and a lone waiter eventually served a 33cl glass of Hoegaarden Blanche with an unrequested lemon slice together with a complimentary bowl of sweet popcorn (€5.50). 

Luckily my reply had been 'small' to his earlier question of normal or small! 

A full menu is served and the beer menu also includes draught Jupiler Pils, Leffe Blond & Brun and Belle-Vue Kriek Classique. All draught beers are available in 50cl and 1 litre measures as well as 'small'. Bottles of Trappist beer are competitively priced e.g Westmalle €4.50, Chimay Bleue €4.80 and Orval €4.80 (March 2025).

Natural light reaches the back of the large room through stained glass windows.

A visit to the toilets downstairs reveals three traditional full height white ceramic urinals and various posters for live music events.

Le Cirio

Founded in 1886, with redesigned decor from 1909, Le Cirio is situated north-east of the Bourse at Rue de la Bourse / Beursstraat 18.

Our group visited on a sunny Friday lunchtime - 7 March 2025. A reasonably priced full menu is available but as we were only visiting for a beer, our waiter directed us to a table in the back part of the large room. Curved mirrors line the walls above bench seating with high backed chairs to match the wooden tables.

Our beer order was mainly bottled Westmalle beers. Westmalle Dubbel, Tripel and Extra were all priced at €4.70 (March 2025). The draught beers include Maes Pils, Blanche du Bruges, Grimbergen Dubbel and Leffe Blonde.

A visit to the toilets will reveal a bank of three full height white ceramic urinals that have served male customers well over the years.

Although Le Falstaff and Le Cirio are very close, unless you are especially interested in comparing their styles immediately, there is an argument for visiting them on different days to gain a better overall experience as the beer range in both is rather limited.

A La Mort Subite

Galeries Royale Saint Hubert

Some distance from the Bourse and approachable via the pedestrianised Rue du Marche au Herbes and the covered arcades of Galeries Royale Saint Hubert, A La Mort Subite can be found at Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres 7. Theodore Vossen founded A La Mort Subite in 1928 and gave his brewery the same name.

With a more interesting beer range, a visit here combined well with our previous visit to Le Cirio that had been followed by an al fresco lunch of Belgian beer and frites from Friterie Patatak, Rue de la Bourse 34.

A narrower room than at Falstaff or Le Cirio, but just as deep and again featuring bench seating against the walls with mirrors above.

Memories of unsympathetic waiters were forgotten when our waiter approached in a friendly manner eager to advise us in our chosen language. The menu includes Gueuze sur Lie and Lambic Gueuze but my choice was draught Lambic Blanche (€6.30). Trappist bottles are expensive here e.g. Orval €7.50. As at other bars, the menu specifies that only a single bill will be issued for each table.

Alleyway bars

Sadly, two of the long established alleyway bars near the Bourse and just off Rue du Marche aux Herbes have closed. These traditional small bars: A l'Imaige Nostre-Dame and Au Bon Vieux Temps are found in Impasse des Cadeaux and Impasse Saint-Nicholas respectively. A 2024 blog post features Au Bon Vieux Temps.

A la Becasse

Near the Bourse and in an alley at Rue de Tabora 11, A la Becasse was visited by our group before Le Cirio. The date over the door is 1877. The bird with a long beak in the images is a woodcock.

We picked a table near the bar at the end of the room which has wood panelling on the walls, windows with stained glass, floor tiles, bench seating against walls, high backed chairs and attractive wooden tables with curved edges. The draught beers served in jugs are Timmermans Lambic Doux and Lambic Blanche. I enjoyed a bottle of Timmermans Kriek Lambicus.

Toone & Delirium Cafe etc

We passed (Theatre Royale de) Toone and Delirium Cafe while walking to / from the Bourse. 

Toone, established 1830, has regular puppet theatre shows and also has a bar. It can be approached from an alleyway off Pt Rue des Bouchers at Impasse Schuddeveld 6. 

Delirium Cafe and related bars are in Impasse de la Fidelite which is off Rue des Boucheurs, a pedestrian road with many restaurants that also crosses Galeries Royale Saint Hubert at its midpoint. 

Impasse de la Fidelite is also the location for Jeanneke Pis, a female version of the more famous Mannekin Pis water feature.