Poperinge beer and hops

A cart used in hop yards for stringing outside the Hop Museum

Staying in Poperinge from 24-27 October, 2025, gave an opportunity to visit some local bars, walk around the town, visit the annual beer festival and to make side trips to Ypres and Westvleteren. See other posts for: Folk games in Poperinge pubs; Ypres and Westvleteren; Poperinge Bierfestival.

Cafe de Snoek

Near the railway station terminus, Cafe de Snoek was visited with Graham, after we returned from Ypres by train on Friday night. Nearby Cafe Britannia had looked more inviting earlier that evening but it had closed in the meantime.

It was well lit inside and we found a table with a view of the bar which was decked with hops. The draught beer range included Jupiler, Cristal and Rodenbach Classic. 

Tim chose bottled beers here - St Bernardus Tripel (€4) and later Tripel Plukker (€4) shortly before 'last call' at 11.45pm. Although the St Bernardus Tripel seemed dry for a Tripel, the Tripel Plukker now brewed nearby at Terrest Brewery was impressive, especially for head retention.

Bistro de Stadsschaal

At Gasthuisstraat 7, Bistro de Stadsschaal has an impressive frontage. There is also a back entrance which leads to the toilet block and the courtyard of the Hop Museum.

The courtyard features a large poster with a map of the Belgian part of the Westhoek region showing breweries, hop gardens and the hop museum building. 

While Graham and Les visited the hop museum, Tim and David went inside the Bistro which has an upmarket style. Draught beers include Stella Artois, St Bernardus Tripel Blond, Poperings Hommelbier and Queue de Charue Ploegsteert Blond.

Despite knowing it as a dry beer, Tim ordered Poperings Hommelbier (€3.50) as it seemed the most appropriate place to taste it again. The entrance to the Hop Museum could be seen through the window from our table.

The extensive bottled beer list includes 13 Belgian blonde beers and 11 in other styles. Brewed nearby at Terrest Brewery, De Plukker Keikoppenbier, a 6.1% ABV 'hoppy blonde', is derived from a nickname (stone heads) given to people from Poperinge by their long-time rivals in Ypres.

Having completed their visit to the Hop Museum, Graham and Les joined David and Tim and later our group headed north and east along Gasthuisstraat towards GAST and the town centre, passing Skindles Guest House built in 1720 and historic Talbot House on the way.

GAST

GAST (Guest - 'our name stands for hospitality') is on the other side of the road at Gasthuisstraat 24. 

The beer cafe with 12 draught beers was opened by Ines and Kim in July 2023 after ten months of renovations.

Inside, there's a lot of exposed brick and greenery including hops. The seating and tables are in a basic contemporary style.

Tim's choice from the draught beers and listed on the 'suggestions' blackboard was Terrest Golden Tripel, served in a thin stemmed 33cl glass. The printed menu lists 16 bottled beers in the Blond section and a wide range of other beers at competitive prices e.g. St Bernardus Extra 4 €3.4, Poperings Hommelbier €3.6. A visit to GAST, suggested by David (above right) was a good idea. 

When we were ready to leave for Poperinge Bierfestival, Kim suggested that we should try Soesol there, the first available beer brewed by Brouwmens  - three Poperinge friends - Pepijn, Jordi and Michiel. Reader, we followed Kim's advice.

D'n Hommelzak

Later on Saturday, David, Graham, Mark and Tim left the beer festival for a meal at D'n Hommelzak (The Hop sack) which is situated at Paardenmarkt 10b, above the Carrefour Express and reached by a door to the left of the supermarket entrance followed by stairs. Having arrived later than the others while waiting for the rain to ease, Tim was directed to a billiards and snooker room where the others were already seated at an overflow table, due to the main bistro room being completely full. 

Photo: Mark Geeson

Mark and David were full of praise for their steak dishes while Tim and Graham also enjoyed their spaghetti based meals. Yves, our genial host was most accommodating and as well as serving us personally was keen to chat and see if any of us had an interest in football. We had to disappoint him on that score! 

The menu features a variety of bottled beers with Poperings Hommelbier and Tripel Plukker among many Blond beers. The draught beers are Stella Artois, Palm and Leffe Blond.

We told Yves that he can expect a reservation for a visit from a larger contingent of our festival-going friends next year.

Other cafes and bars in Poperinge

Apart from three featured in the Folk games in Poperinge pubs post (Het Mysterie, In den Havermuis and De Legen Doorn), the two below may justify a visit in future:

The Old Fiddler

De Nieuwe Toren

Folk games in Poperinge pubs

A first visit to Poperinge beer festival in October 2025, gave an opportunity to also visit several ' Folk sports cafes ' with a variety of Flemish 'folk games' as part of a city walk .

'Shot at Dawn' memorial by Anno Dijkstra with a hollow base.

On Sunday 26 October, Tim's walk started in Burggraaf Frimoutpark named after Dirk Frimout , the first Belgian astronaut. The park features a raised wooden walkway, paths, trees and statues. 

Town Hall  -  Master Ghybe  -  War Memorial

After a circuit of the park, Tim crossed the Grote Markt with the Town Hall on one corner across from St Bertinus church. Near the church there is a war memorial and the Master Ghybe statue where the folklore figure sits backwards on a donkey holding a boulder which relates to longstanding rivalry between Poperinge and Ypres. The boulder is the symbol of the people of Poperinge who are also called "keikop" (stone head).

The next stage of the route was to walk the length of Quintens Wandeling from its starting point between 45 and 47 Professor Dewulfstraat. This follows the route of the former Poperinge - Hazebrouck railway line, closed to passengers since 1954 with the track removed in 1972. 

Het Mysterie

Volksspelencafe Het Mysterie, Abeelseweg 29, lies just south of the town's ring road (Westlaan).

There's a bar for drinkers on the left and a larger room on the right of the central entrance. I sat in the front corner of the larger room and ordered St Bernardus Pater 6 brewed locally at Watou.

There's a selection of available bottles on display on five shelves at the inside end of this room. There may only be a few draught beers but a wide range of local, unusual and Trappist bottled beers means that there is something to satisfy every beer lover.

One shelf has 'witch / spooky themed' beers including Quintine Blonde, four from De Bie Brouwerij and three from Brouwerij De Moare. There's a bottle of Picon on the top shelf. 

With Halloween approaching it was hard to tell how much of the spooky decor was permanent and how much was added for Halloween. The gas canister 'pumpkins' outside were particularly impressive.

I was well looked after at Het Mysterie and was given a small dish of different cheeses. Later, I ordered soup with bread for lunch and was then treated to more cheese that had been left over from the lunch for an extended family group who had been sitting around a large table in the same room.

There are further rooms in a timber extension behind the premises and beyond that a long garden. This is where most of the 'folk games / sports' are played. 

It was a delight to see people enjoying themselves in traditional pastimes involving mental and physical skills. Most of the games were played on boards or frames made from wood.

It was obvious from their customers that Het Mysterie has an appeal for people of all ages.

Bierhuis In den Havermuis

Returning towards Poperinge, taking a path parallel to Quintens Wandeling, gives views of Poperingevaart and a group of local residents on walkabout!

Where this path ends at a street named Havermuis (Harvest mouse?!), the western brick wall of In den Havermuis is visible, 50 metres up a slight slope, where Quintens Wandeling meets Havermuis.

The bricks at the front have been painted white and there is a wooden fence with a wide gate. The Bierhuis looked closed but there was some sound from inside and after opening the green door I was greeted by a lively pub dog eager to assess a new arrival. 

Thankfully, the proprietor calmed his dog and as only one table in the room was occupied, I was soon seated and served with a glass of Queue de Charrue Ploegsteert Blond from a bottle (€4). This fairly sweet 6.6% ABV Belgian Blonde is brewed by Vanuxeem at Ploegsteert, 20 km to the south, near the border with France and Armentieres. The two draught beers were Stella Artois and Brugse Zot.

From my table, I could see display cabinets filled with mouse figures, a standing mouse wearing a coat in a brick alcove and a tall cage with canaries next to the bar, behind a wooden fence to keep the dog away.

It was lucky that on Sundays the Bierhuis provides complimentary snacks at lunchtime and I enjoyed a small dish with hot chicken wings and sausages!

Before leaving I enquired about folk games but was only able to learn that these are only played here during summer months. It was just possible to leave through the narrowly opened door without the lively dog escaping. 

Less cold and still bright, the return to Poperinge along Quintens Wandeling gave a view of the Old Military Cemetery. Following the bronze arrow symbols for the route in the pavement at Deken de Bolaan led into Poperinge Communal Cemetery and on to the town centre.

De Legen Doorn

Situated north of the town centre, from Gasthuisstraat just follow Pottestraat up a gradual incline until you reach De Legen Doorn (The Empty Thorn) at the junction with Sint Sixtusstraat.

Arriving at 4.15pm, it was quiet in the front bar. The beer menu lists Streekbieren (regional beers) at the top, featuring Poperings Hommelbier, Tripel Plukker and four beers from St Bernardus brewed in Watou. 

St Bernardus Extra 4 Blond was rather dry for my taste but good value (€3.50).

There was a darts board and an unusual streamlined stove in the larger room on the other side from the bar. It gave out a lot of heat from burning coal.

I asked the lady who served me if I could see the folk games room and she kindly escorted me to the Boltra alley at the back of the building where a privately booked game was in progress. It was fascinating to watch the progress of the thick wooden discs being rolled down the trough-like alley even if the rules were unknown. Once again it was encouraging to see a group of mixed ages enjoying their drinks and activities. To play Boltra / Trabol here one must reserve the alley. I think the charge mentioned was €20 per hour.

Now it was only a 400 metre walk down Doornstraat to Maeke-Blydezaal to meet up with my CAMRA friends again for the second and final day of Poperinge Beer Festival. 

Ypres and Westvleteren - 2025

A first visit to Poperinge provided an opportunity to attend the nightly Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres (Ieper).

Poperinge station (terminus)

Technical problems with Le Shuttle caused a delay on Friday 24 October. However, there was just enough time for Tim to catch the 19.07 train from Poperinge, arriving Ieper at 19.14.

On a wet and windy night, a walk across town, passing Lakenhallen (In Flanders Field Museum) at the Grote Markt leads to Menenstraat.

The Menin Gate (Menenpoort) war memorial is now visible, providing a way through the historic city's defensive walls.

Meeting up with Graham at St. Arnoldus which offers 25 beers on tap, we found a place to stand under the Menin Gate, protected from the rain but not the wind! At 8pm, the Last Post was sounded and was followed by a short address and some choral music before another Last Post to finish. 

Thanks to the Last Post Association there is a ceremony at 8pm every day which is free to attend with no need to reserve a place.

Afterwards, we weren't the first to enter the Ypra Inn, on the corner, but we were just in time to secure a table and enjoy a glass of draught Ypra 'hoppy Belgian blonde' served in a tall stemmed glass. Tim's first beer in Belgium after a long day's travel tasted especially good!

Our next stop in Ypres, recommended by Jezza, author of Brugge Beer & Pub Guide, as 'the best bar in town', was Kaffee Bazaar at Boomgaardstraat 9, about 500 metres away, back towards the station.

Arriving at 9pm on a Friday we were fortunate to find a free table in the high ceilinged area by the front window giving a view towards the bar. with lights overhead, on the left side of the long room.

Tim's beer here chosen from a blackboard listing draught beers was Pater Lieven Blond brewed by Brouwerij Van Den Bossche (6.5% ABV, €5). 

It was Graham's round and he chose Hoppin' Frog Barrrel Aged D.O.R.I.S. the Destroyer, an American Double Oatmeal Russian Imperial Stout brewed in Akron, Ohio (10.5% ABV, €9).

We didn't have time to visit another bar recommended by Jezza - Øl Beerbar, next to Ypra Inn, which features eight 500 litre tanks for draught beer. Instead we caught the hourly train back to Poperinge at 10.25pm.

Westvleteren

Having 'topped' his Poperinge trip with Ypres, Tim was able to 'tail' it with a visit to Westvleteren, thanks to a ride in Terry's car, on the way back to Calais for Le Shuttle on Monday.

We wouldn't need to buy take away beers there after a kind Belgian friend kept his promise to donate a crate of 24 Trappist Westvleteren 12 to our group. Bless! 

With the crate safely loaded into Terry's car we set off for the Trappist brewery's renovated 'In de Vrede' taproom near to St. Sixtus Abbey. 

There's a large car park and a giant version of a Westvleteren beer glass, made from beer crates, outside the entrance.

Inside the spacious and airy contemporary space, there are plenty of large tables with bench seating. 

Cheers Terry!

Table service allowed us to look at the menu and soon our 'Croque monsieur' and Westvleteren beer orders were taken and delivered. Tim enjoyed Westvleteren Blond (5.8% ABV). It was interesting to see an old 'British road sign' mentioning Swindon and Southend. A notice mentions 'During WWI many camps were built around the St. Sixtus Abbey where soldiers could rest. The sign shows the campsite where the regiment stayed. (period 1917).'

St. Sixtus Abbey behind a high brick wall at exit from In de Vrede car park

All too soon it was time to depart, to give time for a supermarket stop before boarding Le Shuttle.