Leuven - Friday night

Earlier on Friday 23 March, we had called in briefly at M-Cafe, using the internal entrance from M-Museum, when there was insufficient time to visit an exhibition by Edgard Tytgat.

After a rest at the hotel, we returned to M-Cafe via the external entrance at Savoyestraat 10.

The dimly-lit interior of M-Museum is visible through a glass wall at the far end of the bar. I ordered Brasserie de la Senne Taras Boulba from the beer menu under the misapprehension that it was available on tap. 

In fact the 14 beers on tap are listed on a blackboard behind the bar.

Koen brought the beers to our table and chatted with us about the cafe. He accepted a copy of West Berkshire CAMRA's Ullage magazine from my stock. We passed Koen's 'beer test' questions - I identified Brasserie de la Senne as a brewery from Brussels. Koen mentioned that M-Cafe holds regular beer events and that people were gathering this evening for a presentation about the Arthur's Legacy beers brewed at Brouwerij de Hoorn where Cornet is also brewed.

Later, Gunter Slachmuylders noticed that we were taking an interest in the presentation and invited us to stand at the side and sample a few of the beers that attendees were served while he translated salient points from the talk and slides. 
Gunter, quietly explained that he is employed by Brouwerij Palm (Steenhuffel) which owns Brouwerij Rodenbach (Roeselare) and Brouwerij de Gouden Boom (Brugge) as well as Brouwerij de Hoorn (Steenhuffel).

Simon was overjoyed to discover that Alexander, named after Alexander Rodenbach (b 28/9/1786), is now being produced again at Brouwerij Rodenbach for general sale. 'This mixed fermentation beer consists of two thirds beer that was matured in oak casks for 24 months and one third young beer, and has been subjected to maceration with sour cherries.'

After making a contribution towards the cost of the presentation we were able to sample Brugge Tripel Prestige 2016 (9.5% ABV) from Brouwerij de Gouden Boom. Also present at this event, Steven Bollion commented on Untappd 'Nose: juniper, coriander, orangepeel. Little Sweet, Dry, juniper, gin. Some cardboard... lemon, spicy....'. 

Simon and I had not intended to stay this long before finding a meal so we thanked Gunter and left before the end of the presentation and managed to find a table at De Werf, Hogeschoolplein 5, overlooking the square.

Simon's pasta with meatballs may have been a better choice than my pork wrap but my Duvel Tripel Hop Citra made a good accompaniment!

The decor is shabby chic with a 'decorating in progress' theme. It had an informal atmosphere and seems to be aimed at a student crowd serving popular beers and easy to prepare food.

Leuven's Oude Markt is famous for being ringed with bars of all types and has been named 'The Longest Bar in Europe'. 

We had identified Cafe Belge, Oude Markt 35, towards the lower left side of the www.use-it.travel map (illustrated by Studio Oogbouw) as a bar that should have some decent beer and arrived to find it dimly lit, noisy and crowded. 

 We found a space to stand below the DJ's pulpit, near the entrance to Cafe Belge. 

This was my chance to drink Pauwel Kwak from Brouwerij Bosteels from a new design freestanding glass. The famous hourglass shape is retained but it no longer requires a wooden holder. Closing time at Cafe Belge is 6am on Friday nights!

Oude Markt - looking south towards Heilige Drievuldigheidscollege

One beer here was enough and we emerged into the Oude Markt.

We called in to The Capital, Grote Markt 14 where there was one free table by the door. I enjoyed a bottle of one of my favourite beers - Hop Ruiter, an 8% IPA Tripel brewed by Scheldebrouwerij in Meer. We watched the chain-driven 'bottle lift' bringing beers up from the cellar to bar level and concluded that an employee must be based in the cellar simply to find bottles and place them on the constantly rotating lift.

We returned to M-Cafe shortly before midnight and found Koen and Steven at the bar. Only a few customers remained.

Steven introduced us to Spacelord from a 75cl bottle. With its coffee and vanilla flavours this was an ideal nightcap. 

The rear label has some nice graphics and plenty of information including ingredients (water, sugar, pale malt, chocolate malt, black malt, caramalt, malt extract, coffee, vanilla and cocoa), food matching suggestions and that 'Maltefakker' brewed Spacelord at Brouwerij de Vlier, Holsbeek (only 5km away). 

Subsequent research shows that it is usually possible to visit Brouwerij de Vlier's taproom on Saturdays from 16:00 to 20:00 and include a brewery tour at 15:00 for 5 euros. A return visit to Leuven seems necessary!

Oude Markt, Leuven

Friday night in Leuven had been interesting and enjoyable. Special thanks go to Koen, Steven and Gunter.