Beer Europe: Brasserie de Bertinchamps

Finding an old postcard of Dinant - La Roche a Bayard in my late uncle's collection was an inspiration to see the road through the vertical rocks beside the river Meuse, south of the town. Dinant is 27 km south of Namur and 87 km south of Brussels.

Staying in Namur made a visit there simple as there are usually two direct trains an hour from there to Dinant. We decided on a Saturday for the visit as two interesting bars there don't open until late afternoon on weekdays. However, the downside was finding the small town rather busy with fellow tourists on Saturday 1 February 2025.

From seats on the right hand side of train, on a very misty morning, there were mainly views across the river Meuse during the half hour journey. The train passes several barrages, with lock systems for the large barges that use the river. Shortly before arriving in Dinant, the train crosses a bridge to the west bank of the river and passes the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe, above the other bank. The Abbey's image is featured on bottles of Leffe beer.

After leaving the train, one can cross the river by the Charles de Gaulle bridge to reach the town with it's citadel above. that can be accessed by climbing 408 steps or taking the telepherique / cable car. The bridge is adorned with saxophones variously painted to represent different countries and a tribute to Adolphe Sax, born in the town and inventor of the saxophone in the 1840s.

La Capsule

Visible from the bridge with it's orange facade and situated under the Citadel on the east bank of the river Meuse, we were early customers at La Capsule and picked a table near the window with views across the river.

It was cold outside and unsurprisingly no customers were yet sat at the tables on either side of the cobbled road between the bar and the river. We only drank coffee on our first visit in the morning but returning at 2.30pm and able to sit at the same table we found that the sunshine had attracted customers to the outside seats.

There was a poster in the town for Dinant Biere Blonde (Brasserie des Legendes) but La Capsule had Biere Le Dinantais (Brasserie Minne) a 5.3% ABV Blonde brewed for the bar and featuring the orange frontage on its label and matching glass.

Although it was bright from sunshine at the front of the bar it was only dimly lit at the back. A guest beer from the tap enjoyed here was Bretty Boop by Brasserie des Legendes.

The regular tap beers are mentioned on a page in the bound menu and the guest beers are written on a white board near the entrance which also features a variety of brewery signs.

The 'Tout sur le Houblon IPA' section of the menu includes beers from Brussels breweries: Brussels Beer Project (Delta) and Brasserie de l'Ermitage (Lanterne, Soleil and Theorem de l'Empereur - a beer featured in the Unusual Suspects section of Breandan Kearney's book Hidden Beers of Belgium).

Pub St Roch

Our first beers in Dinant were enjoyed at Pub St Roch after visiting the vertical rockfaces at Rocher Bayard. The historic building overlooks a small cobbled square where Rue Pont en Isle meets Rue Courte Saint-Roch.

Inside, it is simply furnished and traditional touches include candlelight at the bar and an old clock. A curving wooden staircase leads to additional seating on the first floor. We chose the table closest to the log fire.

The laminated drinks menu cards include (Wallonian) regional sections for beers with none from Flanders or large breweries.

Our beer choices here included Bertinchamps Framboise (€4, 33cl, Namur region) and draught Brasserie Caulier Bon Secours 4 Houblons (€4.50, 33cl, Hainaut region). A portion of cheese, served with celery salt, also seemed appropriate at lunchtime.

It's well worth walking south of the bridge to find this historic pub with excellent service and facilities.

A walk further south will reward you with river views and and Rocher Bayard where the southbound road skirts around by the river and the northbound goes through.

For details of bars visited in Namur - please see the Namur 2025 blog post.

With two nights in Brussels, after three nights in Antwerp for Bierpassie Weekend (21-23 June), there was a chance to revisit some favourite beer bars with Simon, Richard and Andrew and solo on Monday evening after their return to London.

At the end of this post, the chart above showing posts about previous visits to Brussels bars, provides blog post weblinks for more photos and descriptions of all the bars revisited.

Only a few steps from the iconic Mannekin Pis water feature lies the pub we inevitably visit on the Sunday as it is closed on Mondays.

Poechenellekelder

The tables in the courtyard of Poechenellekelder were all occupied on a warm Sunday afternoon but we secured a table immediately inside, near windows which overloooked it.

Our table was also near two other windows, one open, facing buildings in Rue du Chene.

The ceiling above had the familiar combination of puppets and suspended bric-a-brac.

The beers Tim enjoyed here for the first time were draught Blanche Framboise by Brasserie de Bertinchamps (fruity but not sweet) and Pater Lieven Triple by Brouwerij Van Den Bossche from the bottle 'spicy-bitter with fruity character'. There were complimentary salty nibbles that were welcome as Tim wasn't ready for a meal yet, unlike Simon who had his customary lasagne dish before getting the Eurostar train back to London.

There's some street art on the Rue du Chene on the route for our group of three to the next destination.

GIST

We arrived at GIST soon after 7pm, just too late for 'Happy Hour' offers which start at 5pm.

Beers are priced for 25cl and 50cl measures and there's always an interesting selection chalked up above the bar.

The 25cl glasses of draught beer that Tim enjoyed here for the first time (photographed with the handpumps in the background) were Fee Steve (Blonde) by Brasserie Valduc-Thor (4 euros) and La Super Sanglier (Blonde) by Brasserie Minne (4.50 euros). These small breweries are both based between Brussels and Namur to the south and their beers are unlikely to be seen at Antwerp bars in Flanders, north of Brussels.

Apart from the handpumps, interesting features in GIST include lamp shades made from a variety of percussion cymbals and the ceiling mouldings.

An interesting selection of music was played on the sound system during our visit. The SoundHound music App came in useful for identifying some of the music.

Simplenote stored the results for use in future blog posts etc!

Place Dinant

Just as GIST is a short distance from Poechenellekelder so also our next destination is a short distance from GIST and just around the corner from Place Dinant.

La Fleur en Papier Doree / Het Goudblommeke in Papier

After visiting on two consecutive days in 2023, Tim was determined to revisit La Fleur en Papier Doree also known by its Dutch name Het Goudblommeke in Papier.

Andrew and Richard were easily convinced to head there and immediately impressed by its charm on entering.

The small bar is decorated with items that have hung there since 1944 by Geert (Gerard) van Bruaene who knew all the artists of the day. A small blackboard on the counter reveals that the beer of the month is Taras Boulba from Brasserie de la Senne (4.20 euros).

A laminated menu card on the bar lists the regular beers available. Beers can be served with ginger extract for a 40 cents supplement. Draught beers are priced for 25cl or 40cl servings.

Tim chose his favourite here - a large glass of draught Saison Verschueren (5 euros).

Our table was in the front room with an unusual 'stove', sprouting brass knobs, between us and the windows with stained glass sections.

In keeping with the cafe bar's floral name there was a charming painting of flowers on a wall.

Before leaving, Tim promised to return on Monday but would instead visited the sister establishment - Brasserie Verschueren. His promise will surely be kept eventually as La Fleur has become a firm favourite in Brussels.

A la Mort Subite

On a warm Monday afternoon, after visiting Woodpecker kiosk, Au Bon Vieux Temps and Le Corbeau with Andrew and Richard, our last beer together would be at the renowned A la Mort Subite, Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres 7.

The brasserie has high ceilings, rows of identical tables, bench seating against the long wall and ornate walls with many mirrors to make the space look even bigger. It was very quiet and so there was no chance to observe the practised technique of the waiters which usually provides some additional interest.

Draught Mort Subite Peche (6.50 euros) was Tim's refreshing beer of choice.

Tim, Richard and Andrew

All good things must come to an end but there was still time for a photo outside A la Mort Subite before Andrew and Richard headed for their Eurostar train back to London.

Brasserie Verschueren

A few hours later, in the evening of that warm Monday, the cafe tables outside Brasserie Verschueren, Saint Gilles, were busy while nearly all the tables inside were free.

It was a pleasure to return here, join the short queue at the bar, order a large Saison Verschueren / Verschu and drink it at a table surrounded by the minimalist art deco style surroundings of the cafe bar with all the windows open.

A 33cl bottle of Verschueren Tripel was the second beer Tim obtained from the bar.

With Twitter / X on his phone for company and some tunes playing on the sound system that suited his taste, the SoundHound music App and Simplenote again came in useful.

An obligatory photo of the historic football leagues indicator at the far end of the cafe bar was another memento of this relaxing evening.

Brasserie de l'Union

At the opposite end of Parvis de Saint-Gilles from the church, Brasserie de l'Union enjoys a prominent corner site with windows on two sides.

After a first visit to L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles, Tim sat inside Brasserie de l'Union for a beer and a meal before continuing to Brasserie Verschueren. The Plats du Jour listed on a blackboard were tempting and keenly priced but an order of a small spaghetti bolognese from the standard menu was delivered as a small vegetable lasagne. Perhaps an attempt to order in French would have achieved the intended result? However, this substitution was accepted without question and enjoyed.

Most beers are keenly priced at 4 euros (cash, no bank cards) and Brasserie Lupulus Organicus triple, brewed near the Luxembourg border, was refreshing. Music played here included Police & Thieves - Junior Murvin.