Antwerp - Thursday 27 June 2019

A fourth consecutive June visit to Antwerp would provide an opportunity to visit some cafes featured in Regula Ysewijn's Belgian Cafe Culture, explore Antwerp Zuid, show Steve some favourite city sights and meet up at BierPassieWeekend with beer loving friends.

Bristolian Steve joined my train from Newbury to Paddington at Thatcham and later we boarded the 12.58 Eurostar train from St Pancras International to Brussels Midi after a late breakfast at the Barrel Vault.

Antwerpen-Centraal

A free ice-cold can of Coke Energy handed out at Antwerp Central station was a welcome bonus on a hot day. The first task was to purchase a Lijnkaart from a De Lijn ticket machine at the station (10 trips for 16 euros). The second task, to find the platform for the tram to Antwerpen Bres, would have been easier if Google Maps or the De Lijn map indicated that the Astrid tram stop is underground.

Hotel Rubenshof is only a short walk from the tram stop. The decor of the main floor has art nouveau features and is rather more impressive than the size of our rooms.

After checking in, we walked to Biercafe de Jordaan in nearby Boudewijnsstraat on the corner with Boudewijnssteeg. The small corner bar had a few tables inside and the windows were open on this hot day.

My first draught beer was Hapkin, a strong blonde beer enjoyed at a high table just outside, next to a Velo Antwerpen stand for the city bike hire system. Tourists can register for a one day (4 euros) or one week (10 euros) Velo pass that allows unlimited bike hires of less than 30 minutes. Longer trips involve extra charges. Unusual features of the red bikes are that the front wheel is smaller than the rear wheel and that some bikes have drive shafts instead of chains.

We walked towards the historic city centre with the intention of visiting some traditional cafes featured in Regula Ysewijn's book.

However, when we reached 't Half Souke, Hoogstraat 59, it was closed. The book mentions that it is named after an old coin and that inside the tiled floor is uneven due to ground movement.

We continued a further 100 metres to reach De Ware Jacob, Vlasmarkt 19. The outside tables were in strong sunshine so we enjoyed our beers inside.

Regula Ysewijn writes that 'true Jacob' has only been a cafe since 1977 but that the interior is much older and was salvaged from other cafes.

De Ware Jacob has clay floor tiles and for heating there is a free standing stove with a chimney pipe. The draught beer I enjoyed here was another favourite - Jack's Precious IPA by Brouwerij The Musketeers, based in Sint-Gillis-Waas about 25km west of Antwerp.

Aware of a nearby cellar bar from a tweet by Scot Haynes, we would next visit Pelgrom at Pelgrimstraat 15, a pedestrian street 150 metres away.

The entrance features an illuminated display of shelved bottles and lamps under suspended beer kegs.

Downstairs, there are several cellar seating areas but we sat at a table facing the bar. There are 24 equally spaced taps and beer details and prices for 12.5cl and 25cl glasses are clearly displayed above. The temperature was nice and cool below ground level.
The cheapest draught beers were from the independent, family run Haacht Brewery Super 8 range.

My choice was Super 8 Saison served in a distinctive ball shaped glass with a heavy base. This farmhouse style beer is brewed with rye, malt, oats, wheat and spelt grains. It was spicy from the addition of ginger and galanga. The 25cl glass of 4.8% ABV beer cost 2.75 euros.

Several Trappist beers are also available from the illustrated bottled beer menu.
We would return to Pelgrom on Saturday afternoon, with our beer loving friends, to escape the heat on an even hotter day.

The time was 9pm local time as we approached Cafe Pelikaan, Melkmarkt 14, set slightly back from the north east aspect of the Cathedral of our Lady. Regula Ysewijn advises 'There has been a cafe in this building since 1870 but the current interior dates from the beginning of the 20th century.'

Now was my opportunity for a Trappist beer with Orval listed at 4.20 euros on the beer menu (which it was necessary to ask at the bar for).

Steve and I both ordered a draught Tripel d'Anvers brewed by Antwerp's De Koninck brewery and the glasses show the Antwerp skyline.

We were soon joined by Richard, John and Keith who had enjoyed horse steak dinners at a nearby restaurant after arriving in Antwerp earlier than us. They would order draught Rodenbach, a permanent beer at De Pelikaan.

As well as brass bar rails, floor tiles are often found in traditional Belgian cafes and this was the case at De Pelikaan.
It was after 11pm local time when we left De Pelikaan. The others would go on to visit Zeezicht in Dageraadplats before returning to the Tryp by Wyndham Hotel with air conditioned rooms as standard.

Billie's Bier Kafetaria at night

Meanwhile, Steve and I walked back to Hotel Rubenshof, passing Billie's Bier Kafetaria. Further along, it was a good idea of Steve's to stop for a takeaway pizza. Our hotel rooms did not have air conditioning but unfortunately my room did have a mosquito or similar biting insect that would leave its mark.

A late return to Hotel Rubenshof

Belgian Beer Trip 2017 - Day 1

My first trip on new Eurostar stock was from London St Pancras International to Brussels Midi, before an Intercity train to Bruges, on Wednesday 21 June, 2017.

Bruges

On a hot and sunny day there was precious little shade for the walk from Bruges station to Hostel Lybeer.

A winding staircase led to my room on the second floor where thankfully the window was open providing a breeze.

My original plan to find a table at 't Brugs Beertje was stymied by discovering that the famous beerhouse is closed on Wednesdays.

Plan B involved meeting up with Mark and Dave / Bod at the new home of the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery at Kartuizerinnenstraat 6 where entry through the red door leads to a courtyard.

Mark and Dave had enjoyed the brewery tour earlier that day but my first concern was to enjoy a Belgian beer as soon as possible!

We ordered a round of Bourgogne de Flandres (Brune / Bruin - 3.20 euros for 25cl) at the modern bar with windows overlooking a canal.

It was a relief to find that the canalside terrace enjoyed the shade at this time of day. It was a pleasant spot to hear about the brewery tour and watch the canal cruisers, full of tourists, pass by.

The second draught beer, Martin's Original Pale Ale (3.60 euros / 30cl) was even more suited to my palate and earned a 4.5 score for my log on Untappd.

We agreed to return to our respective hostels before meeting up at Le Trappiste later. The bar at the Hostel Lybeer with its high ceiling was attractive although the music choice was strange.

This was an appopriate spot to enjoy a bottle of Brugse Zot although Mark and Dave had improved on this with an earlier visit to Brouwerij De Halve Maan itself. They discovered that the sign to the underground 'beer pipeline' there may be purely for tourists and should not be trusted!

We met up again at Le Trappiste (Kuipersstraat 33) which opens daily at 5pm and descended the steep stairs into the vaulted basement.

Mark and Dave posed with copies of Ullage, the West Berkshire CAMRA magazine, which I had brought with me from Newbury.

My first beer here was from the long list of draught beers. The Belgian Coast IPA from Brasserie St Feuillien (4.50 euros 33cl) was pleasant.

Next a familiar extra hoppy pale ale from visits to Brussels - Taras Boulba by Brasserie de la Senne.

My third beer was surprisingly dark and redolent of blackcurrants - Troubadour Westkust IPA by Brouwerij The Musketeers. The basement was not too busy but Mark recognised a honeymooning couple at the bar who had been on their brewery trip earlier.

After a memorable first day in Belgium it was enchanting to walk back through the cobbled streets and past buildings dating from the 17th century on the way back to my hostel.