Antwerp - first visits - June 2024

Our group of friends was in Antwerp from 20-23 June primarily to support Beer Passion / Bierpassie Weekend in Groenplaats but we also had time to visit local bars and sights.

While Simon recovered from a late finish on Friday and Richard recovered from a run around the triangular Stadspark on the Saturday morning, Tim set off on foot from Hotel National near Groenplaats to reach 't Licht der Dokken, following tram tracks for most of the way.

At Oudaan, a pedestrian shopping street features a small brass sculpture on a concrete pedestal under a tree of 'Den deugniet', the rascal.

Photo: Brasserie du Bocq

The Deugniet nickname and image is also used for a strong golden ale brewed by Brasserie du Bocq near Namur.

The Oudaan Winkelcentrum shopping centre composed of hexagon shapes, immediately west of Korte Gasthuisstraat, is in the shadow of the Politietoren a 15 storey brutalist tower built for Antwerp police but currently empty.

Oudaan Winkelzentrum is the location for both Uncharted Brew Co and Station 1280 which is just across a passage. They were both closed when I visited but a look through the windows of Uncharted Brew Co revealed some small brewing vessels. 

There is a bar, and tables for customers inside Station 1280 with a blackboard listing beers behind the bar, from breweries including Uncharted Brew Co, The Kernel, Cloudwater, Oskar Blues and Dok Brew. Days of opening are from Tuesday to Saturday. Perhaps a proper first visit can be achieved on a subsequent visit to Antwerp.

Boerentoren - view from Meirbrug

Tim now took a route north to Meirbrug and followed the tram tracks along Sint Katelijnevest and Sint Paulusstraat before turning towards the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS). 

Next to MAS there was a display of  human balancing skills above Bonapartedok. 

't Licht der Dokken

After this unusual entertainment, 't Licht der Dokken was found at the junction of Amsterdamstraat and Verbindingsdok Westkaai.

There were already some customers at tables outside but as the only customer inside there was an opportunity to take photos and sit at the best table by the window with a cup of coffee. The draught beers here are Stella Artois, Belle-Vue Kriek, Tripel Karmeliet and Bolleke De Koninck. I didn't see the bottled beer menu but the point of sale advertising suggests that Tripel d'Anvers, Seef Bier, Nonkel Pater and Super 8 Flandrien would be available.

The cafe bar with patterned floor tiles is traditionally furnished and the multiple mirrors make the space look bigger inside. Wall displays also indicate that cyclists are welcomed here. With Belgium playing a Euro 2024 football match this evening, the bar owner busied himself at mounting a flat screen TV on an external railing while standing on a table, thankfully without any damage.

I was tempted to order a Kriek if others would soon arrive but WhatsApp messages suggested a later rendezvous at the nearby Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie taproom was the plan so instead I used the time for a brief visit to the funnel shaped tower which can be accessed free from the Red Star Line shop and museum entrance.

Of course, there are splendid views in all directions from the top including some with the river Scheldt.

The subsequent visits to Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie and Dr Beer will be covered in a separate post for revisited Antwerp pubs. 

't Licht der Dokken - Photo: Google

There will surely be an opportunity to drink a beer at 't Licht der Dokken with friends on a subsequent visit to Antwerp's redeveloped docklands area.

If you're lucky, you may also see nearby Londenbrug being raised / lowered to allow vessels to pass.

't Waagstuk

Like 't Licht der Dokken, 't Waagstuk is a cafe bar featured in the 'More great cafes in Belgium' list at the back of the Belgium Cafe Culture book by Regula Ysewijn. Tim is hoping to tick all these one day and was pleased that the group agreed that this should be our next destination after visiting Dr Beer, only a ten minute walk away.

Stadswaag - Photo:Google

 't Waagstuk is situated on a corner of Stadswaag, a pleasant square filled with trees and several permanent long benches. There are several other bars in the same square. 

It is normal to order at the bar at 't Waagstuk and my order for Richard, Andrew, Simon and myself comprised 3 x 33cl glasses of Troubadour Magma NEIPA and a 33cl glass of Vicaris Triple Geuze from the taps.

We didn't sit in the courtyard but instead found a table in the main room next to the room with a billiards table. 

Paul and Simon

There was room for Paul, Jennie and Linda as well at our big wooden table.

This room has some enamel brewery signs and the unique light fittings have a light bulb set behind a semicircle of upturned beer bottles.

My position at the table opposite the window also gave a view towards the bar area which can be closed off by two sets of dungeon like steel gates. The floor is paved with traditional square tiles

There was an opportunity to get a photo of the entire bar area with its bar stools and ceramic beer mugs hanging from the rafters when we left. Situated near the University and with a reputation as one of the best student bars in Antwerp there must be many students with fond memories of this view! The option to sit at the bar in this high ceilinged room would surely appeal particularly to any individuals or couples. 

Expect the clientele here to change depending on whether it is university term time or not. 

It was nice to get around to ticking off this traditional bar with its interesting features but it's not high on my list for a revisit, especially with it's off centre location.

Antwerp - Friday 22/6/2018 part 2

My walking route from Ibis Budget Hotel near Antwerp Central Station to Hostel Pulcinella was via City Park and passed the renowned Cafe Kulminator, Vleminckveld 32, visited the previous evening.

Kleine Markt - near Cafe Kulminator

Kleine Markt is overlooked by a statue of Mary and baby Jesus, including a streetlamp, on the junction with Bredestraat, just 50 metres further north-west.

I was able to check in to my spacious first floor room with a view of the courtyard garden by about 6pm. A partial refund of the room rate, due to single occupancy, was a pleasant surprise.

 

BierPassie Weekend XIX - day 1

The advantage of staying at Hostel Pulcinella is that it is only 600 metres from the entrance to the BierPassie Weekend festival in Groenplaats.

The festival opens at 5pm on the Friday. On arrival at Groenplaats, I purchased a Beer Sommelier tasting glass (5 euros) and jetons (plastic beer tokens - 2 euros / 20cl) and picked up a free programme at the entrance. Our group was sitting inside the tent housing Ben's bar.
Andrew pointed me to Keith Moore who was chatting with Johan Van Dyck and Karen Follens the founders of Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie in front of the Seefbier wagon / bar.

Before joining them I used my first jeton for a glass of Super Cadix dry hopped lager from the wagon.

Karen Follens and Johan Van Dyck with Ullage magazine

Page 6 (detail) - Ullage magazine (Autumn 2017)

I was glad to be able to give Johan an Autumn 2017 issue of Ullage magazine which included a photo of an Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie poster and details of the brewery's new taproom / cafe which our group would visit at lunchtime on Saturday.

Keith Moore with Keef Bier

Slightly earlier, Keith had presented them with bottles of Keefbier, with a label based on the Seefbier label but incorporating Keith's bespectacled face insted of the face of 'Seef man'.

Having brought a copy of the latest edition (8th) of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide Belgium with me, I was able to show Johan the entry for Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie, on page 77 of the 'Belgian Breweries A to Z section'. Johan was a bit doubtful about their brewery's 'Tiny' size category although happy that it had not been categorised as 'Miniscule'!
Thanks to Johan for a complimentary glass of Nonkel Pater, the dark and rich 9% abv 'Qua-dubbel'.

Back at Ben Vinken's bar, I used a jeton for a glass of Brouwerij Van den Bossche Buffalo bitter, poured from a 75cl bottle with a cork closure.

 

Aura Brasserie

Most of our group wanted to visit De Peerdestal, a restaurant where the menu included horse steak, but Simon and I decided to revisit Aura Brasserie, Hoogstraat 34, for an omelette.

I found a table inside near the bar with shelves for a variety of Belgian beer glasses. A few draught beers are available here including Antwerp's De Koninck APA (Antwaarpse Pale Ale).

Arriving before Simon, I ordered a St Feuillien Grisette Blonde Bio which was served with a small dish of coated nuts.

When Simon arrived, I ordered a bottle of Het Nest SchuppenBoer (Jack of Spades) - a 'floral and peachy tripel'.

Simon chose a bottle of Brasserie du Bocq Deugniet. The image on the bottle of a cheeky rascal (the meaning of Deugniet) was a surprise. Subsequent research shows that there is an Antwerp connection with the statue, from which the image is taken, being situated near the junction of two pedestrian streets -Korte Gasthuisstraat and Everdijstraat in the 'De Wilde Zee' neighbourhood, immediately south-east of Groenplaats and the Cathedral of our Lady. Barely visible from Google Maps Streetview, the bronze statue mounted on a plinth is the work of Luc Verlee for the city of Antwerp in 1976 according to a comprehensive blog about the city's statues by Alfons Van Camp. Another blog by Lia in Brussels links moustaches and music via John Lundström to this statue which has been 'kidnapped' and recovered on several occasions.

The excellent omelettes we ordered were served with a salad so my decision to order an additional Greek salad to share was somewhat unnecessary.

a view from Vlaaikensgang 'secret' passage

On our way back, after the meal, we noticed an alleyway leading east from Hoogstraat and detoured down it, turning left at a corner to emerge into Oude Koornmarkt. This charming 'secret' passage is Vlaaikensgang.

 

BierPassie Weekend XIX - late evening

Back at nearby Groenplaats we found a table on the west side of the square (on the left side of the plan from the programme).

I visited the Van Eecke (Leroy) Brewery stand (8) at the north end of the square, nearest the cathedral, for a glass of draught Hommelbier dry hopping 2018 'showcasing that earthy, floral Poperinge hop character'.

John, Andrew & Simon - Groenplaats

This Friday was not as warm in Antwerp as it was in the UK and it was nice to have a fleece to wear at our outside table in the square.

Another beer enjoyed at the festival this evening was Waterloo Récolte Saison from the Martin's stand (5).

Billie's Bier Kafetaria

We left Groenplaats before closing time and some took the tram to Dageraadplaats where we had all been the previous night.

However, Simon and I walked the 100 metres to Billie's Beer Kafetaria, Kammenstraat 12.

The choice of 11 draught beers is  displayed on a blackboard above the bar. These are sourced from around the world including AleSmith Speedway Stout (San Diego, USA) and Magic Rock Human Canonball DIPA (Huddersfield, UK).

At Billie's, most of the draught beers are more expensive than many of the bottled beers. Simon ordered a draught Rodenbach Alexander (6 euros) while a bottle of Schelde Brouwerij Hop Ruiter dry hopped IPA / Tripel (4 euros) suited me fine and was a favourite beer of the day.
With the help of SoundHound App it was possible to identify some of the decent music being played including Stoned Jesus (from Kiev) 'I'm the Mountain', Kaleo (from Iceland) 'Way Down We Go' and Austra (from Toronto) 'Lose It'.

My last beer at Billie's from a favourite Belgian brewery was also to my taste, a bottle of 7% abv Antigoon from The Musketeers Brewery Belgian Legends series, costing 3.5 euros.

A page from the beer menu illustrates that most Belgian beers are strong as Taras Boulba (4.5% abv) is included here in the Low Alcohol section!

It was nice to see Billie, who walked into 'his' bar some time after midnight!
Now it was time for me to walk the short 400 metres back to Hostel Pulcinella while Simon had to walk over 2km back to Hotel Ibis Budget, near Antwerp Centraal station.

* - any quoted beer descriptions are taken from CAMRA's Good Beer Guide Belgium (8th edition) - Joe Stange & Tim Webb.