Antwerp - Beer Passion Weekend 2024

Overlooked by the Cathedral of Our Lady, Groenplaats is the setting for the annual Bierpassie Weekend in Antwerp. The 23rd edition opened at 5pm on Friday 21 June 2024.

Our group supported the festival for a few hours on the Friday (early evening), Saturday (mid evening) and Sunday (lunchtime). Tim and Simon were glad to return after missing the 2023 edition after finding out too late that we had booked travel and accommodation for the following weekend. Richard and Andrew were back as usual but Keith was missing in Germany this year. Paul, Jennie and Linda were attending for the first time.

L to R: Simon, Jennie, Paul, Linda & Richard 

On the Friday evening we found a table in Ben Vinken's Beer Sommelier bar which was less busy than usual. Ben and his friends sat at a nearby table smoking cigars.

Entrance to the Bierapassie Weekend costs 10 euros and includes a programme, tasting glass and two beer tokens (each with 3 euro value for a a 20 cl serving). Tim and Simon reused their old tasting glasses and simply bought 10 tokens for 30 euros to start off with. To access the toilets costs 1 euro. N.B. Bubble wrap or similar is useful for keeping your glass safe from one day to the next. 

In addition to Ben's bar in the marquee near the entrance, this year there were 16 brewery stands and 3 brewery beer trucks. Glasses are routinely rinsed or replaced before each beer is served. Breweries staff their own stands and at quiet times are happy to chat about the beers served.

A new stand this year was for Apropos IPA from Antwerp. Tom Snels and Bart Wynants from Cafe Apropos, Schermersstraat 33, near Mechelsplein and Leopoldplaats, a kilometer away. They collaborated with Brouwerij De Graal to brew their house beer, a blond 7.5% ABV IPA.

Le Plan-Vermeersch brought a beer truck to the festival. Taking its name from former Belgian rally driver Dirk Vermeersch, who subsequently built up a winery in France and more recently developed a range of Belgian beers.

Keen to try flavoured beers, Tim enjoyed a glass of Le Plan Beat, a 5% ABV red wheat beer with a hint of beetroot.

Dixieland Street Band

During the festival there are several performances around the site by musicians including Dixieland Street Band (Friday and Saturday) and Tussen Neus en Lippen, a Dutch brass band from 's-Hertogenbosch known for its Oeteldonk carnival (Sunday lunchtime).

'Tussen Neus en Lippen' (NL)

Staying at nearby Hotel National, Tim was the first to arrive on Sunday morning and his first drink of the day was Floris Framboos, a 3.6% ABV fruit beer from Brouwerij Huyghe, the brewers of Delirium Tremens. 

See you at Bierpassie Weekend next year? While Tim has only been a regular since 2016, Richard, Andrew and Simon have been attending since the festival started and have the t-shirts to prove it!

The festival programme reveals that the 24th Bierpassie Weekend in 2025 is moving to a new venue indoors - the historic Handelsbeurs building. Once a commodity exchange and later a stock exchange it is now part of an events venue.

Antwerp 2022 - Groenplaats area

Bierpassie Weekend at Groenplaats - looking south + looking north

Groenplaats and the streets to the north like Melkmarkt and Wolstraat include the site of the annual Bierpassie Weekend festival with access to several good beer cafes, food outlets and coffee shops.

Entrance to the Bierapassie Weekend costs 10 euros and includes a programme, tasting glass and two beer tokens (each with 3 euro value for a a 20 cl serving). 

The 'usual suspects' were there soon after the 5pm opening time on Friday. Members of our group would also visit on Saturday afternoon, Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime.

As most Belgian beers are stronger than 5% ABV, it makes sense to sample smaller quantities especially as some beers are only available in 75cl bottles, eg Brasserie Dupont Bons Voeux.

Glasses are routinely rinsed or replaced before each beer is served. Breweries staff their own stands and at quiet times are happy to chat about the beers served.

Richard, Simon and Dave choosing their next beers from the programme

At busy times, free bench places at a table with a parasol are rare so it makes sense to attend at quieter times especially if it's sunny. Bring a cushion if you want any comfort!

Andrew, Simon, Keith & Richard (Saturday evening)

When no benches are available, there may be a standing place with a table.

Tim enjoyed a Martin's Pale Ale at Bierpassie Weekend on Saturday afternoon.

Some of the bars and wagons were impressive including Lindemans and Omer.

Cafe de Kat

On Saturday night, Keith and Richard headed back on the tram (11) to Dageraadplaats from the Melkmarkt stop while Andrew, Dave, Simon and Tim continued further to Cafe de Kat, Wolstraat 22, which the tram also passes as it loops back from the Melkmarkt terminus.

De Kat is one of the iconic cafes featured in Regula Ysewijn's book Belgian Cafe Culture. She writes that 'Until very recently no man has ever worked here' mentioning that it was around 1912 when the first landlady Aurelia gave the cafe its name. 

She also mentions that apart from the marble topped tables, all the interior dates from that period including the bar, the piano and mirrored wall panelling which were designed to match and have the same inlaid detail.

While Tim enjoyed a draught Bolleke De Koninck, the others could not resist Boon Geuze for 3.60 euros.

Other beer bars, food outlets and coffee bars in the area

Andrew and Dave left in time to catch the last tram back to Dageraadplaats for Cafe Zeezicht and Tryp Hotel while Simon was keen to visit The Northerner nearby. Walking there with Simon, we passed historic Quinten Matsijs, adorned with vines, on Hoofdkerkstraat, next to Cafe De Kat. 

Simon later reported that he enjoyed his solo visit to The Northerner, a new beer bar at Wijngaardstraat 7 specialising in Belgian and craft beers. 

Cafe Pelikaan (rear courtyard), Friday 2 July

On his way to the Groenplaats tram stop, Tim passed Cafe Pelikaan, Melkmarkt 14, not for the first time on this visit. This is another beer cafe featured in Regula Ysewijn's book. Cafe Pelikaan was also featured in a Beer Europe post after a 2019 visit.

The area has many fast food outlets including two with indoor seating that were convenient and good value.

Only Kebap, Korte Koepoortstraat 9 - for doner kebab wraps and chips etc.

Pizarro, Melkmarkt 25 - for New York style pizza slices.

Among coffee bars in the area, the Tartoer Vespa Coffee Bar at Korte Koepoortstraat 2, stands out for having an actual Vespa scooter on display above the bar, and offers seating inside and outside.

For more Antwerp background material please see Antwerp - The Usual Suspects 2022 and other linked posts from there.