Brussels - first visits - June 2024

With two nights in Brussels, after three nights in Antwerp for Bierpassie Weekend, there was a chance to visit some beer bars for the first time with Richard and Andrew on Monday and solo on Monday evening after their return to London.

Monday 24 June was warm and mainly sunny. We met up and enjoyed a relaxing start to the day in the shade of the trees in Parc Bruxelles with its fountains, bandstand and a choice of kiosks with outside seating for customers at the southern end. Fritz Kola or coffee were our initial choices from the Woodpecker kiosk.

From here it was mainly downhill, past several Brussels landmarks including St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral and the west entrance to Galeries Royale Saint-Hubert to reach our first traditional bar of the day.

Au Bon Vieux Temps

Tucked down an alley off Rue du Marche aux Herbes which is also accessibe from Galerie du Centre, we had our pick of tables inside Au Bon Vieux Temps as there were no other customers when we arrived.

Europop music was playing from the radio and there were incongruous 'No Smoking' stickers on the walls, both of which seemed inappropriate for the traditional setting which includes stained glass windows and a strange stovelike structure, with brass knobs, on that protruded from the big fireplace next to our inner corner table.

Richard and Andrew enjoyed glasses of Tripel Karmeliet while my lower strength and price choice was Lindemans Kriek (5 euros) served courteously by the lady at the bar. The simple menu includes a limited range of draught and bottled beers. 

We didn't have an opportunity to also visit A l'Imaige Nostre-Dame situated off an adjacent alley but to visit both would be a sensible option for visitors.

Le Corbeau

We reached Le Corbeau (The Raven) at Rue Saint-Michel 18, after a ten minute walk, mainly in a north easterly direction along bus pedestrian shopping streets, passing Primark en route.

Le Corbeau is a traditional brasserie, dating from 1874. The long room has a bar midway down one side next to an alcove and kitchen entrance towards the rear.

We chose a table on the opposite side to the bar giving us further views of the rear with a charming Stella Artois publicity image and the front entrance with etched glass and a model Atomium above the inner porch.

Our waistcoated waiter asked if we wanted food because none was available at this time today. Now it was my turn for a Tripel Karmeliet while Andrew and 'Beer Fridge engineer' Richard chose large chunky glasses of Hoegaarden.

Among the many enamel brewery signs on the walls is one for Non Peut-Etre brewed by De Proef Brouwerij near Ghent. Spotting this Richard commented that the name is a Brussels usage meaning Yes surely although literally it is No perhaps. Google confirmed this anomaly!

The music playing here was more to our taste and selections included Welcome to Tijuana by Manu Chao and Mr Jones by (appropriately) Counting Crows. (Tim's SoundHound App proved useful in identifying these tunes.)

The raven / crow theme is cleverly featured on wall decorations including a blue neon outline by the kitchen and film posters with adapted titles or altered images on the wall behind our table.

The red seat coverings are looking rather worn but the wear on the table tops gives them an interesting patina. Some research shows that this wear may be due to people dancing on the tables at night when the bar takes on a different personality!

The long room shape and the tables in lines layout at Le Corbeau reminded me of Le Coq and A la Mort Subite. I'm not a fan of Le Coq but warmed to Le Corbeau on a quiet afternoon. 

The renowned A la Mort Subite, visited in several previous years, would be our next destination and this is where Tim bid farewell to Richard and Andrew outside, before they headed to Brussels Midi for their Eurostar train back to London. 

Now left in sole charge, Tim headed north back to his Apart Hotel in Schaerbeek via the Botanical Gardens.

Interesting landmarks passed included 'The Container', a public artwork by Luc Deleu at the roundabout on Boulevard Pacheco. (Tim's first job was in freight forwarding and this role included booking space in shipping containers destined overseas for UK exporters.) 

After a walk through the green spaces of the Botanical Garden he looked inside Le Botanique cultural centre with its impressive orangery to find that, apart from the ticket office, it was closed on Mondays.

L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles

A little later in the day and after a decision to spend the evening in the Saint Gilles area, to the south of Brussels Midi station, Tim caught a #3 tram from Thomas stop (above ground) to Parvis de Saint-Gilles premetro station (underground).

The broad paved pedestrian area, to the east of St Gilles church, was busy with cafe customers enjoying the warm weather outside and buzzing with the sound of their conversations and music from the cafes.

It's only a few minutes walk to the cream coloured L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles with an entrance on the corner of Rue de Moscou and Rue de la Forge, just downhill from Brasserie de l'Union. 

With large windows, white walls and a blond wood bar, the space seems light and airy. There's a feature spiral staircase to an upper floor at the end of the bar. The colourful graphics and minimalist furniture give the taproom a contemporary feel. 

My beer choice was a 25cl glass of 5.5% ABV Le Pendu 'Une NEIPA mettant en avant les houblons Enigma, HBC 586, Amarillo et Bru-1. Bombe aromatique!' (4.80 euros) from tap XII. This was after a sample from the only working handpump (X) of Le Grand Oeuvre 7% ABV grape ale which was flat and too sour for my taste. 

You can find out what is on the taps 'The Tarot Deck' at L'Ermitage Sant-Gilles using the Untappd App as it's a verified venue. 

Music played here included How Soon is Now? by the Smiths.

Pizzas and snacks are served here and it's open daily from 5pm.

There's a stylish staircase down to the toilets, accessed from near the corner entrance to the bar.

Note that this bar is different from the original rustic style Brasserie L'Ermitage brewery and taproom at Rue Lambert Cricx 26 which is near Brussels Midi station and Cantillon in Brussels and only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Brasserie de l'Union                       Brasserie Verschueren

Tim spent the rest of this warm evening at the previously visited Brasserie de l'Union and Brasserie Verschueren in Saint Gilles.

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 - 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.