Trip to Belgium/France, which breweries should I visit?

[sarovios]

Hello all,

I'm planning a road trip from London to Alsace with a few stops around Bruges, Luxembourg and Lille. We'll spend most of our trip drinking wine in Alsace, which my parter loves, but I would like to visit a few breweries as well on my way to Alsace. Do you have something to suggest?

 

[Linalmeemow]

The Halve Maan brewery tour in Bruges is good. You won't learn much but you do get to see a traditional Belgian brewery and get one of their delicious beers for about 7 euros or so.

 

[strange-steve]

I haven't been, but a trip to Brasserie Thiriez would probably be worth the visit if it's not too much of a detour, just a little south of Dunkirk.

 

[chthon]

Also in Bruges, the brewery of Bourgogne des Flandres, Kartuizerinnenstraat 6, 8000 Brugge.

Your trip would then probably be in the order of Bruges, Lille, Luxembourg, Alsace?

If you take the trip as I did in Google Maps, I see that you could visit Brasserie Caracole.

St.-Bernardus seems a bit off your route.

 

[Bigjas]

+1 for the Halve Maan brewery in Bruges. I went there in April, nice bit of history but you don’t see much current brewing. The beer at the end of the tour was amazing.

 

[Brew_DD2]

If you happen to get to Brussels, then Cantillon is a must. Brussels Beer Project also very cool. De La Senne also excellent.

 

[uDicko]

+1 for the Halve Maan brewery in Bruges. I went there in April, nice bit of history but you don’t see much current brewing. The beer at the end of the tour was amazing.

Another for the halve maan

 

[Sadfield]

I've not been, but there'de-brouwerij
n Essen if you are near it on a Sunday afternoon. If you are able to jump through all the relevant hoops of registering and pre-booking, it would be great to pick up a case of beer from Westvleteren on my way through.

+1 De Halve Maan.

De Ranke would be high on my list.

http://www.deranke.be/en/de-brouwerij

Edit: And Sint Bernardus in Watou and the surrounding hop fields of Poperinge.

Can I come with you?

 

[strange-steve]

I agree with the others, Halve Maan is a decent tour with a nice view of the city from the rooftop, and the best part for me was the glass of Brugse Zot in the bar overlooking the canal at the end.

Also if you don't make it as far as Brussels to visit Cantillon as Brew_DD2 suggests then make sure to visit Cafe Rose Red in Bruges. Not a brewery but a beautiful pub with Cantillon beers on draught.

 

[Brew_DD2]

I've not been, but there'de-brouwerij
n Essen if you are near it on a Sunday afternoon. If you are able to jump through all the relevant hoops of registering and pre-booking, it would be great to pick up a case of beer from Westvleteren on my way through.

+1 De Halve Maan.

De Ranke would be high on my list.

http://www.deranke.be/en/de-brouwerij

Edit: And Sint Bernardus in Watou and the surrounding hop fields of Poperinge.

Can I come with you?

I adore De Ranke. XX Bitter is incredible.

 

[strange-steve]

Can I come with you?

Count me in too, we'll make it a forum outing

 

[Peter Scandlyn]

Ohh, that's easy.
All. Of. Them.

 

[Sandimas]

And another for De Halve Maan, went last December (again).

Worth eating in there too, their beef stew slow-cooked in Straffe Hendrick Quadrupel (11%) is the best stew I've tasted anywhere.

 

[sarovios]

Thank you so much for your suggestions everyone. I’ve been to De Halve Maan and Cafe Rose Red so far. Both very nice and worth visiting.

I’ve seen people buying beer as well. I was wondering if that make sense. I find it very hard to believe that I won’t be able to find them in London. Unless there is a small batch that’s only available in Belgium. Can you advise weather I should buy beers or not. And also if you know a good store to buy them from. I’ve noticed that in Bruge prices are not consistent so I’m afraid they are overpriced since it’s very touristic.

 

[chthon]

Best place to buy beer in Belgium is in the supermarkets (or in a beverage center, but these are mostly farther from the cities). If you are in Bruges, Albert Heijn on the Sint-Pieterskaai has a nice selection. I suppose that "'t Brugs Beertje, Kemelstraat, Brugge" also has a selection that won't make you feel ripped off.
(You know, I live since 1993 in Bruges, and I have never visited 't Brugs Beertje. Is'nt that a shame?)

 

[ClarenceBoddicker]

Not sure about Lille breweries but La Capsule is a great beer bar with lots of local craft beer. If you can divert to Brussels, Brussels Beer Project on Dansaert are doing interesting things; so much so I joined their crowdfunding.

Oh and Chouffe is in Luxembourg province and although Duvel owned, they do a good tour.

 

[Brew_DD2]

Not sure about Lille breweries but La Capsule is a great beer bar with lots of local craft beer. If you can divert to Brussels, Brussels Beer Project on Dansaert are doing interesting things; so much so I joined their crowdfunding.

Oh and Chouffe is in Luxembourg province and although Duvel owned, they do a good tour.

Brussels Beer Project are so awesome. Their wee brewery and taproom was so good, we ended up going twice.

 

[strange-steve]

I did Brussels Beer Project and Cantillon in one day a couple of years back. It was really fascinating to see the contrast between the ultra modern computer controlled BBP brewery and the traditional wooden Cantillon brewery, but both producing great beers.

 

[Brew_DD2]

I did Brussels Beer Project and Cantillon in one day a couple of years back. It was really fascinating to see the contrast between the ultra modern computer controlled BBP brewery and the traditional wooden Cantillon brewery, but both producing great beers.

Both are magnificent. We did the same a couple of years ago. The bottles of Lou Pepe and Fou Foune at Cantillon are still a highlight of my beer life.

 

[strange-steve]

I missed the Lou Pepe unfortunately but the Fou Foune was a masterpiece alright.