tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-130960742024-03-13T00:45:41.044+01:00The Beer TouristTouring the world in search of quality beers.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-73535305844704322072009-06-18T01:30:00.000+02:002009-06-18T01:33:17.013+02:00Virgin Beer Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vnV22xwiwH9p0c2tK4h3pE46Q9zIrcz5TIzpeumRrF8G-9lcQ1BQCi2H_YymNbY-n8AfIDZXpm1-wTZrer83l26yRX4gALnCc576wr8o5i9mpeEgxtw709H7Wa2RnvchDsqu/s1600-h/%C3%98l+og+mat1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vnV22xwiwH9p0c2tK4h3pE46Q9zIrcz5TIzpeumRrF8G-9lcQ1BQCi2H_YymNbY-n8AfIDZXpm1-wTZrer83l26yRX4gALnCc576wr8o5i9mpeEgxtw709H7Wa2RnvchDsqu/s320/%C3%98l+og+mat1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348431502937320850" /></a>Øl og Mat. Or Beer & Food. Light years away from Rome's Bir & Fud, mind you. In more ways than one, it was not only the cool Oslo summer night that marked a stark contrast to its hotter namesake in Rome. While the latter is maybe my absolute favourite beer bar in the world, with a passion for craft beer that you are unlikely to find (expressed) anywhere else, the former is a new entrant on the Norwegian beer scene, still struggling to find its feet.<br /><br />Øl og Mat is a virgin beer festival hosted in the biggest park in central Oslo, the Sofienbergsparken, located in the trendy neighbourhood of Grünerløkka- far from as cool as Friedrichshain, but less gentrified than Islington. <br /><br />No jokes about their ambitions, though- the festival fills up a big chunk of the park (much to the annoyance of local Christian People's Party representatives who do not believe much in joy this side of death). I have to admit that my initial enthusiasm was soon replaced by skepticism when I saw the beer list- how can you promote craft beers in Norway when our two most excellent craft breweries, Nøgne Ø and Haandbryggeriet, are not even there with a small tasting? <br /><br />Craft or not, the scale was impressive for Oslo, even though there were many empty seats on this windy Wednesday evening (plus there was a big Metallica concert 1 kilometre away competing for attention). Though the volume of the rock band playing inside the biggest tent indicated that they were up to the challenge. <br /><br />Each country likes to do things their own way when it comes to beer festivals, it seems. In Belgium and the Netherlands tokens ("bonnen") rule; in the UK, cash is king. In connected Norway you refill your festival card yourself at the terminals near the gate. Practical as this may be, there is no hiding the fact that the price level is quite steep for a beer festival- 2,50 euros for the card, 3 euros for the tasting glass and 5 euros each for 20 cl tastings.<br /><br />Cold numbers aside, warm thanks go to the Danish craft brewer Svaneke which provided an extensive range of beers to the festival, many of which I have not tasted before. Personally I do not think that all their beers rock the world, but showing up in force at this festival proves their commitment to the cause (unlike their Norwegian counterparts, one may argue). Also the Scottish craft beer range was quite extensive, but these beers you can already find at premium super markets in the Norwegian capital. <br /><br />The atmosphere is undeniably amicable for such a big scene with a good mix of people. Knowledgeable middle-aged craft beer lovers can be spotted, but here and there are even some young beauties brave enough to try a Skull Splitter (some of them possibly craft beer virgins). <br /><br />Virgins themselves at arranging this kind of festival, I have to say that the festival is better than feared. There is no reason for seasoned Ratebeerians to make their pilgrimage to the Øl & Mat festival in Oslo, but for those of us who live here, it does add some flavour to a city that only has one (or possibly two) beer bars of real class. <br /><br />It is achieved mostly with a little help from international, rather than national, friends. The bar tenders may be all Swedish (like in the rest of Oslo), but ultimately it is the Danish craft brewer Svaneke and its Anglo-Saxon equivalents that represent the craft in the beer festival. The Norwegian alibi was provided by a specially crafted festival beer from Oslo Mikrobryggery that was quite decent, too. All in all, not too bad a performance for a virgin, I guess.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-68981191160848641942009-06-09T00:40:00.010+02:002009-06-09T01:17:05.777+02:00Kris Not To Be Missed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TetBxZdBlIIJPgDZ5yy4k0TBcXTI_K3OvGUP2InroI_cQieFbUCdwoEBo35o6j4gjSH9496GjK1-Xz2ToI-XQE34HLeVFY7LRJypI9ySAzM6V8vB-xKBQ8iqUxA5Ra9Onj5E/s1600-h/kris.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TetBxZdBlIIJPgDZ5yy4k0TBcXTI_K3OvGUP2InroI_cQieFbUCdwoEBo35o6j4gjSH9496GjK1-Xz2ToI-XQE34HLeVFY7LRJypI9ySAzM6V8vB-xKBQ8iqUxA5Ra9Onj5E/s320/kris.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345098620831533922" /></a>I have for too long. Regularly in London, yet still managed to avoid this find.<br /><br />Kris Wines is the second best beer shop in London, but the number one, the Utobeer stall, is only available during the limited Borough Market hours. On contrast, Kris is available even in late, post-meeting hours.<br /><br />Not all roads lead to Kris, and my route is probably not one you would try out a late evening wearing your most flashy designer gear. Having attended quite a few beer festivals, my observation is that the latter may not pose too much of a problem to many beer enthusiasts. <br /><br />The route involved taking the Piccadilly line to Caledonian Road, just one (long) stop east of King's Cross St. Pancras, and making the 10 minute walk up North Road to this splendid beer and wine shop in 394 York Way. From the tube station you get a glimpse of the imposing Emirates Stadium- on Saturdays the fashion code is red and white Emirates shirts in this area. The walk continues past 19th century buildings, full of character despite having seen the ravages of time, dreadful post-war estates that have fared much worse, and then there is the odd noughties building with solid fences around.<br /><br />Finally inside this unimposing off-licence an impressive arsenal of craft beers- both international and British- await you. Among the international guys, the Belgians impress the most, but the British selection is still the main draw to me.<br /><br />I think I have found my new, regular hotspot in the British capital, besides The Wenlock Arms. Both offer sufficient ammunition for most beer hunters, in my opinion.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-9709532146849208732008-10-23T22:30:00.000+02:002008-10-23T22:39:37.695+02:00Olympen of Oslo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-FtEVlFvlneVy1FknxjsB-0gonQG2XGSvWojszfAUFRYUwosFz94ETqsVCowVzXkI_2FV8wzINiv_z9tLbmaAy6c1DHX6NfILqtKmfph1UJrNisI_eatIB-csPlHjEPhRDzh/s1600-h/Bilde150.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-FtEVlFvlneVy1FknxjsB-0gonQG2XGSvWojszfAUFRYUwosFz94ETqsVCowVzXkI_2FV8wzINiv_z9tLbmaAy6c1DHX6NfILqtKmfph1UJrNisI_eatIB-csPlHjEPhRDzh/s320/Bilde150.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258991815015157682" border="0" /></a>I suppose the name must have sounded pretentious for this working-class area of Oslo at the time. <a href="http://www.olympen.no/">Olympen Mat og Vinhus</a> (Olympen Food and Winehouse) was soon brought down from its olympic heights and became known as Lompa (the sausage wrap) on the locals' lips.<br /><br />These days the lips can get to taste more than sausages in this historic beer hall. The building was raised in 1892 by the former Schous brewery. Prior to its latest refurbishment Olympen used to be one of the brownest cafés around, a place where nicotine stains would be your stamps of approval. There are nine big paintings on the walls with motives from this poor neighbourhood a century ago, and they all had to undergo extensive cleaning as part of the refurbishment.<br /><br />Luckily, the bland Ringnes beers (Ringnes took over and closed the Schous brewery) have also been shown the door in the process. The bottled beer selection now reaches 25, and seems very well picked with craft brewers representing Norway and all the major beer nations. The five tap beers at the time of my first visit were all macro beers, but that is about to change. I was told that the <a href="http://www.nogne-o.com/">Nøgne Ø</a> and <a href="http://www.smaavesen.no/">Smaa Vesen</a> microbrewers would be there to install their taps just days later, to be followed by the <a href="http://www.haandbryggeriet.no/">Haandbryggeriet</a>. Nøgne Ø will have a seasonal tap beer, starting with their porter. Sounds promising, if you ask me.<br /><br />There is more than beer to Olympen. It may be one of the grandest cafés in the whole of Oslo (yes, maybe even grander than the unbeery Grand Café located on Oslo's version of Champs Elysée, Karl Johans gate) with its huge chandeliers and high ceiling. I thought I even spotted some craft beer interest from the young bar man, but maybe I was just hallucinating. Anyway, upstairs is a rather less beery, but no less stylish and cosmopolitan night club, Pigalle.<br /><br />Welcoming and open the café remains until 1 am early in the week (including Sunday), stretching it to the regulatory maximum of 3 am later in the week. If you are looking for a drink later than that in the over-regulated country of Norway, you have better find a private "nachspiel" or have a well-stocked fridge at home.<br /><br />Oh, and did I mention that my home is just a stone's throw away?Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-14994665790501931732008-08-02T21:35:00.002+02:002008-08-30T20:07:06.177+02:00Heerlijk at De Heeren<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_WUryHhl0IugFjQPvKeREOwMQ280nw94i_1NoObTJTuYrHmmUtW7LR33bctO4CouKcmfk_cOOgo6FTv_OJnAri6JqNOR7-c9xIP0YxfT94Dsfjq34MZA7wDdTHBBYLN587yX/s1600-h/DHL2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_WUryHhl0IugFjQPvKeREOwMQ280nw94i_1NoObTJTuYrHmmUtW7LR33bctO4CouKcmfk_cOOgo6FTv_OJnAri6JqNOR7-c9xIP0YxfT94Dsfjq34MZA7wDdTHBBYLN587yX/s320/DHL2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226860090508529538" border="0" /></a>De he(e)ren- the gentlemen- in question are the De Four brothers, the men behind the outstanding beer café and restaurant <a href="http://www.heerenvanliedekercke.be/">De Heeren van Liedekercke</a> (DHL). If there is a café in Belgium where only superlatives apply, this must be it.<br /><br />The barrels in front of the building are promising enough signs, but as usual in Belgium there is more than meets the eye. The restaurant is on the ground floor, and there is a nice garden terrasse at the back in addition to the downstairs seatings. When the café/restaurant is busy (and even when it is not), it is not a bad idea to sit close to the bar to attract the waiter's attention.<br /><br />Joost De Four may be the master of the beer bar and cellar, but his brother Tom rules in the kitchen. He has received many awards over the years; best game chef in Belgium, best fish cook, and recently the best sandwiches in Vlaanderen were also said to stem from his kitchen. My beef in champignon sauce made with Pater Lieven Tripel was definitely a culinary highlight on my latest trip to Belgium. At the Zythos Bierfestival they have been known to promote bierpralines, made in cooperation with a chocolatier in Aalst. As with chocolate and beer, the brothers are an unbeatable combination.<br /><br />Perfectionism also shone when the wedding between Joost and Jessica was celebrated five years ago. Two oude geuze were specially commissioned from the then (just) geuze blender Drie Fonteinen: J&J Oude Geuze Blauw (for the groom) and J&J Oude Geuze Roze (for the bride)- the former is a blend of 1 year old Lindemans lambiek and 4 year old Girardin lambiek, whereas the latter is a blend of 1 year old Boon lambiek with 3 years old Girardin lambiek. As expected when the best beer café in Belgium teams up the best geuze blender, the result is world-class beers. They are only available at the DHL, but in Belgium you can even buy beers to take away from cafés, a practice unheard of in over-regulated, stern Northern Europe.<br /><br />Welcoming as the place is, you will still be faced with closed doors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and with limited opening hours on Mondays outside the summer season. You can get there by train or by De Lijn, but the train is faster. From Brussel there are direct trains to Liedekerke. From there it is a 20 minute walk along the seemingly never-ending Stationstraat. Iddergem station (make sure not to confuse it with Idegem station on the same line; believe me, the only facility there while waiting for the train back is a frituur café) is closer, but you will have to change trains at Denderleeuw. The next big railway project may well bring it even closer. Inspired by the Parisian RER, the <a href="http://www.tucrail.be/en/projects/rer.htm">GEN</a> - a regional express network around Brussels - is being built. My hope is that whilst bringing beer tourists easier to Liedekerke and around in Payottenland, the network does not challenge this unique part of Vlaanderen with its rich beer culture.<br /><br />De Heeren van Liedekercke is indeed situated just a stone's throw from Payottenland- the Liedekerke municipality and the Vlaams-Brabant province are just across the nearby river Dender. No wonder then that DHL is especially strong on the lambiek and geuze family.<br /><br />There is also an old beer list, but you have to ask for it. It may not be as extensive as at Kulminator, but it is very well-picked, featuring many geuze treats from breweries long gone. I had a Kriek from the now defunct brewery De Wets; De Heeren estimate that it was bottled in 1990. 18 years later the burgundy-coloured beer still produce a smallish white head. The body has probably gotten thinner with the years (though I was too young to taste it in 1990), but the port aroma is potent as can be. Good raisins aromas and flavours as well as some cellar character. You can still taste the cherries, though. Truth is that greatness ages well, and if I had been allowed to rate it on ratebeer.com, I would have given it 4.4 out of 5 (but the Belgian administrators of that site run a stricter regime of which beers can be entered than their UK and US counterparts, especially for defunct breweries where only few bottles remain commercially available).<br /><br />DHL is strong on trappists as well, aged or not. Indeed, if you order an Orval, you will get a bottle that has been aged for 6 months unless you specifically ask for a fresh bottle. The <a href="http://www.orval.be/an/FS_an.html">Ambassadeur Orval</a> title was granted to 340 cafés, taverns and restaurants which promote Orval with good presentation, service and originality. An obvious PR stunt from the brewery's side, but needless to say, DHL qualifies.<br /><br />Another trappist, Westmalle, have coasters reading "Heerlijk duurt het langst" - the delicious lasts longest ( a pun on the proverb "Eerlijk duurt het langst" - honesty lasts longest). As any visit to De Heeren van Liedekercke is likely to be a delicious experience, it promises well for the future of Belgium's no 1 beer café.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-92202404338281474302008-07-18T12:55:00.001+02:002008-07-26T23:53:29.767+02:00Peaceful Pilgrimage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZmwAjuaU2iVM9xp1Ocq0GAwzFSpqB6qrEvfR1YsNFzaw8f6_nTDpNlvSBdmG5dWispUdm0zJUClB6lRDdCUKJ5ZEd1xwLXQzfKMnENxIoWy1QnxawKUiT45nT7RKVtoGCC8v/s1600-h/Westvleteren.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZmwAjuaU2iVM9xp1Ocq0GAwzFSpqB6qrEvfR1YsNFzaw8f6_nTDpNlvSBdmG5dWispUdm0zJUClB6lRDdCUKJ5ZEd1xwLXQzfKMnENxIoWy1QnxawKUiT45nT7RKVtoGCC8v/s320/Westvleteren.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221488406206473714" border="0" /></a>"<a href="http://www.inflandersfields.be/#gedicht">In Flanders Fields</a> the poppies blow".<br /><br />In the western corner of Vlaanderen, <a href="http://www.toerismewesthoek.be/westhoek/algemeen_ektid23347.aspx?">De Westhoek</a>, not only poppies, but also hops grow. The area is home to some of the best brewers in the world, notably the <a href="http://www.sintsixtus.be/eng/home.htm">Sint-Sixtusabdij</a> at Westvleteren and <a href="http://struise.noordhoek.com/eng/">De Struise Brouwers</a>, who brew at Deca brewery in nearby Woesten-Vleteren.<br /><br />The former is already a beer tourist pilgrimage destination, and the <a href="http://struise.noordhoek.com/eng/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=79">ostrich farm</a> of the latter may well gain popularity with the opening of a brewery shop there.<br /><br />The abbey of Sint-Sixtus itself, including its brewhouse, is beyond reach, and the brewery outlet also has more limited availability these days. It is open only from 2-5 pm, closed on Fridays and Sundays, and beers can only be bought (in crates of 24 bottles) with a reservation. The new restrictions seem to have relieved the surrounding area of the traffic jam that arose after the great publicity around the Westvleteren beers being rated as the world's best.<br /><br />The most likely source for beers to take away may well be the little shop in a corner of the café and visitors centre, <a href="http://www.indevrede.be/">In de Vrede</a> (The Peace). It is just across the street ("in the shadow of the Sint-Sixtus abbey"), owned by the abbey and open every day except Friday, the day of the crucifiction. The beer is sold in nice-looking sixpacks.<br /><br />On the day of my visit, only the Extra was available from the shop. Judging from the best-before date, which is 3 years after the bottling date for all the Westvleteren beers (a mere formality, of course, since at least the 8 and 12 will improve for years beyond that if stored correctly), the beer had just been released from the warm room. There it is conditioned at 26 degrees Celcius for 10 days, according to <a href="http://www.celebrator.com/archives/0504/0504inter-westvleteren.html">Chuck Cook</a>, one of the anointed few to get granted a visit behind the abbey walls.<br /><br />As can be seen from the picture, the monks recommend that their beer be served and stored somewhat cooler than that; to be kept at 12-18 degrees C and served at 12-16 degrees is their recommendation.<br /><br />Served at correct temperature and in great condition are all the three beers in the café proper, where one quarter of the total production ends up. In addition to the beer, the café serves up lighter meals such as a hommelpaptaart - hop porridge tart- that actually does not feature any hops in its recipe. Indirectly it certainly does, as it is made with the hoppy Poperings Hommelbier from local brewer Van Eecke. The ice cream, however, is made with Westvleteren Extra/ Westvleteren Blauw (the blue cap)/ Westvleteren 8- a dear child is known by many names. As always, for all you want to know about Abdij Sint-Sixtus and In de Vrede few web sites are as thorough as the one of the late <a href="http://www.whitebeertravels.co.uk/sixtus.html">John White</a>.<br /><br />Though spacious, In de Vrede fills up quickly in summer; many of the tables may already have been reserved. Judging from my observations, the combination of quiet country roads and world-class beer is appearantly not a good recruiting ground for a <a href="http://www.bob.be/">Bob</a>- the term for a designated driver in the Low Countries.<br /><br />My Bob was the <a href="http://www.delijn.be/over/aanbod/belbus_per_provincie/belbus_west_vlaanderen.htm">belbus</a>, the De Lijn mini bus on call, which leaves once an hour (if needed) and must be booked two hours in advance. For out-of-towners it is worth noting that the timetable seems to correspond well with the hourly train from the terminus of Poperinge. It is not unlikely, however, that the likeable little West-Vlaanderen town of Poperinge, famous for its hops and hop festival, may lure you to stay a little longer. There is a <a href="http://www.hopmuseum.be/home.php?lang=EN">hop museum</a> and a couple of decent bars. Among them is another café dedicated to peace, <a href="http://www.cafedelapaix.be/home_en.html">Café de la Paix</a>.<br /><br />The café names cannot disguise the fact that De Westhoek will forever be associated with The Great War rather than peace. After Poperinge the train calls at Ieper, the end of the line for a generation of men some ninety years ago, where the evidence of WWI is everywhere, but few places as strongly as at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menin_Gate">Menenpoort</a> with its 54,900 names of men lost and where the <a href="http://www.lastpost.be/">Last Post</a> is played every evening.<br /><br />The Flanders Fields have some chilling reminders of the horrors mankind can create. On the other hand, their brewers also prove what greatness can be achieved.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-71638710921160165102008-07-06T22:34:00.001+02:002008-07-06T22:46:04.689+02:00Domestic in Diest: Ons te Huis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjSP-FGuaUws0zTBPjwH77XucDmkRHpJkEQHcMHZw3HsTxSZ2cPEk-E0jpgzF3bmVtNGaUTvizNYa1E6kclpuhQ_29qeajKZ3v41R2NvdD7y0AjHnf927brzovqvqrBGSJsel/s1600-h/onstehuis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjSP-FGuaUws0zTBPjwH77XucDmkRHpJkEQHcMHZw3HsTxSZ2cPEk-E0jpgzF3bmVtNGaUTvizNYa1E6kclpuhQ_29qeajKZ3v41R2NvdD7y0AjHnf927brzovqvqrBGSJsel/s320/onstehuis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219982509661760674" border="0" /></a>The doors have closed for the last time for many Belgian beer cafés over the last few years, especially those off the beaten track. As the Belgians are drinking less beer, their beer cafés are becoming more dependent on beer tourists from abroad.<br /><br />I was lucky enough to visit both <a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=shortcut">Kaffee Barbier</a> and Café 206, but never came around to blog about the latter, situated in the Antwerpen village of Sint-Katelijne-Waver, before it was too late. I regret not making it to Eglantier in Sint-Truiden or De Oude Speye in Damme. The best remaining beer cafés in rural Belgium are mostly weekend-only establishments, where the owners are making a living outside the less lucrative café business during the week. Examples of the latter are <a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=emelgem">'t Kroegske</a><a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=kroegske"></a> and <a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=huise">De Gans</a>.<br /><br />On the tourist trail the story is quite the opposite. The beer scenes in Brussels, Brugge and Gent are booming. The best beer selection these days is found at Delirium Café in Brussels and at Bierbrasserie Cambrinus in Brugge, cafés that have seen the light of day only during the last few years.<br /><br />So it was with curiosity and delight that I approached a great "new" beer café in the less-visited, northeastern corner of Flemish Brabant, specifically in the little town of Diest. <a href="http://www.onstehuis-diest.be/">Ons te Huis</a>, which translates as At our Home, has been around for some years, but this year their beer selection trebled as they started combining as a beer store. The deal is that the 170 beers in the yellow section of the menu are available cool and served in their correct glasswares. The 350 beers in the green section of the menu are from the beer store, but if you want them served in the café, just let the barman (or woman) know half an hour before, and he will have the bottle cooled for you.<br /><br />The café may look quite plain, not unlike the bars found across the border in the Netherlands, but the service is unparallelled (the barman even helped me remove the beer labels for my collection). Winand and Moncy, the couple running the place, make sure that Diestenaars and others who find their way to Diest, are faced with an open door 7 days a week from early morning till late at night (the only exception being Mondays, when their home opens at 4 pm). Many of the beers are hard to hit elsewhere, and they are without exception sold at very democratic prices.<br /><br />Indeed, my wish is that the locals vote with their feet and take advantage of the hospitality offered by Ons te Huis. It may not be the closest to the big sights, but in my opinion the rich beer culture of Belgium is dependent on locals like this to stay open.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-22643218364871136622008-03-08T05:15:00.002+01:002008-03-09T01:04:20.774+01:00Where is Welschland?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MurSUxXP4rKspxJyn6NU55azwybHdkPH2QvjuU-q8zNNm3_bLe5ZX0yvB1cl_Jcd9vAvABTA1YC5ZMk0Z9_HaFeHcj7Te_9uihYLlhvsAuksjo_RmA42mW3wkfX9py3FyMp9/s1600-h/Bilde+002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0MurSUxXP4rKspxJyn6NU55azwybHdkPH2QvjuU-q8zNNm3_bLe5ZX0yvB1cl_Jcd9vAvABTA1YC5ZMk0Z9_HaFeHcj7Te_9uihYLlhvsAuksjo_RmA42mW3wkfX9py3FyMp9/s320/Bilde+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175160545628949826" border="0" /></a>Belgium is not the only country split along linguistic lines in Europe, but there is a country that tackles it much better. Whereas the best Swiss microbreweries are looking to Belgium for inspiration, the reverse should have been true for Belgian politicians. But then again, copying the Swiss model would leave many of them without a job, so I suppose it is out of question.<br /><br />Switzerland has as many as four official languages with Romansh having the same marginal role as German in Belgium. Meanwhile, in Switzerland the German-speaking region, Deutschschweiz (mind the consonants if you are drinking!), is by far the biggest.<br /><br />Welschland is a schwützerdütsch (the Swiss dialect that can frustrate any student of Hochdeutsch) nickname for the Swiss French-speaking region (which prefers to be called Romandie).<br /><br />The is nothing derogatory about <a href="http://www.welschland.com/">Welschland</a> in Zürich, however. A wealth of artisanal products from the Western, French-speaking part of Switzerland is competing for your attention (and luggage space), including sausages, wine, cheese and, of course, beer. At the time of my visit they had only 10 beers, all lined up in the picture, far less than the major beer supplier in town, the centrally located <a href="http://www.drinksoftheworld.ch/">Drinks of the World</a>. Unless you have a particular liking for similar-tasting blond lagers though, you will find the beers of Welschland far more rewarding.<br /><br />In fact, I encountered surprisingly few memorable beers from Deutschschweiz despite its proximity to Germany. The friendly co-owner of the Welschland delicatessen explained that the poor growing conditions for grapes, especially in the cooler Jura canton, paved the way for beer brewing there. It cannot fully explain why all the best craft beers are made in that region.<br /><br />One of them, <a href="http://www.brasseriebfm.ch/">BFM- Brasserie des Franches-Montagne</a>, occupies 10 of the top 20 twenty ratings for Swiss beers on <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/">Ratebeer</a>, a position resembling that of Nøgne Ø in Norway. The decent beers of the Trois Dames brewery of the nearby Vaud canton do not reach that high only because they are generally rated by too few people. Both give a successful Swiss twist to beer styles originating in Belgium and beyond.<br /><br />La Salamandre by BFM was among the beers in my luggage that managed to escape the destructive efforts of the SAS Ground Staff at Copenhagen Airport- for their careless and beer-hostile luggage handling I wish they be served Bud Light in all eternity. In contrast, La Salamandre is orange golden and cloudy with an admittedly minimal head. The nose is acid and complex, revealing lemons, orange zest and spices. Flirting with geuze characteristics. The sour lemony and orange zest flavours find balancing honey sweetness. An outstanding beer - a flavourful ambassador for this otherwise neutral country.<br /><br />Unlike the Belgians the Swiss always preferred to perfect their own little world rather than conquering the rest of it. Unfortunately, perfectionist Switzerland seldom turns out beers that deviate from the main. But when they actually do, their craft beers should feature high among enthusiasts worldwide. Finding the good stuff remains a challenge, though.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-11032645098452626212008-02-10T04:00:00.000+01:002008-02-10T04:14:12.894+01:00Mobile Home Brew<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OISmBj8OlMXpw5yEdRjafnZYt0eE7Q93jskYKczkNm_PKZEjaJR2LFnMXYoNhoR-VtYZyvQcfw4ehztpBVYQ0Cu8eeNOZ-F3LAaSKxNtN68p4POXS45icNDZQBG1JwrwpHDz/s1600-h/IMG_0178v2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OISmBj8OlMXpw5yEdRjafnZYt0eE7Q93jskYKczkNm_PKZEjaJR2LFnMXYoNhoR-VtYZyvQcfw4ehztpBVYQ0Cu8eeNOZ-F3LAaSKxNtN68p4POXS45icNDZQBG1JwrwpHDz/s320/IMG_0178v2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164016333177341298" border="0" /></a>You certainly have to leave home (or your hotel room) to get to the best beer shops in Belgium. One of the best is undoubtedly <a href="http://www.bierhandelwillems.be/">Bierhandel Willems</a> in Grobbendonk, a village in the Antwerpen province and a 40-minute bus ride from the Sinjorenstad itself. Willems en zoon stocks 300 different beers, and among them are quite a few rarities, including the three on the picture.<br /><br />The bottle on the left is, I think, as close as you can get to a commercially available home brew, Bière Brassèe à la Maison. The female brewer has supposedly turned her bathroom into a brewery, called Brasserie La 42ème. Except for the location in a village near the Wallonian capital of Namur, little is known about this microbrewery. The beer turned out a bit too spiced, but by all means drinkable ( and far from being a candidate for my bathroom zink!)<br /><br />There are women behind the beer bottle in the middle, too. It has become an annual event for the female (lead) members of <a href="http://www.opa-aalst.be/">OPA</a>- Aalst Objectieve ProefAjuinen, one of the 24 local associations making up the Belgian beer consumer organization Zythos, to brew a beer. (In Vlaanderen, the inhabitants of Aalst are known as ajuinen-literally onions/buds- and objective taste buds were always the ideal of Zythos' predecessor, De Objectieve Bierproevers.) Supervised by chief brewer and leading beer authority, Jef van den Steen, at <a href="http://www.glazentoren.be/">Kleinbrouwerij De Glazen Toren</a>, this year's beer turned out a decent honey beer named Nette.<br /><br />A little help from a bigger brewer was also necessary to bring the bottle on the right to the market. <a href="http://www.verhuisbrouwerij.be/">De Verhuisbrouwerij</a> - the portable brewery - is a "hobby brewery" run by five enthusiasts in Antwerpen since 1998. They bring their 30 liter brewing facility with them in their caravan to your party/event, where you can witness a typical 9am to 5 pm brewing session. The beer that is brewed in the session, is only for the brewers' own consumption, though (following the legal definition of homebrewing, I suppose), let alone available after a 3-month process of fermenting and maturing. Knowing Belgium, it would surprise me if informal arrangements cannot be made to overcome the legal bits.<br /><br />The "proef" is in the tasting (literally in Dutch), so together with the brewing equipment they bring their "big brews" for tasting sessions. These beers are the result of successful recipes that they let commercial brewers produce under licence. These give a small contribution towards some of the costs involved in this hobby. Or, as the hobby brewers say, you can support an association by buying a membership card or in this case by drinking a beer. An easy choice in my (and their) opinion.<br /><br />So it was with good conscience that I opened my Trisser VI, a blond tripel brewed for De Verhuisbrouwerij at De Proefbrouwerij in a quantity of 1100 litres. My 75 cl bottle had been filled on 27 March 2007, and inside 7.6% ABV was kicking. It poured hazy golden with some orange below a rich, lacing head and released some herbal and piney hop aroma. The initial taste is sweet, but with good offsetting bitterness as well as some yeasty bread flavours. Spicy notes completed the picture of a more than decent beer.<br /><br />Trisser is actually the nick name given to a student retaking the same exam for the third time, and this tripel is no doubt a comforting beer for such a fate. Maybe an appropriate beer for De Verhuisbrouwerij to bring to the excellent <a href="http://bierfestival.wordpress.com/vbpf08/">Vilvordia student beer festival</a> on May 18, where they are scheduled to have one of their brew days.<br /><br />Rolling home brew out to the beer lover community sounds like quite a good idea, if you ask me. Not because the monetary contribution is likely to make any difference nor does the brewing session necessarily open a new world to seasoned craft beer enthusiasts. However, the best beer bottles are tales of a great brewing talent, and sharing a talent tends to improve it. It is time for the best to leave home.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-82917792997716362282007-12-23T15:01:00.000+01:002007-12-23T15:11:02.011+01:00Merry Christmas!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzghTBarZglcNmqPIZvodjtMMwMmRuOUBYsd6u4YBat3KZTlLABF4hjqu9w-0Wavc9HNq6udONjNoHWwvmwk3S5oP-WUVPFKUNEVTc2z3vQly3kaVORAwuLq5f25kKM0jsIwK/s1600-h/Better+than.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzghTBarZglcNmqPIZvodjtMMwMmRuOUBYsd6u4YBat3KZTlLABF4hjqu9w-0Wavc9HNq6udONjNoHWwvmwk3S5oP-WUVPFKUNEVTc2z3vQly3kaVORAwuLq5f25kKM0jsIwK/s320/Better+than.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145468078014005890" border="0" /></a>Gold, incense and myrrh were the gifts of choice some two thousand years ago. Whilst gold may still be a great gift, the <a href="http://www.brasserielabinchoise.be/products.htm">La Binchoise</a> brewery claims it has brewed a superior replacement for both incense and myrrh.<br /><br />Their Christmas beer, La Binchoise Speciale Noël, pours cloudy and copper with a big, beige head. For the nose there are liquorice, caramel, spicy yeast aromas with a hint of pear. In the mouth fruity and caramel flavours mix with coriander and some other dry spices. The finish is dry and yeasty, and the beer provides warming alcohol appropriate for this cold, festive season.<br /><br />When it comes to festivities, the brewery should know what it is talking about. It is situated in the small Hainaut town of Binche, which comes to life once a year with some wild celebrations, that have given rise to the English word "binge". Not well-known outside Belgium their <a href="http://www.carnavaldebinche.be/page.php">Mardi Gras carnival</a> is a must-see. During the procession, the Gille Character wears his impressive hat covered with ostrich feather and throws hundreds of oranges to (or more often, at) the public.<br /><br />The Christmas celebration may be rather more subdued and peaceful, but the golden fruit remains one of its countless treats. Another and one highly recommended, is La Binchoise Speciale Noël. Indeed, I see the whole range of Chrsistmas beers as the brewers' annual gifts to the craft beer enthusiasts, as a thank-you for another year of drinking their beer. I, for one, do not miss the incense and myrrh. A merry, beery Christmas to all!<a name="btop" id="btop"><br /></a>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-69914862701791853722007-12-20T11:52:00.000+01:002007-12-20T11:53:05.926+01:00Essen on Track<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zNmnVp7bZ1v91k_2ShfAmcTj1SORriXOPzlAgciuwb7QG0nI_dnBEGR90pWR3DaJcE3HmnOX5PYx1u7GwjWpsAK5f0gRoZdzKpD8WLx04b_iVfaK8cU2uUZgG03fzo0oMdC2/s1600-h/essen.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5zNmnVp7bZ1v91k_2ShfAmcTj1SORriXOPzlAgciuwb7QG0nI_dnBEGR90pWR3DaJcE3HmnOX5PYx1u7GwjWpsAK5f0gRoZdzKpD8WLx04b_iVfaK8cU2uUZgG03fzo0oMdC2/s320/essen.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5145456928278905458" border="0" /></a>The glasses proudly pronounce "Essen 150 jaar spoorgemeente"- 150 years of train connection from Roosendaal in the Netherlands to Antwerpen via Essen.<br /><br />The slogan is dated for several reasons. Not only did the celebration actually take place three years ago - glasses are reused so you get your 3 euro deposit back if you hand in a clean glass upon leaving the festival. You may also opt to keep it as an inexpensive souvenir, but appearantly few do so.<br /><br />Second, it is my prediction that this particular railway line (line no 12) is likely to be less important in the near future. A new <a href="http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSL_Zuid">high-speed line</a> has been built east of the line 12 connecting Antwerpen and Brussels with Amsterdam via the barony city of Breda. (In an endless series of delays, it now seems scheduled to open in October 2008). It will reduce travel time from Amsterdam to Antwerpen to just one hour!<br /><br />Unfortunately, the first day of this year's festival was struck by one of several one-day strikes by the Belgian train personnel. Some trains were still running since not all trade unions participated in the strike, but the train company seemed unable to predict which would still leave (even if with a delay). There is an air of helplessness descending upon many Belgian companies and employees when the unexpected strikes, which is so contrary to the originality and creativity shown in Belgian beer brewing. As a result, getting to the festival from inside Belgium was very difficult that day (but manageable from Roosendaal due to some good piece of advice on the <a href="http://www.kerstbierfestival.be/">festival web site</a>).<br /><br />The festival itself was on track as always with 126 different beers on offer. As such, it has rightly become one of the biggest annual beer events in Belgium, attracting craft beer enthusiasts from all over the world. In fact, international visitors may well outnumber the Belgians, and the Nordic countries are well represented, especially Denmark.<br /><br />It was organised for the 13th time, and was subject to some unlucky circumstances this year. However, with the skills and dedication of the organisers, <a href="http://www.ober.be"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Objectieve Bierproevers Essense Regio</span></a>, the local branch of Zythos, there was no way the festival could possibly derail. Trains may come and go (or rather not, as the case was), but I am pretty sure that beer tourists will continue to make their annual call at Essen for years to come.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-21143357364540934832007-12-08T22:25:00.000+01:002007-12-09T00:28:44.257+01:00B(l)ack to Beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPoFi7mEAY0Uq3hrrBTaTqMkRJ5dkrSKUIg_G7J8KE1w-3pzQYKKHmr4mj2228tyi1B6wWP1hHCVJKOMnYbuPorbDRaw-8kQr95W-zqgm7rmGwQ5gR8VL9-aO85CdhbIoI9yp/s1600-h/Priory+Arms.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPoFi7mEAY0Uq3hrrBTaTqMkRJ5dkrSKUIg_G7J8KE1w-3pzQYKKHmr4mj2228tyi1B6wWP1hHCVJKOMnYbuPorbDRaw-8kQr95W-zqgm7rmGwQ5gR8VL9-aO85CdhbIoI9yp/s320/Priory+Arms.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5141678963263774834" border="0" /></a>It has been a busy autumn and as a result a dark period for my beer blogging. I found myself back in London a couple of times during this period, mainly for business. Though a great variety of beers are available in the city, it still requires more time and effort than in the beery paradises of Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. The Cobra cities have bars ensuring that a selection of hundreds, if not thousands of beers are within walking distance of each other.<br /><br />In the British capital, due to the tradition of cask beers, the selection is often limited to less than ten craft beers even in the most dedicated beer bars. The Tube comes in handy, and a great number of beer bars, luckily away from the bustling tourist centre, can be found along one tube line, namely the Northern Line (Bank branch). It may be black on the map, but is the vehicle to bright drinking moments.<br /><br />A top-down approach, mapwise and on the social ladder, involves snaking down the Northern Line from the north, starting at the posh Hampstead Heath and finishing near the plainer Clapham Commons. Hampstead is home to one of the very few brewpubs in the city, and <a href="http://www.timeout.com/london/bars/reviews/11641.html">The McLaughlins Horseshoe</a> is an easy walk from the Hampstead tube station. There may only be one or two brews available from the brewpub, but there is a decent bottle selection as well. Emphasis seems to be more on food, though, especially in the evening.<br /><br />The are <a href="http://www.belgo-restaurants.co.uk/">Belgo</a> treats to be had at the Chalk Farm tube, but quirkier bar experiences await at Camden. <a href="http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/25/2555/Quinns/Camden">Quinn's</a> is almost an institution around here, run by the Quinn family for a generation. The rule of thumb here is that you <span style="font-style: italic;">may</span> get what you see. Never mind the bar list, it is not likely to be updated. Checking that old Mr Quinn picks up and opens the right bottle is suggested. The good thing is that the beer fridge, on display at the one end of the bar, is most likely to include some rare, imported bottles that you have never tried before.<br /><br />There is nothing beery about the brand new St Pancras International station, where the Eurostars trains now bring you to Paris and Brussels in around 2 hours. There is a long champagne bar and a crêperie- it feels more like a gateway to Europe (read: France) than a welcome to old England. So next stop on the Northern Line for a beer tourist on a mission should be Old Street for a good old cockney pub experience. <a href="http://www.wenlock-arms.co.uk/">The Wenlock Arms</a> more than defends the half a kilometer walk from the station- recently polled the favourite London pub by beer blogger<a href="http://stonch.blogspot.com/2007/09/your-favourite-london-pub-is.html"> Stonch</a>. No further comments needed!<br /><br />I still have not made it to <a href="http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/14/1473/Crosse_Keys/Bank">The Crosse Keys</a>, a Wetherspoons pub with a good cask ale selection not far from the Bank station. I guess it is good to leave some treats for later. However, a must-see is always London Bridge, especially on <a href="http://www.boroughmarket.org.uk/">market days</a>, Thursdays through Saturdays. Picking up some bottles at the <a href="http://www.utobeer.co.uk/">Utobeer</a> stall is inevitable. With great pubs like <a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=the+rake">The Rake</a>, The Market Porter and <a href="http://thebeertourist.blogspot.com/search?q=brew+wharf">Brew Wharf</a> all close by, it is easy to spend all day here.<br /><br />Moving south Borough station is only one stop away and the place to go for <a href="http://www.harveys.org.uk/">Harveys</a> ale in London. <a href="http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/28/2814/Royal_Oak/Borough">The Royal Oak</a> is a pleasant neighbourhood pub that serves up the best from the Sussex brewer. According to an ad in the <a href="http://www.londondrinker.org.uk/">London Drinker</a> magazine they are now also open in the weekends.<br /><br />All good things have to come to an end. You could continue further down to Clapham North for one Bierodrome experience or make a good 15 minutes walk from Clapham Common to the <a href="http://www.microbar.org/">Microbar</a> with its splendid bottled beer selection. Stopping short of Clapham, in Stockwell, is also warmly recommended. Seemingly forgotten by Ratebeerians <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/3370">The Priory Arms</a> could offer 5 cask ales and some quite rare German bottles on my latest visit. Indeed, I would rank this as one of the top pubs in the capital and definitely one of the most undersung.<br /><br />In my opinion, for a pub walk to really take off in London you have head underground. There, the deepest and blackest of all lines will bring you to the heights of beery London.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-68799595862668398742007-09-04T00:49:00.000+02:002007-09-04T00:49:33.610+02:00Flirting with Commitment<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVq9HHEBBMXz5qVJ5Ik8G8OU29ryt_u41u307IockPbHwYcosO4JKFJIHXzLuAEvUEDUxcAYsBKAd1mVNOSdwlLmJ9mZZO-jdpkaiHjEoKyeVdpJmri-mYu2O1TrDk3qe5AZJ/s1600-h/dekoninck.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVq9HHEBBMXz5qVJ5Ik8G8OU29ryt_u41u307IockPbHwYcosO4JKFJIHXzLuAEvUEDUxcAYsBKAd1mVNOSdwlLmJ9mZZO-jdpkaiHjEoKyeVdpJmri-mYu2O1TrDk3qe5AZJ/s320/dekoninck.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5097601849792032786" border="0" /></a>When old attraction pales, new approaches are needed. Some Belgian pale ales have seen their volumes dropping as post-industrial Belgium is consuming less beer and more wine. The thirst for Belgian craft beer from the rest of the world has been more important to the smaller breweries, often with more assertive beers.<br /><br />Assertive the pale ales may not be- their beauty lies in their drinkability and balance. Not least so for <a href="http://www.dekoninck.be/">De Koninck</a>, which is still the reigning beer in its home city, Antwerpen. As indicated by the beer coaster, all you have to say is bolleke- literally a small ball- to get served their refreshing amber ale in its famous bowl-shaped glass.<br /><br />It comes copper-coloured, usually with a decent head. Yeasty aroma combines with hay hoppiness. Good toffee caramel are married with spicy fruit flavours. With a clean dry finish it is a characterful thirst-quencher.<br /><br />Thirst-quenching has always been possible around the brewery, located along the old (stone) road to Mechelen, the Mechelsesteenweg. The most famous café was probably Café Pelgrim, where the surplus yeast from the brewery across the road was served in shot-glasses as a tonic. For years it functioned as the unofficial brewery tap, but appearantly that did not pull enough pilgrims, so since March the doors have been closed for good.<br /><br />The doors will open again next year. Café Pelgrim and its neighbouring café, also bankrupt, will be converted into one big beer café, and there will be a new brewery museum in the adjoining building, marking the 175th anniversary of Brouwerij De Koninck. When Joseph De Koninck started up his brewery in 1833, it was originally called Brouwerij De Hand, from the signpost marking the city limits of Antwerpen. The symbol of Antwerpen and De Koninck has always been the cut-off hand . In what is essentially a rebranding of the old port city on the Schelde, the hand is increasingly rarely seen, replaced by a <a href="http://www.coolcapitals.com/">cool, capital</a> A.<br /><br />The hand lives on, however, in the name of what is essentially the new, unofficial brewery tap, <a href="http://www.dehand.be/">Afspanning De Hand</a>. Afspanning is another Flemish word for café, literally meaning relaxation (where you can get restored as in a restaurant). The focus is indeed on food. All the De Koninck brews and no others are available- which makes a selection of five beers, including the seasonal Winterkoninck.<br /><br />To compensate the beers are available in as many as six different glasses: in addition to Bolleke, there is a choice of a Bol, a Prinske, a Prinses, a Fluit and a Handje. Given a choice, I would rather see more brews and fewer glasses.<br /><br />I shall not complain, however, if the flirt with a new generation of beer drinkers is necessary to keep up the commitment to quality brews. Commitment usually begins with a flirtTorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-66988641553252406572007-08-30T23:59:00.000+02:002007-09-03T23:40:19.326+02:00The Beer Hunter is Gone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtkLvyl0Q4u4_hpKEuw5NHNsnYiMd-TEaC4SYXMY2vOaIMi5VPeBlmwErcs0WvQHGggFr3gb3Sl1b7-NWnyg7Q_SPwQme-iJ853TWN7py3HFsDiQCsUdgexIBZxOEF68tnbSl/s1600-h/IMG_0055.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimtkLvyl0Q4u4_hpKEuw5NHNsnYiMd-TEaC4SYXMY2vOaIMi5VPeBlmwErcs0WvQHGggFr3gb3Sl1b7-NWnyg7Q_SPwQme-iJ853TWN7py3HFsDiQCsUdgexIBZxOEF68tnbSl/s320/IMG_0055.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5104629345673091298" border="0" /></a>The world has lost its greatest beer writer. Michael Jackson passed away this morning, aged 65. Michael became world-famous in the late 80s with his television series "The Beer Hunter" on Discovery Channel.<br /><br />He discovered beers and beer styles that few people had heard of, and his well-written books on beer are all seen as the authoritative guides on the topic. His books - starting out with the "World Guide to Beer" as early as 1977 - provided the ultimate inspiration for the craft beer movement.<br /><br />The picture is taken at the Dolle Brouwers - the crazy brewers-stand at the Zythos beer festival 18 months ago. Michael Jackson was a regular at Zythos as well as at the smaller Bier Passion festival in Antwerpen.<br /><br />Passionate about beer he certainly was, at the time probably seen as "doll", (but never dull). In the end his beer knowledge was unrivaled.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-50250783742912521512007-08-05T03:01:00.000+02:002007-08-05T03:08:41.681+02:00Calling Twice at St Peter's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFomMzBnjJ91Fs7b976XoYQLeztisQ5dfQkSvcRxrSj7r1M0a8UYpFwgj6YuFK25obHga4kTkoIlc_slngWhHZ4TmCxULX24VbfbbVnObKjqjCnUGdDsvzpoxyVjdkZFQH0nz/s1600-h/camjer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFomMzBnjJ91Fs7b976XoYQLeztisQ5dfQkSvcRxrSj7r1M0a8UYpFwgj6YuFK25obHga4kTkoIlc_slngWhHZ4TmCxULX24VbfbbVnObKjqjCnUGdDsvzpoxyVjdkZFQH0nz/s320/camjer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093858416426381314" border="0" /></a>The waterways of London have kept their rough charm, serving as a reminder of Britain's great industrial heritage. Charming are also some of the waterholes found nearby. Not far from The Regents Canal is the Pearly Queen of them all, <a href="http://www.wenlock-arms.co.uk/">The Wenlock Arms</a>, a true cultural institution. With a good and ever-changing range of interesting real ales on cask, this free house is also very much a meeting point for the locals.<br /><br />Übercool Hoxton, that was not too supportive of the <a href="http://www.pitfieldbeershop.co.uk/aboutus.htm">Pitfield Brewery and Beer Shop</a>, more or less forcing it to relocate to Essex, is just half a mile away, yet it remains a world apart. The Wenlock Arms is down-to-earth, seemingly untouched by Caffe Latte and the rule of Millenium Minimalism, it is Cockney London at its best, with the lads dropping by after a friendly Sunday football match on the common across the street. And when jazzy tunes are sounding from the piano next to the door, you know you will not be leaving anytime soon.<br /><br />Not far from The Wenlock Arms, on the other side of the canal, is <a href="http://www.dukeorganic.co.uk/">The Duke of Cambridge</a>, or at least the pub named after him. It is a varied neighbourhood with a mix of refurbished Georgian houses in between more dreary block of flats. The Duke goes for an altogether more contemporary craze suitable for the politically correct Islingtonians- organic food and drinks. The emphasis is on food, but at least that means plenty of seating. And there is nothing wrong with being trendy if it implies a genuine commitment to quality. I did not try their food (which I regret), but the carefully selected beer list was a reliable enough witness: a solid range of ales from the Pitfield Brewery, including the first London organic draft bitter – ‘SB'’, brewed exclusively for the pub.<br /><br />The street sign reads St Peter's Street, and the pub is one of few places where you can find the Organic Best Bitter from the <a href="http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/">St Peter's Brewery</a> on draft. You would suspect it after noticing that the olive oil dispensers on the tables are old St Peter's bottles.<br /><br />The true mecca for St Peter's beers is, however, the brewery's own pub, <a href="http://www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk/london/default.htm">The Jerusalem Tavern</a>. Inside, oil lamps made from the beer bottles have been prepared for the anointed. But while the bottle may be a copy of a Philadelphia flask dating from around 1770, the building itself has been around since 1720. Old and well-used she may be, the pub still attracts a crowd of office workers every weekday. The building is almost a century and a half older than the nearby meat halls of Smithfield, on which site livestock has been traded for more than 800 years. Outside the market hours (4 am- 12 noon) there is precious little evidence of this activity except for the huge halls-the Farringdon area is these days the home of trendy cafés and night clubs.<br /><br />Steeped in history, the area may well have given name to one of the world's beer styles. <a href="http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=180680">Porter</a> used to be the favourite thirst-quencher for the market workers- the porters- in the 18th century- long before the arrival of pale Burton ales and continental lagers.<br /><br />The Jerusalem Tavern therefore feels like the perfect setting for tasting St Peter's Old Style Porter. <span class="beer">It pours dark brown with a red glare, crowned by a beige creamy foam. Releasing a lot of chocolate aroma with hints of vanilla, the beer can boast of good roasted flavours, bitter chocolate and a dry, bitter finish.<br /><br />It is a beer to be welcomed not only by craft beer tourists and market porters, but probably also by the Pearly Gate guardian. It has certainly not been watered down by trendy blandness, but kept a steady course on the narrow canal of traditional craftmanship.</span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-6602732602137401512007-07-21T00:23:00.000+02:002007-07-21T00:44:17.822+02:00Treat at De Torre<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jmDXm6lSr71tgGE1lB17MsfBnLgltib9mHlOrp8CUDO76GgRTNa_eGAk62geY_Qt4AyYdm7pRRLjJeDz0zUwH-FEnPEC3ylpsB5gIiLVq3VEd_wbpCloqhN4YyMz-StMX5fC/s1600-h/selectiontorre.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_jmDXm6lSr71tgGE1lB17MsfBnLgltib9mHlOrp8CUDO76GgRTNa_eGAk62geY_Qt4AyYdm7pRRLjJeDz0zUwH-FEnPEC3ylpsB5gIiLVq3VEd_wbpCloqhN4YyMz-StMX5fC/s320/selectiontorre.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5089372220564039778" border="0" /></a>Torre may conjure up images of some semi-tacky resort on the Costa del Sol, but there is a Torre of the highest class on another coastline further north on the continent. It can hardly be called the sunshine coast, susceptible to some harsh North Sea weather, but whether the sun is shining or not, I know which coastline I would rather be on.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.detorre.be/indexengl.html">Café De Torre</a> is only one of many attractions on the tiny stretch of Belgian coastline, and it is definitely one of the beeriest- only Café Botteltje in Oostende may have a bigger selection. Situated in the picturesque village of De Haan -The Cock- it is only a 20 minute tram ride away from either Oostende and Blankenberge, both with excellent train connections to the rest of the country.<br /><br />The tram service, called De Kusttram, covers almost the entire 65 kilometers of Belgium's coastline, with frequent departures and passing by many delightful sights on the way. One of them is the Art Nouveau tram station De Haan aan Zee, celebrated by the Strubbe brew Trammelantje Den Haene. That beer and its sister, Haanse Witte Den Haene, are brewed for the local butcher/bottle shop, but unfortunately the <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/strubbe-trammelantje-den-haene/66574/">reviews</a> indicate that the beers may be less than artfully crafted.<br /><br />Craft brews they still made at Belle-Vue until 1999. That is the last vintage seen of their splendid Sélection Lambic, a few bottles of which have still survived until today at De Torre, literally towering behind the Art Nouveau tram station. A masterpiece of a beer it is, appropriately only available from a big bottle.<span class="beer"> With a clear, deep orange-golden colour it can still master a small, but stable head. The sour fruit aroma hints of yoghurt, and promises a complex taste sensation of sour, fruity yoghurt developing </span><span class="beer">towards a dry, almondy finish that lingers.<br /><br />The villa housing De Torre is a fine example of Belle Époque, and the café owners are keen to make sure that beer tourists as well as other guests have a good time. With more than 250 different beers on offer the former are bound to be happy, and it did not exactly ruin my day to be offered a taste of Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze Vintage. It reassured me that even though Belle Époque and Belle-Vue craft beer may be a thing of the past, Belgium still does not only possess the skills and dedicaton to make unique beers, it also has some truly outstanding places to enjoy them.<br /><br /></span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-33965033739150731582007-06-08T22:00:00.000+02:002007-06-09T13:55:34.409+02:00Pomp at De Prael: Meibockfestival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l9lBPJTpKViSExGRkB7ZvYtlzoo3IvsquKQ-sG9BEPazkmVkbsW5ObRwX0rce3RnooEv1lOA3M8XvXzC_aQ-y5oEUxt0pHaF-bXmU6UhN0CEgYHsVti3I5UfxLhuiCeycIJJ/s1600-h/de+prael.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2l9lBPJTpKViSExGRkB7ZvYtlzoo3IvsquKQ-sG9BEPazkmVkbsW5ObRwX0rce3RnooEv1lOA3M8XvXzC_aQ-y5oEUxt0pHaF-bXmU6UhN0CEgYHsVti3I5UfxLhuiCeycIJJ/s320/de+prael.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5073071184743358642" border="0" /></a>It is not exactly pomp and circumstance- in Dutch: pracht en praal- you would associate with this part of Amsterdam. No, I am not referring to the Red Light District, but rather to Helicopterstraat, which is a street in an industrial area towards the airport and, more importantly, the present address of <a href="http://www.deprael.nl/">De Prael</a> brewery.<br /><br />The brewery- one of three microbreweries/brewpubs in Amsterdam- was recently the host of the 10th Meibockfestival, which is organised by the Noord-Holland arm of <a href="http://www.pint.nl/">PINT</a>. The festival is dedicated to the <a href="http://www.prnh.pint.nl/dossier%20meibock/wanneer%20meibock.htm">Meibo(c)k</a>, traditionally the last strong beer brewed before the summer season (when it was impossible to brew). De Prael has, according to the definite <a href="http://www.arendsnest.nl/bestel.php">guide</a> on Dutch breweries, always struggled with the same issue- the brewery simply becomes too hot in summer. A hot issue was also the name originally chosen- De Parel (the pearl)- as the Budels brewery already made a beer with the same name. A new identity soon had to be found, and reshuffling some letters still made it sound a bit pompous, so to speak.<br /><br />The organisers originally had some doubts about the location- it is somewhat off the beaten track. Not to be deterred, the organisers did an admirable job promoting the festival- every hundred meter or so from the Henk Sneevlietweg metro station there was another sign pointing the way. A good effort that many a Belgian beer festival could learn from- but then the Dutch were always better at marketing, anyway. Seating is generally more sparse at Dutch beer festivals, though, and the Meibockfestival was no exception in that respect. The whole brewery and living room-like bar is concentrated on the first floor of the building, from which a dangerously steep, provisional staircase led down to the outdoor benches supplied for the occasion. A concentrated effort was needed to hold on to the tasting notes (and glass for that sake) in the windy weather.<br /><br />Back to the Meibock, often written Meibok in Dutch, or Lentebok (spring bock, thus allowing it to be released earlier) or even Paasbier (Easter beer). It is a paler and often more bitter version of the bock beer, and goes under the term Heller Bock on Ratebeer. Naturally, De Prael had their own lentebock at the festival (in addition to a special jubilee beer): André is named after levenslied singer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Hazes">André Hazes</a> - all De Prael beers carry the first name of Dutch folk music singers. The aroma is spicy and fruity with definite notes of orange, and the flavours add to that good bitterness and some yeastiness. André is a full-bodied, hazy orangey amber beer, that I found very nice. I am tempted to quote an André Hazes hit: "Wij Houden Van Oranje"- we love Orange.<br /><br />Hopefully, De Prael will be able to brew beyond May when they move to new premises in the old auction house, the Veilinghuisje, in the middle of the Red Light District. Eventually, there will also be a shop and a proeflokaal there. <a href="http://www.centrum.amsterdam.nl/PDFjes/Stadsdeelnieuws/Wallenspecial%202007.pdf">Promoted</a> by the local authorities as one of several projects to save the problem-ridden area in the northern end of Oudezijds Voorburgwal , it is located just across the Salvation Army and close by <a href="http://www.museumamstelkring.nl/onslieveheeropsolder/eng/home.php">Our Lord in the Attic</a>, <span style="" lang="EN-GB"></span>originally a place of worship for oppressed souls. Saving souls may be stretching the philosophy behind De Prael a bit far, but the brewery was originally set up to help people with some distance to the job market back to work.<br /><br />The Meibockfestival started out in the premises of the old Maximiliaan brewery, that closed down in 2001. The brewing facilities are back in use, now as the brewpub <a href="http://www.debekeerdesuster.nl/">De Bekeerde Suster</a> of De Beiaard group, located just a stone's throw from the Veilinghuisje. Maybe the Meibockfestival now comes back to the Red Light District and perhaps even converting some souls from red decay to amber glory.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-85639370387420156792007-05-28T01:00:00.000+02:002007-05-28T01:10:29.242+02:00Beery Beersel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfmtbRw7WoGdkZ6LwUU-ILUOY8BLKHFMHj1Zybd8zznG4ovBZ-5NirZivYaApmg-Ls8RGAviLW8uluDfM6cH8YeKnGJ-ILrnBKcoI5JN6cBjtCNEkp-jOlPSBTbnLHVbyTA_b/s1600-h/Bilde+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGfmtbRw7WoGdkZ6LwUU-ILUOY8BLKHFMHj1Zybd8zznG4ovBZ-5NirZivYaApmg-Ls8RGAviLW8uluDfM6cH8YeKnGJ-ILrnBKcoI5JN6cBjtCNEkp-jOlPSBTbnLHVbyTA_b/s320/Bilde+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069325501958194754" border="0" /></a>The clouds over Beersel in Pajottenland are luckily of political nature rather than beer-related these days, though the discussion over the Brussel- Halle-Vilvoorde constituency has enough dynamite in it to threaten the stability of the entire kingdom. In the 90s the two geuze makers of Beersel were struggling, but these days things have brightened up: <a href="http://www.3fonteinen.be/">Drie Fonteinen</a> ventured into lambik brewing in addition to the geuze blending in the beginning of this century, and there seems to be new life at the <a href="http://www.oudbeersel.com/">Oud Beersel</a> brewery.<br /><br />Beersel makes for a nice excursion from Brussel. The whole trip takes only about half an hour. The best day to go is probably Friday when most cafés as well as the Drie Fonteinen brewery outlet are open, and there is a train service. I went there on a Sunday, taking the local train to the station of Ukkel-Kalevoet, where there is a connection to De Lijn bus no 154.<br /><br />The obvious starting point in Beersel is the Drie Fonteinen restaurant, just across the church. Run by the brewer's brother it offers lambik, faro and kriekenlambik in addition to some bottled beers as well as hearty meals. Admittedly, the only relatively young feature at the restaurant is the jong lambik (jong here meaning about 1 year in barrels)- otherwise it is the reign of grey hair. The middle-aged waitresses are quick and friendly with orders in Dutch answered back in English- they are used to foreign beer tourists here! I took a special liking to the kriekenlambik, a perfect blend of lemony lambik with mellow cherry and almonds flavours, ending dry as wood. Can a kriekenlambik get any better than this? The only thing I missed at this splendid restaurant was an oude lambik- they should have some by now.<br /><br />My next stop was the hotel, restaurant and café <a href="http://www.centrumhotel.be/nl/centrumhotel_beersel.php">Centrum</a>. I opted for the cosy café, which seemed to be the very best in the village with a decent beer list, including Girardin oude lambik and kriekenlambik, and well worthy of a full entry in Tim Webb's Good Beer Guide. I had previously tasted jonge lambik from Girardin at the excellent restaurant <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/Place/belgium/schepdaal/de-rare-vos/4940.htm">De Rare Vos</a> in Schepdaal. It had an interesting leather-like aroma with a touch of toffee. The flavours were surprisingly harmonious with sweet toffee flavours, hints of dry wood and refreshing citrus. The oude lambik, having spent up to three years in the barrel, was very different. Still slightly unattractive in appearance with just a few bubbles gracing the surface. Now raisins and vanilla reached for the nose, and in the mouth the winous liquid revealed lemons, wood and not least vanilla. Two highly different, but wonderful beers in themselves; blending them makes the world's best geuze in my opinion.<br /><br />The road goes slightly downhill to In de Oude Pruim (the old prune), and appropriately the most exciting beer the deserted café could offer was the most inferior of the Girardin range, the Ulricher Lager Extra. Better luck then at the Café Camping- if only for its atmosphere as a café for the local football team and the adjoining camping ground. Where else is a camping ground served by a café offering the champagne among beers, oude geuze?<br /><br />The politicians should know that when the storms rage over Pajottenland, there is refuge in some of the most tranquil and traditional cafés around. The heritage they represent is bigger than the question of constituency borders, and it has survived the biggest enemy of all: indifference.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-62741761274227654642007-05-05T23:59:00.000+02:002007-05-06T00:25:32.548+02:00High Season in Low Countries<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu9LWFe2Zt_2o3x3MT0NOS5trF1SI2S0n-1DNmzjLs7TbcQKeP7puX7HK_CyCSxIt52hhtT7k6cpCEEtk_9xVlUgRr3qtKjSUxNmx6US6AuPMSeO4JyO1mIOhFu1r50TwDpZ_/s1600-h/eastcoast.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWu9LWFe2Zt_2o3x3MT0NOS5trF1SI2S0n-1DNmzjLs7TbcQKeP7puX7HK_CyCSxIt52hhtT7k6cpCEEtk_9xVlUgRr3qtKjSUxNmx6US6AuPMSeO4JyO1mIOhFu1r50TwDpZ_/s320/eastcoast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5061192477838465410" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-GB">May is beer fest month in Europe. On<span style=""> </span>May 11-13 it is time again for the annual festival called the <a href="http://www.ale.dk/index.php?id=31">Copenhagen beer days</a>, a festival that could well have been branded “probably the best”. Well-organized (though its success means it is growing out of its venue of Valbyhallen) and with a great choice of both Danish and imported beers as befits the merchant nation of Denmark. Ideas of a truly European craft beer festival have been aired, and I can think of few better organisers of such an event than Danske Ølentusiaster, the Danish beer consumer organisation, the host of the Copenhagen beer days. <o:p></o:p><br /></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">During the festival the <a href="http://www.ale.dk/index.php?id=2810">Scandinavian Home Brewing Championship</a> will take place. Here enthusiasts who enjoy not only drinking good beer, but also making it, have a chance to meet.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-GB">I have had the pleasure of running into two of those enthusiasts this Easter and last. The venue was, appropriately enough, the Kulminator in Antwerpen, which gets filled up with Danish beer pilgrimes every Easter. <a href="http://www.eastcoast.dk/">Eastcoast</a> home brewers Michael and Tom kindly donated a bottle of their Brewer's Ale (on the picture) last Good Friday, and it is definitely not a beer for crucifixion. It has nice orangey amber colour with a thick off-white head, yielding a grassy and sweet aroma, and flavours that balance well, though a bit on the sweet side.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Copenhagen is truly wonderful, but at the time this year I will be touring some other low countries. Beer festivals will not be missed, however. A well-reputed student festival in <a href="http://bierfestival.wordpress.com/">Vilvoorde</a>, a new beer fest in <a href="http://in.olen.be/hetgenootschap/index.html">St Olen</a> in Belgian Limburg (that I may have to forego, though), and a <a href="http://www.prnh.pint.nl/meibockfestival.htm">Meibockfestival</a> in Amsterdam's Helicopterstraat (at De Prael brewery) makes sure that the Low Countries remain a highlight even in the high season of European beer festivals.<span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-47595845559681103702007-04-16T23:55:00.000+02:002007-04-17T18:00:33.871+02:00Wild Wonders in Waregem<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iv2bpLyJxSfXH0VRWaDLFxx-DR3aDbB-e2HUZZEeEZLHXNY49MNCn2X_HX2nF54SuYhMDSx6FbPKAQO4JfOPU65x6dG0T1zwe6JpDtf6hbL5msmRBWCkuNbjEfMv6xjhiPlD/s1600-h/Bilde017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-iv2bpLyJxSfXH0VRWaDLFxx-DR3aDbB-e2HUZZEeEZLHXNY49MNCn2X_HX2nF54SuYhMDSx6FbPKAQO4JfOPU65x6dG0T1zwe6JpDtf6hbL5msmRBWCkuNbjEfMv6xjhiPlD/s320/Bilde017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054147040834182290" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-GB">The villagers of Waregem may have been praying for a wonder. Though centrally located on the Gent-Kortrijk railway line and not too far from quite a few interesting brewers, this village of West-Vlaanderen is not exactly full of attractions. This Easter offered some hope that the prayers may have been heard. A new beer festival was born, appropriately named 1ste Waregemse Bierhappening, arranged by an almost equally new-born local association of Zythos, <a href="http://www.bloggen.be/wbf/">De Waregemse Bierfanaten</a>.<o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Fanatic or not, they may have thought that the day would live up to its name; the festival took place on Stille Zaterdag- the quiet Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. 17 very small brewers offering tastings of some 70 beers, were lined up in the lobby of Waregem Expo. Arriving in the early evening I soon found out that the fanatics did not really need to do much lobbying- the place was packed with followers of good beer. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> The beer makers were small indeed; the majority of them not even having their own breweries, and many a beer had seen the light of day (or hopefully not) inside the cellars of Alvinne, De Graal or De Proefbrewery. Among these were the festival beer, “ne Gèslotie”, brewed at De Graal and named after a bird as well as a person talking incoherently or maybe even wildly. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> In fact, it was the wild young cuckoos of the beer world (or beers brought up by a commissioned brewer) that impressed me the most. The Buitenlust brewers had with the help of De Proefbrouwerij come up with an interesting new Flemish sour ale, combining <span class="beerfoot">top- fermenting yeasts with wild yeasts and sour cherry juice. The resulting Totentrekker has some really appetizing sour yoghurt flavours as well as good fruitiness.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="beerfoot"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Also <a href="http://www.struisebrouwers.be/eng/">De Struise Brouwers</a>, these days brewing at Deca, showed their wild side at the beer festival with a new beer called Struiselensis, combining the wild-like Brettanomyces Bruxellensis and ale yeast, both supplied by Wyeast. Meant as a tribute to the Lembeek brewers it does indeed come close to a geuze.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">So thanks to the friendly fanatics and some wild brewers we had a wonderful evening in Waregem.<br /><span class="beerfoot"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="beerfoot"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <span class="beerfoot"><span style="" lang="EN-GB"> </span></span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-38443330496256358702007-03-11T20:05:00.000+01:002007-03-11T20:11:12.738+01:00In Oslo's Top Heat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSN9DCms5FMpsgZ_D6HBqjxxP4MsiM9roF3tyG1x1yooWSJBW2Dv8JWHO2HZCvfJltv_oMBd5eDhLk-xt14b9nw14CQ4jN8GDwMo8jXwh-Go3HnhojDEK-4QZN_puEaXMXGOp/s1600-h/kampens+hete.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggSN9DCms5FMpsgZ_D6HBqjxxP4MsiM9roF3tyG1x1yooWSJBW2Dv8JWHO2HZCvfJltv_oMBd5eDhLk-xt14b9nw14CQ4jN8GDwMo8jXwh-Go3HnhojDEK-4QZN_puEaXMXGOp/s320/kampens+hete.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039693901479940898" border="0" /></a>Located in (or rather near, some would say) the working-class suburb of Kampen and a mere stone's throw from the Munch museum there is new, warming place for beer drinkers in the Norwegian capital.<br /><br />A restaurant and a bar, the name, <a href="http://www.kampenshete.no/">Kampens Hete</a>, translates into the Heat of the Battle or just the Heat of (the suburb of) Kampen.<br /><br />The cuisine is continental, but more importantly, the beer list resembles the likes we have seen on better part of the continent, too. Food may be king here, but it is seldom to see such a well-chosen list of 32 beers in this country, including 4 Nøgne Ø's, 2 Atna beers and 9 suberb Belgians. The Norwegian macro beer establishment is represented by Aass, another good choice in my opinion. In terms of selection this place ranks third in the beer desert of Oslo, but when you add beer knowledge and service it may well be a contender for the gold medal.<br /><br />As you enter, you can either go right to the bohemia-meets-fifties' diner- style restaurant or turn left to the bar area, which includes wireless access for those who need to connect to the real world. The basement is only open for special arrangements, among others a recent beer tasting evening. With all these things going, the establishment takes a deserved rest on Sundays and Mondays.<br /><br />Kampens Hete is a welcome ally in the battle for good beer in Oslo.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-37979270440433068392007-03-06T23:52:00.000+01:002007-03-07T00:30:55.545+01:00A Recipe for Delirium<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU9qv2qRY0sUKoM-NCE8zjqY17iNrgbCm69LasLMM2o2fUX9neEz7nqhfaUDVsjEjgy354hOSwxrpjbQN4O9LcbiLX-afkAclAFCJcKiYUAE8rYTtawgbfqogqsbi8kOy4y2f/s1600-h/Delirium2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU9qv2qRY0sUKoM-NCE8zjqY17iNrgbCm69LasLMM2o2fUX9neEz7nqhfaUDVsjEjgy354hOSwxrpjbQN4O9LcbiLX-afkAclAFCJcKiYUAE8rYTtawgbfqogqsbi8kOy4y2f/s320/Delirium2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038941842455504738" border="0" /></a>Some like it straight. Enthusiasts of malt-derived drinks are perhaps among the more serious purists, whether belonging to the craft beer camp or being malt whisky drinkers.<br /><br />Incidentally, the two groups seem to go hand in hand, particularly in Sweden. Most of the great beer bars in our neighbour country, the Delirium Café in Göteborg being no exception, offer a wide variety for connoisseurs of the golden "water of life". Indeed, the <a href="http://www.svenskaolframjandet.org/node/1271">annual festival</a> hosted by EBCU member Svenska Ölfrämjandet in Stockholm is a whisky festival, too, and the world's premier beer expert has proven that his nose is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Michael-Jacksons-Complete-Single-Scotch/dp/076240731X">not limited to beer</a>, if anyone ever thought so.<br /><br />Also the <a href="http://www.deliriumcafe.be/">Delirium Café</a> in Brussels, a place that mysteriously manages to appeal to both lager/fruit beer drinking students and serious, note-taking Ratebeerians, offer something for those with a taste for stronger stuff. Purists beware, though, this includes beer cocktails, which you will find described on their web site.<br /><br />Personally, I quite liked their "La Merveilleuse De Rochefort"- a healthy portion of white port topped by a bottle of Rochefort 10, all served in a traditional Rochefort glass. The chocolate and pear sirup character of the trappist heavy-weight married perfectly with the sweet port, proving that deviating from the straightforward can bring some wonderful experiences. It may be a recipe for delirium, but it remains one of the secrets behind the great Belgian beer culture.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-9548099741986969532007-02-02T23:45:00.000+01:002007-02-02T23:45:33.280+01:00The Cardinal of Norway<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMwgjLVP5bkgZi1ACgLluEg0zZxWkayRmAde9NynGydkaJFSg0ISGAMignBUQkYvYj0nTC6UV12_ThU47nVxmCnfwpOCcQ36c8SgKJIKuIWzcA5XJ20CpXVxxT-E4HfzX94ws/s1600-h/Pub.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMwgjLVP5bkgZi1ACgLluEg0zZxWkayRmAde9NynGydkaJFSg0ISGAMignBUQkYvYj0nTC6UV12_ThU47nVxmCnfwpOCcQ36c8SgKJIKuIWzcA5XJ20CpXVxxT-E4HfzX94ws/s320/Pub.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027025654626413314" border="0" /></a>Trondheim may protest, but the cardinal seat of Norway would have to be Stavanger. Beside the fact that religion stands stronger in the Stavanger region than elsewhere in this secular country, it may easily be argued that the city already has the grandest temple in the country, at least for those of us who believe in redemption by craft beer.<br /><br />It is not a place for monotheism, though- as many as 250 different craft beers can be worshipped at the <a href="http://www.cardinal.no/">Cardinal Pub & Bar</a>, a shining light in the middle of Stavanger's "lysløype"-literally the lighted trail- as the nightlife strip of the city is called.<br /><br />His Excellency, the Cardinal, is strong not only in numbers, but also in the Spirit. For instance, January saw a number of great new British craft beers, imported by the bar itself. So when the state liquor store fails to widen their beer selection, there is still a place called Hope for the citizens of Stavanger. Few other beer bars in this country venture outside the safe(and easily available) lists of the state liquor store- there stops the dedication to the cause...<br /><br />Cask ale is another rarity I have yet to enjoy at a bar in the nation's capital. In fact, I have a strong suspicion that many bar owners do not even know the concept- they are used to getting some carbonated golden liquid pumped from a tank truck into their cellar tanks on Monday mornings- it seems easier that way, does it not?<br /><br />And then there is the Book- the menu with detailed descriptions of each beer on offer, well written and organised, on par with the best in Europe, as far as I can tell. For groups of believers (Doubting Thomases are probably welcome, too) the Cardinal also offers "pilgrimages" to the Holy Beer Lands, represented by among others a Rch Ale Mary, a St Georgen Kellerbier or the dark secrets of a heavyweight trappist, the Rochefort 10.<br /><br />So how come Stavanger is the location of the best beer bar in Norway, being only the fourth biggest city and a fifth of the size of Oslo? Is it the influence of the big expat Anglo-Saxon population in Norway's oil capital? The ferry connections and traditional ties with Denmark and England? The general interest in gastronomy as cultivated by The Culinary Institute at the University of Stavanger and manifested by being the host city for the first Bocuse d'Or Europe, taking place next year? The general drive of its people (at this stage readers be warned that this beer tourist may be somewhat partial!) ?<br /><br />Whatever the reason, the <a href="http://www.stavanger2008.com/">European City of Culture 2008</a> can, thanks to the Cardinal, also offer some beer culture.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-58094265895674954932007-01-20T21:45:00.000+01:002007-02-02T22:17:33.510+01:00A Taste of the Midnight Sun<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oGHZ0AyCijj72YcNBT3tlIQp2iTw2IoUKtLn4SrXyUNE3T64xk_QIcMtNgXRruvquL5dX3udw-4FL1wmEr1rLGiuOlMvlISU3qwQtudAdn8tHB3KK_VkSY09w1EaK766ywhf/s1600-h/minuit1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oGHZ0AyCijj72YcNBT3tlIQp2iTw2IoUKtLn4SrXyUNE3T64xk_QIcMtNgXRruvquL5dX3udw-4FL1wmEr1rLGiuOlMvlISU3qwQtudAdn8tHB3KK_VkSY09w1EaK766ywhf/s320/minuit1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5021891496211673122" border="0" /></a>A taste of the Midnight Sun on a winter's night in Stockholm? Well, normally you would think that requires stronger substances than just a beer. Not so if you find your way to the <a href="http://www.akkurat.se/">Akkurat Belgo Bar</a> in trendy Södermalm, a stone's throw from Slussen.<br /><br />It might very well be the best beer café in the world, at the very least the best Belgian beer café. I know it is quite a claim, but have I have yet to see such a well-chosen mix of current and vintage beers, even in Belgium itself. Among the goodies I spotted a geuze from the Eylenbosch brewery, which closed down in 2001. At Kulminator, though still on the menu, its stock has been depleted by American beer tourists years ago. They do not do 2000+ beers at Akkurat, but what they have is great. Of course, this being Scandinavia, you will have to fork out for greatness.<br /><br />They seem to be especially fond of the lambik family at Akkurat. So it may not come as a surprise that one their specialities, not available anywhere else, is made in cooperation with the <a href="http://www.cantillon.be/">Cantillon</a> brewery in Brussels. Freshly picked cloudberries from Norrland, the northern region of Sweden, are shipped to Brussels, steeped in two year old lambik before stored in oak barrels for four months. The end result is bottled as "Soleil de Minuit" - the Midnight Sun- before being shipped back to Akkurat.<br /><br /><span class="beer">The pinkish orange colour and that fine, lingering head makes it look very appetizing, though you would not believe it from my picture. Cheese and farmyard aromas dominate, putting the sharp acidity somewhat in the background. Flavours are more fruity with the lemony lambik character in the lead, though cheese is always there. The mellow character of the cloudberries are only very faint, but what can you expect from an aged bottle of fruit lambik?<br /><br /></span>As it happened they did not have any cold bottles available in the bar itself at the time of my visit, but the friendly and knowledgable bartender offered to get a bottle from their cellar. Enjoying a 1999 bottle of "Soleil de Minuit", that Monday night in wintery Stockholm seemed quite bright indeed.<br /><span class="beer"><br /></span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-32732035604625055242007-01-05T23:55:00.000+01:002007-01-06T00:00:06.958+01:00Alternative Antwerpen<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenVSyWc4u0EdcS4y4SIFqc2OWkIxVSgEk3Dxnoc-1OWSBCfCINz65jpssEBmaIKXQFWl-qZtZ1UAg4wIS_cLsZYuGHoRGY_BnW6-nxVHYfrH6iLHDJA-YKvxEIm98pqAVoxzU/s1600-h/paters+vaetje2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphenVSyWc4u0EdcS4y4SIFqc2OWkIxVSgEk3Dxnoc-1OWSBCfCINz65jpssEBmaIKXQFWl-qZtZ1UAg4wIS_cLsZYuGHoRGY_BnW6-nxVHYfrH6iLHDJA-YKvxEIm98pqAVoxzU/s320/paters+vaetje2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5016652327826797218" border="0" /></a>For some of us December is quite a busy month with lots of tasks to be completed, at work and privately, before Christmas sets in. The days from Christmas and up to New Year provide a welcome anti-climax in that respect. This year I spent my quiet vacation days in Belgium, with Antwerpen as base.<br /><br />Travelling in Belgium during the holiday season can be a mixed pleasure for a dedicated beer tourist. Many of the best beer bars are family-run, and these families, too, want to relax between Christmas and New Year, can you believe?<br /><br />That Kulminator is closed during those days comes as no surprise- I think they have done so since they started up their beer cafe in Vleminckveld in 1979. Also, a bus trip to Statiestraat 34 in Berchem, 600 metres from the Antwerpen Berchem railway station, only found the windows of the Camargue beer bar shuttered for the season. I will happily return also to the latter with its relaxed atmosphere, and unlike Kulminator, not dominated by foreigner visitors like myself.<br /><br />A revisit to the jovial Berenbak was somewhat depressing, as it was my last ever. After 27 years they closed their doors for good on December 30. The reason? 60-70 hours work every week leaves time to little less, the rather nice building will now be converted into (more) profitable apartments. (Adding to the row of arguments were increasing beer prices from InBev and the new smoking law for Belgian cafés and restaurants coming into effect on January 1.) Berenbak adds to the <a href="http://www.booksaboutbeer.com/updates/0606/cafenews.html">list</a> of beery establishments closing recently in Belgium.<br /><br />So what are the alternatives in Antwerpen? Well, as a small country with a great and mostly reliable railway network there is no need to stay put in Antwerpen if you do not want to- Brussels' <a href="http://www.deliriumcafe.be/">Delirium Cafe</a> is only 45 minutes away, open 365 days a year until very late. But there are still plenty of decent beery places to visit in Antwerpen city itself. 't Waagstuk, Oud Arsenaal and the brewpub 't Pakhuis should all give some good drinking moments.<br /><br />But the most central option with the best opening hours is undoubtable the Pater's Vaetje, the Father's Little Barrel. Small it is, indeed, one small room with an even smaller loft opening onto the main room. Securing a seat can be a challenge, though the situation improves somewhat when the windy and rainy Antwerpen weather allows you to employ the outside seating. But the Father never had to walk far for his barrel - the café is right at the foot of the <a href="http://www.dekathedraal.be/en/">Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Kathedraal</a>, the cathedral of Our Dear Lady, whose impressive 123 metre tower dwarfs all the other buildings in the old city.<br /><br />The dear ladies running the Pater's Vaetje do their bit to ensure that Antwerpen stays a beer tourism hot spot even during cold periods.Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13096074.post-1163209108486130752006-12-09T23:34:00.000+01:002006-12-09T23:51:05.527+01:00The Slow Road to Italian Beer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2325/1138/1600/beer%20lane%202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2325/1138/320/beer%20lane%202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>That you will find the headquarters of a gastronomic organisation in Italy is hardly surprising. That the same organisation is also a vehicle for promoting craft beer is welcome news.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.slowfood.com/">Slow Food</a>, a <span class="testo13b">worldwide organization set up to counteract fast food and the disappearance of local food traditions, is based in the Piemonte region of Italy. Some of the excellent, yet threatened, gastronomical products are granted Presidia status, and among these you will find Norwegian Sognefjord goat's cheese, Polish mead and the chinotto citrus fruit from Savona.<br /><br />Every two years the organisation hosts a gigantic exhibition in Torino. The 6th <a href="http://www.salonedelgusto.com/">Salone del Gusto</a> took place in October in several huge exhibition halls (called pavillions) in the Lingotto Fiere area. The international pavillion featured many English and German brewers in between the cheese and ham producers, chocolate and biscuit makers, to name only a few of the categories.<br /><br />For a beer tourist with only one day available - experienced Slow Food followers would probably stay all the five days the exhibition lasted- the big Italian pavillion, featuring also a Beer Lane had to be given more of the time. In addition, I wanted to cover a taste session with brewer Teo Musso of Baladin, held in a dedicated conference room for "Meeting the maker sessions".</span><br /><br />Luckily, it was possible to buy beers to go. One of the beers that ended up in my rucksack was a Seson from the appropriately named Piccolo Birrificio. As seems typical for many of the small Italian brewers, it is Belgian beers that are the major source of inspiration. Quite a few of had made their pilgrimages to Payottenland, no doubt led there by Italian no 1 beer expert, lambik enthusiast and teacher for Slow Food's "Master of Food" classes, <a href="http://www.kuaska.it/en/">Lorenzo Dabove</a>.<br /><br />Back to the <a href="http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/piccolo-birrificio-seson/67274/22836/">Seson</a>, a saison with an Italian, or more specifically Slow Food, twist. <span class="beer">A decent saison<br />with quite a bit of life in it and definitely saison-appropriate thirst-quenching qualities. The wheaty fruitiness is well-balanced by spices and good bitterness, the latter also derived from the peel of chinotto di Savona. The small Ligurian brewer has gone local to give one of the world's greatest beer styles an interesting interpretation.<br /><br />It seems to have been a slow road to Italian craft beer, but then Rome was not built in one day either.<br /></span>Torehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11051466078375870739noreply@blogger.com0