I started the day at Blanche ou Tonneau au Brasseur, a little corner pub with an amazing beer list that Paul and I found when we first arrived, just a short block off of the Grand Place. Their chairs were the only ones on the street, they were opened early for business, so instead of coffee I grabbed a Barbãr Honey Ale (8%) au fut, and took it outside to contemplate my strategy for the day. It was a beautiful warm morning and this was a bright gold coloured brew, with a white foamy head, a sweet nose and a honey laced palate, but balanced and malty, with no evidence of hops, but enough there to keep this beer from being too cloying. I knew where I needed to start.
My favourite spot to buy bottled Belgian beers is Beer Planet on Rue de Fourche, coincidentally on the same street as my hotel. The owner is friendly, knowledgeable, has an amazing selection and also seems to have better prices than any of the shops on the main streets. So, I headed there with '100 Belgian Beers To Try Before You Die' in hand and a virtual list prepared in my head. I was like a kid in a candy shop, looking at bottles, studying labels, cross referencing to my book. The owner has seen it all before, but was very helpful. They have over 600 types of beer in the store, but also do a mail-order online business at www.BeerPlanet.eu. I did well there.
So, shopping done, back in my room, ready to pack. I always bring back the allowable limit, if I am able. I filled two suitcases, all bottles wrapped in clothing and carefully distributed, weight wise, between the two pieces of luggage. I haven't lost a beer yet traveling the world. I then made the preemptive move of dragging the bigger one up to a train station locker, just to make my short 4:30 am clickity-clack, cobble-stoned walk up to catch the first train of the morning a little less strenuous and noisy.
So, now there was time for a beer! Back to Cafe Delirium, which was literally only 50 steps away from hotel door, excellent stumbling distance. The place was starting to fill up, so I saddled up to the bar and and ordered a Witkap Stimulo, a 6% pale yellow Blonde Ale from Slaghmuylder. It displays a very fresh herbal nose, a thick moussy head that fades quickly and an interestingly balanced palate, tropical fruitiness and dry spiciness both hinted at. By this time I was engaged in conversation with a young former long-distance runner turned home brewer from Chicago. He seemed to be very much enjoying the vibe of the Delirium, as was I, as the late afternoon crowd spilled in and brought up the energy level. Josh was just getting to know Belgian styles, so I recommended he try one of my all time favourites, the Duchesse de Bourgogne. I went for an Abbaye des Rocs Bruin, a 9% double-fermented, bottled-conditioned treat. Deep, dark brown and ruby hued, this is a big beer, heavy sweet malt and dried fruit aroma, off white thick head, full bodied malt accented palate, molasses tones with big dollops of coffee, wood, dark fruit, drying out a little in the long lingering fining, smooth and way too easy to drink for its strength. We both enjoyed our afternoon pick-me-ups and headed off to other activities.
I was meeting another gentleman I had met the day before at Delirium, Michael from California, who was embarking on a similar European odyssey as the one I was just completing, minus the beer-focus and with less than two months to spend on the road. I offered him a mini tour of Belgian beers, so we met and first visited the Poechenellekelder, across from the Manneken Pis. We were in luck, as they had just released their Christmas list of beers, so we started with St. Bernardus Christmas Ale fresh on tap. This is a 10% dark garnet brown holiday release from the Brouwerij St. Bernardus in Watou. It has a big off-white head, intoxicating aroma of sweet malt and a flavour profile that is well balanced and complex, with a fruity spiciness and an old world charm. Warming hints of coffee and chocolate keep you coming back for more. I next ordered the Hopus, to give us something more diametrical opposed to the abbey/Christmas style. This is a Belgian IPA with a strength of 8.5% abv and huge hop values. It comes served in the most beautiful tall flared tulip-like glass, allowing plenty of room for the big foaming head to form when poured properly from the swing-top bottle. It pours clear, clean and pale yellow, but also comes with a side shot glass that the yeast remnants and remaining beer are swirled into. Big floral hop nose, and a great initial bite of bitterness that eases you into this fresh palate of citrisy and yeasty goodness. Some toasted malt shines through, as does the well balanced layers of astringent hop, and it finishes lovely long and dry.
I planned on our last stop of the night to be at Moeder Lambic, boasting 40 taps and 800 beers in stock. So, we headed there next for a few final delicacies, starting with the classic Cantillon Gueuze, the flagship brew of Brussels own lambic producer. I think Michael was a little surprised at the initial sourness of this beautiful pale straw coloured beer, but appreciated its subtleties and balances, offering hints of Belgian farmhouse brewing history with every sip. At this point, Jean, one of the owners, recognized me and popped over to say hello. He told us about the excitement of the first brewday of the new season at Cantillon the very next day, an event he usually attends, and suggested we drop by. Oh the fates of timing! 'If only...' was all I could think of and 'maybe next year!' Quelle dommage!
To juxtaposed the sourness of gueuze, I ordered Bink Bloesem next, a 7% high quality brew buzzing with fruitiness. From the Kerkom Brewery, it has been described as 'a celebration of the harvest, made with locally grown pears and honey'. It is very fruity and has a slightly slick mouthfeel, reminiscent of mead, with definite honey tones, sweet biscuit malt and some subtle spiciness rounding out the flavour profile. Quite delicious.
I finished this night (and my tour) with a Cantillon Faro (see Beer of the Day, Nov. 3) and for Michael suggested the Metisse from du Lion a Plume. Jean had brought in this lovely special Saison in for the festival two months ago, it was evidently pretty popular and is still available.
After these wonderful night caps, we walked back through the Grand Place and said our goodbyes to Brussels, both vowing to be back some day. I can certainly see making this an annual event, a kind of beer enthusiast's pilgrimage, as it were, to pray at the 'altar of biere', in the centre of the beeriverse, and to be born again, each time, refreshed and renewed.
Cheers!
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