Boozy Weekender - Brussels

[Trufflehound]

Hmm, it might be just me, but the Dutch beers you get here are, well, wee-wee.

Unless I have had a pretty comprehensive attack of amnesia, can anyone tell me a decent Dutch beer widely available here - or in Amsterdam for that matter.

No, it's not just you. They're piss over here too. Those in the know in the Netherlands drink Belgian...

There are a couple of "OK" Dutch beers. The "bokbiers" are not bad.

La Trappe beers vary a bit from year to year, but quality took a real knock when Bavaria took them over and nullified their "trappist" status. I think they're independent again now, but the quality hasn't really recovered. They're not in the same league as the Belgian trappists. And every halfway decent Dutch beer is only a sham imitation of the Belgian stuff anyway - they just can't pack in the same depth of flavour somehow.

The better pils (lager) labels are the ones brewed in the south, in Limburg, like Brand or Gulpener. The big names are all shit.

There is (was) a small brewery around Amsterdam called "'t Ij" I think, which used to knock out some decent stuff, but they're quite small and hard to come by.

Best chance of finding decent Dutch stuff in Amsterdam (or anywhere) is in De Grote Witte Arend (the big white eagle), just west of the centre. They claim to stock every Dutch beer known to man.

But I never go in there myself because In De Wildeman (best beer café in the Netherlands) has about 300 Belgians to choose from, and Gollem has about 150.

 

[Trufflehound]

triple karmalet beer melted my brain but is very nice.

Karmeliet tripel is quite good. It's Mrs Trufflehound's favourite in fact. But if you want really good tripel, try the Westmalle Tripel (and at 9.5% it will melt your brain even more...)

Just stick to the weak ones like Chimay bruin which are only 7% and you`ll be fine.

Best beer in the world by a considerable distance methinks.

Have you tried the Chimay blue? Much better than the "Red" I think you mean i.m.o. (they're both "bruin" (brown)).

And if you like that, try the Rochefort, either the 6 (7.5%), 8 (9.2%) or 10 (11.2%), depending on how prematurely you wish to die.

 

[Barnet Seagull]

Awesome stuff fellas

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Have you tried the Chimay blue? Much better than the "Red"

Absolutely - my favourite when I worked there in the 1990's.

 

[Trufflehound]

Absolutely - my favourite when I worked there in the 1990's.

This is making me thirsty. I may have to nip across the road to the offy and get a few "Blues" in for this evening. I've only got Duvel and Urthel Hop-It (a young upstart on the Belgian block, but already showing promise) in the cupboard at the moment...

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

The Leffe 9 is rather good too.

I tried the Orval last time i was over & that was marvellous

 

[Trufflehound]

I tried the Orval last time i was over & that was marvellous

Indeed it is. Few of us went camping near Orval Abbey last year. Cycled to the abbey, and of course had to stop at the café just outside. On the way back to the campsite, my brother-in-law managed to tip his bike over forwards going uphill and cracked two ribs on the handlebars as he landed.

Not sure what might have caused that...

 

[The Large One]

Yes, please.

 

[The Large One]

Truff, have you been to the Brussels Beer Weekend?

Belgian Beer

Belgian Beer

 

[Trufflehound]

Truff, have you been to the Brussels Beer Weekend?

Belgian Beer

Belgian Beer

I never seem to be able to be in the right place at the right time - and looking at the dates I'm going to be in Slovakia for it this year...

But my sister (who lives in Brussels, that's why I know it well) goes most years and sups on my behalf.

My regular pilgrimage is to the Zythos beer festival in Sint Niklaas over the first weekend in March (ZBF - Bierlijst) - that one is only open to independent breweries and none of the biggies get invited.

I went two weeks ago, had quite a few, and fell off the train when changing in Antwerp on the way home. Not my finest hour...

 

[The Large One]

I never seem to be able to be in the right place at the right time - and looking at the dates I'm going to be in Slovakia for it this year...

But my sister (who lives in Brussels, that's why I know it well) goes most years and sups on my behalf.

My regular pilgrimage is to the Zythos beer festival in Sint Niklaas over the first weekend in March (ZBF - Bierlijst) - that one is only open to independent breweries and none of the biggies get invited.

I went two weeks ago, had quite a few, and fell off the train when changing in Antwerp on the way home. Not my finest hour...

Wor, hey. At least Slovakia's beers aren't too shabby. Or at least their neighbours, the Bohemians, know how to brew a decent beer.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Is Belgium still the correct name?

Only to the French-speakers. The Walloons call it Krung Thep.

 

[Trufflehound]

Only to the French-speakers. The Walloons call it Krung Thep.

[pedant]The Walloons ARE the French speakers.[/pedant]

Not bad otherwise. 7.3

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

[pedant]The Walloons ARE the French speakers.[/pedant]

Ach! Merde!

 

[Barnet Seagull]

I've now got visions of NSC's finest getting absolutely wasted in Brussels which is fine, BUT, if I could prise you all away from your drinks for a bit, ou est le smut?

 

[H block]

Karmeliet tripel is quite good. It's Mrs Trufflehound's favourite in fact. But if you want really good tripel, try the Westmalle Tripel (and at 9.5% it will melt your brain even more...)



Have you tried the Chimay blue? Much better than the "Red" I think you mean i.m.o. (they're both "bruin" (brown)).

And if you like that, try the Rochefort, either the 6 (7.5%), 8 (9.2%) or 10 (11.2%), depending on how prematurely you wish to die.

The Rouge if you are intending to get home and the Blue if you are not so bothered.

I love De Koninck`s bottled treble, though their 5% weaky on draught is smashing.
I recently had the Chimay Grand Reverve in the 75 bottle and it was as good as it gets. ( I think )

 

[Trufflehound]

I've now got visions of NSC's finest getting absolutely wasted in Brussels which is fine, BUT, if I could prise you all away from your drinks for a bit, ou est le smut?

The "window shopping" areas are around the North and South stations. Watch your wallet and keep your wits about you around the latter.

 

[Trufflehound]

I recently had the Chimay Grand Reverve in the 75 bottle and it was as good as it gets. ( I think )

The Grand Reserve 75cl bottles really improve with age.

If laid down for a few years and you can resist the temptation to drink them (difficult I know) they just keep getting better and better.