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Message |
    
Craig Johnson
Intermediate Member
Username: Californiacraig
Post Number: 315
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 71.198.255.107
| | Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 10:48 pm: | 
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In two words... Whoa dude. Thank you everybody for your recommendations on stops to make and avoid. In Brugge I hit the 400 beers place and the Brugge Beertje.
The place with 400 beers is only theoretical. That is what their menu says not what they have cuurently on tap. Regardless of the discrepancy they still had a ton of beers.
My wife, that is not much of a beer drinker, and I both preferd The Beerje place. The barman spoke outstanding English and made relevant recommendations in beer and food pairings. The downside to this place is that it is closed on Tuesday and Wednesdays.
The four places or so in town that I checked for the Westy all agreed that it was too much hassle to keep it in supply so they didn't have any. There was a local beer called Zot which was nice and had a cool tour of the brewery. The locals were really pushing Zot but I found the standard Leffe to be better. |
RJ Testerman
Member
Username: Rjt
Post Number: 122
Registered: 07-2003
Posted From: 68.116.127.161
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 03:40 pm: |
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Try a Maredsous.
Some friends that I live with just got back from Belgium and brought back about 30 bottles. We are still working our way through the tastings...
My daughters, just graduated (16 and 17) drank their first public beer in a bar in Belgium. |
Vance Barnes
Senior Member
Username: Vancebarnes
Post Number: 2333
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 208.49.148.10
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 05:36 pm: |
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Sounds like a wonderful trip. Actually how could it not be? My wife who's a wine drinker didn't exactly like the Toranado a few weeks ago either. Only beer, no wine. Although she did like a few of mine she tried at Russian River.
OT- I just saw program on one of the HD channels a few weeks ago where they visited the Delierium Tremens bar and visited one abbey. It was late and I don't remember a whole lot but they brought out a bunch of beers to try at the DT bar. Wish I could remember the name of the show and what channel I caught it on.
Anybody else catch it that was more awake than I was? |
Paul Edwards
Senior Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 1059
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 70.236.2.217
| | Posted on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 05:51 pm: |
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Craig,
Glad to hear you had a great time. What was your favorite beer? (If you can narrow it down to only one)
Belgium is like Beer Disneyland! If I can figure out how to win the PowerBall Lotto, I'm moving there. Between the beer and the bicycle racing culture, I'd be in pure heaven. |
Craig Johnson
Intermediate Member
Username: Californiacraig
Post Number: 316
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 71.198.255.107
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 08:57 am: |
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Without a doubt the Westmalle dubbel was the best I came accross. My wife liked hoegarden because of the lightness.
I would be a liitle nervous riding a bike over there. Between the uneven cobblestone roads and the free for all driving your taking your life into your hands without a ton of steel around you. Walking is real nice though. You could pretty much always find what you neededwithin a 20 minute walk. |
Paul Edwards
Senior Member
Username: Pedwards
Post Number: 1062
Registered: 03-2003
Posted From: 70.236.18.157
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 12:41 pm: |
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Yeah, traffic in some of the larger cities was pretty hectic. But we spent 3 weeks there, and spent most of our time in smaller towns. Saw a few bike races, and a large number of local "club" riders, some of whom we talked to at cafe's. They say the car drivers are very aware of cyclists and very courteous.
Anyway, I'd love to be able to sit at a cafe and watch a circuit race go by, or stand out by the road to see the spring classics. And, to keep this on topic, we'd stop by a good cafe and have a couple fabulous beers on the way home. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 5786
Registered: 01-2002
Posted From: 24.57.224.243
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 19, 2006 - 02:39 pm: |
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I spent a week in Belgium (part of an 11-month European odyssey) on a bicycle some years ago. I found it to be a good place for a bike. It's rather flat, there is a village every 5-10 kilometers, lots of people commute on bicycles and the attitude is friendly. Yes, the cobblestone streets in the old towns are a bit bone-jarring and some of them are narrow, but overall Belgium is better for bicycling than, say, Italy or Spain. And of course the beer is nothing short of wonderful.
I realize someone who is not a committed cyclist may have other opinions and prefer quiet roads with almost no traffic, or dedicated bike paths. I ride about 3000 miles per year and have put in well over 100,000 miles on two wheels. |
Brews and Views Archive 2006 
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