Beer

[MARKakaJIM]

Founders All Day IPA, tasted like ass.

 

[Boozad]

Grolsch, watery and a bit shit.

Always smelled like weed to me.

 

[Tredman]

Always smelled like weed to me.

Well it does seem to be the only beer sold in Amsterdam hotels.

 

[Langers]

What an amazing weekend of beer consumption I've had! I'm very surprised how much I enjoyed Belgian beers. I've always preferred a traditional cask ale but fucking hell - some of the drinks I tried this weekend were simply sensational.

Anyway - the results!

De Halve Maan - Bruges Zot Dubbel - 7.5%
De Halve Maan - Straffe Hendrik Brugs Quadrupel - 11%
Brouwerij Van Eecke - Poperings Hommelbier - 7.5%
Brouwerij St Bernardus - Tripel - 8%
Brasserie d'Orval - Orval - 6.2%
Bieres de Chimay - Chimay Tripel - 8%
Brasserie d'Achouffe - La Chouffe - 8%
Vliegende Paard Brouwers - Prearis Mosaic Session Ale - 5%
Brouwerij Van Steenberge - Tripel Van De Garre - 11%
Brouwerij Van Steenberge - Augustijn Blond - 7%
Brasserie Dupont - Redor Pils - 5%
Brasserie Lupulus - Lupulus Brune - 8.5%
Brouwerij De Ryck - Steenuilke - 6.5%
Siphon - Tronk - 10%
De Struise Brouwers - Moeder Lambik Amber - 5%
Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle - Westmalle Trappist Dubbel - 7%
Brouwerij Bosteels - Tripel Karmeliet - 8.4%
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint Remy - Trappistes Rochefort 10 - 11.3%
Brasserie du Bocq - Blanche de Namur - 4.5%

My top 3?

3rd place - De Halve Maan - Straffe Hendrik Brugs Quadrupel - 11%
2nd place - Siphon - Tronk - 10%
1st place - Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint Remy - Trappistes Rochefort 10 - 11.3%

I genuinely didn't have a bad beer all weekend. With so much choice, it was hard to know what to go for but every single one of the above was very tasty. The top 3 were absolutely sublime. The Rochefort 10 is one of the nicest beers I have ever had. I brought one home with me (and a glass to go with it!).

I seemed to enjoy the stronger ones far more, but they never filled me up too much. Very different to going on a session over here!

 

[SSB]

I might save your above list and plan a trip out there myself. What sort of prices were you paying for the beers?

 

[machin05]

It's certainly made a trip to Belgium very appealing. More so than it was already. Top beering Langers, top beering.

 

[Lycan]

Looking through untapped I've had one or two of them, love Belgian beers and definitely agree with your verdict on the Rochefort 10 (although I prefer the 8). Very jealous.

 

[Jack Regan]

Having been going to Belgium for the last five years or so I've got quite a collection. These are just the empties.

 

[Langers]

The average price was around 4 to 5 Euros I think. Depends on the strength of the beer and the location. Just don't go to any of the bars on the main square as they'll massively overcharge! I've got some recommendations for good bars, all found on pretty side streets.

TBH there is so much choice, I'd just ask what each place recommends. Most of the places we went to had several hundred to choose from!! My GF tried a similar amount to me, but we never ordered the same drink, with the exception of the Tripel Van De Garre which was the house special so we ordered the same there.

I'd recommend finding the 3 I liked best but otherwise, just try what you think you'd like!

 

[Langers]

A few recommendations:

't Brugs Beertje - a vast amount of bottled beers (I think 300+), and around 9 or 10 on tap. A nice mix of locals and tourists.

The Red Rose Cafe - gorgeous little cafe which does tasters of 4 beers, loads on tap and another 250-odd bottles. Had Tronk in here. This was my favourite bar

Den Halve Maan brewery - go here. Great brewery - proper tasty Hendriks 9 and 11% stuff. You get a Zot included with the entrance fee (which was 10 Euros - good value for a 45 minute tour and a beer at the end)

 

[Jinky]

Bottom photo ruins the post IMO.

 

[Langers]

That is my happy face. So fuck off.

 

[Jack Regan]

Did you go in le Trappiste? Spent a lot of time in there of an evening last time we were there. My brother swears by de Garre we always start the afternoon in there with a couple of the house beers.

 

[Langers]

Did you go in le Trappiste? Spent a lot of time in there of an evening last time we were there. My brother swears by de Garre we always start the afternoon in there with a couple of the house beers.

No, a mate of mine recommended it there and we were on our way when we stumbled upon the Red Rose cafe!

There will be countless places we went to that we missed out on, but that only means we'll have to go back again....

 

[Langers]

Oh - I forgot the Beer Wall!!

A bit touristy, but still brilliant. And a superb exterior seating area (on the right hand side):

 

[Jack Regan]

The beer wall does put my collection into perspective. They usually have a few interesting drinks on tap there. You could quite feasibly visit Belgium every year and never have to drink the same beer more than once.

 

[Langers]

I really liked the shop in The Beer Wall. And I hate shops. I thought I'd hate it in there as it's so touristy, but it plays on that and gets away with it somehow. Having an awesome selection helps, of course. And it's pretty good pricewise considering it's right in the middle of the city centre.

But a cellar full of beer (where there are so many, there's a map to the different beer styles on the entrance!), loads of Tintin stuff - a pretty awesome mix!! We spent a long time in there choosing our souvenirs!

 

[Boozad]

Northern Monk - Northern Rising: Raising the Faith Triple Dry Hopped Pale 5.5%
Northern Monk x Verdant x Deya - Hop City DIPA 8.4%
Hackney Brewery x KCBC - Sleeping Giants NE Pale 5%
Northern Monk - Patrons Project 12.01 Evolution of Tradition Heritage IPA 6.4%
Left Handed Giant - Finzel's Reach IPA 6.5%
Marble - Damage Plan IPA 7.1%
Brew by Numbers x Cloudwater - 70|01 Double Red IPA Citra Centennial Loral 8.5%
Brew by Numbers - 08|07 Stout Coffee & Milk 4%
Verdant - Track & Field IPA 7.2%
Stone Berlin - Ruination 2.0 - DIPA 8.5%
The Garden Brewery - Milkshake IPA 6.7%
Evil Twin - Sumo in a Sidecar IPA 7.0%
To Øl - Slap Yourself Silly Grapefruit Pale 6.0%

 

[SSB]

Bit out of touch where to drink in Birmingham. Will have a couple of hours before the game tomorrow. What are people's recommendations?

 

[Johnny75]

Bit out of touch where to drink in Birmingham. Will have a couple of hours before the game tomorrow. What are people's recommendations?

I'd drink in the centre at the Welly, Purity, Old Joint Stock.