Beer: the countries where it is drunk the most and is most expensive
Madrid: Clandestine bars with Camilleri, Valle-Inclán and Hemingway
To show that
beer is almost a
religion
in
Belgium,
he does not hide behind the centuries-old tradition of the country or its brewery abbeys.
It is not even necessary to claim that this country has an
indigenous
style
, like the lambic beers of the
Pajottenland
region
.
The definitive data to support this statement is that in the most unsuspected place, such as the cafeteria of the magnificent
Brussels
Comic Museum
, you can find several, and varied, beer taps.
It may seem a trifle, but Belgium, and its capital,
live by and for beer.
Trying to make a selection of the best breweries in Brussels is like choosing the best pizzerias in Rome or the best burgers in New York.
Mission impossible and a task in which there will always be amendments.
However, this selection of TRAVELS can be used to enjoy, in a dozen temples and as soon as possible, one of the drinks that this country has defined.
The Grand Place
The capital of the country is a hive of breweries and mythical places where you can taste this drink.
The political epicenter of Europe has factories, shops, specialized breweries and restaurants where this drink is the absolute protagonist.
In the beautiful, and touristy, Grand Place, you can enjoy several.
However, the most striking is found 'hidden' behind the Plaza.
It is the
Toone Brewery-Puppet Theater
(Rue du Marché aux Herbes 66), one of the oldest doll theaters in the world.
Having a beer here goes beyond just having a drink.
You can enjoy an almost lost show attended by, for example, Queen Fabiola of Belgium.
If you want to 'escape' from the tourist epicenter, just take the cobbled Rue de l'Etuve to reach
Poechenellekelder
(Rue du Chêne 5)
in a few minutes
.
With an unpronounceable name, this brewery, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2021, has an abundant catalog of beers that can be accompanied with cold cuts and cheeses from northern Europe.
From its terrace you can enjoy one of its countless Belgian beers, with special attention to acidic ones, while seeing 'hordes' of tourists compulsively photographing themselves with the Manekken Pis.
Inside, wooden tables, in an environment full of puppets, theater paraphernalia and memorabilia from different beer brands.
Very close to this brewery is one of the two
Moeder Lambic
addresses
(Place Fontainas 8), one of the essential temples where 'modern' styles are mixed with spontaneously fermented beers.
Around twenty taps, several of them dedicated to Belgian styles, to pair with their Belgian cheese and cold cuts tables.
On top, a bit of roasted malt to chew on, almost literally, beer.
On its terrace you can enjoy, when the weather permits, beers made just a few kilometers away, such as those from Cantillon.
The Nanobrasserie L'ErmitageL tasting area.
B.
If you don't want to leave the most touristy area, escorting the Galeries Royales Saint Hubert is one of the classic and typical places of the capital.
A la mort subite
(Rue Montagne with Herbes Potagères 7) is a beer emblem of the capital, with a wide selection, both on tap and in the bottle.
The place takes its name from a game mode used by the Belgian National Bank clerks to finish the game and return to work.
The "sudden death" they played served
Theophile Vossen
to name the place when he moved to this location in 1928.
Near the Grand Place is also another of the most visited places by beer lovers.
Delirium Café
(Impasse de la Fidélité 4) is recognizable by its pink elephant and blue door.
Inside the premises, wooden tables and a bar from which literally dozens of beer taps of all kinds hang.
If you don't know what to drink, you can always opt for one of their own powerful beers.
Almost in front of the door of the brewery, you can see Jeanneke Pis, the female alter-ego of the famous Manneken Pis.
Five minutes away, and strolling through the streets of the center, is the Stock Exchange square with the imposing building of the stock market, ordered to be built by Napoleon in 1801 although it was not erected until the end of the 19th century.
On one side of the building is
Café Le Cirio
(Rue de la Bourse 18), an establishment decorated in the purest Art Nouveau style founded in 1886 by
Francesco Cirio
.
There you can have a Belgian beer between its wooden tables, large lamps, an old register machine and waiters in frock coats.
Beyond the Grand Place
Leaving the city center, the beer activity is also effervescent.
In the north of the city, very close to the Senne River, is
Brussels Beer Project
(Rue Antoine Dansaert 188), one of the most popular craft breweries in Belgium, which was born thanks to a crowfunding project.
Its beers, which combine traditional Belgian spirit with more modern recipes, can be found in many bars and restaurants in the city.
Interior of the Poechenellekelder.LB
Getting off at the Brussels-Midi station you can visit
Brasserie Cantillon
(Rue Gheude 56, 1070 Anderlecht), the Bruselian temple of spontaneously fermented beers.
In this factory-museum, which has been installed here for more than a century, they make some of the most acclaimed lambic beers by experts and consumers.
The factory can be visited both on your own and with a guide who will explain the 100% natural process with which these spontaneously fermented beers are made.
Afterwards, you can taste several of its references, which have spent a long time in huge barrels.
A step away from Cantillon is the
Nanobrasseire L'Ermitage
(Rue Lambert Crickx 26, 1070 Anderlecht).
The adjective 'nano' refers to the size of its factory and its production, quite small, not to the quality of its beers, admired by experts in the field.
Cantillon's brewmaster Jean van Roy visits this brewery frequently, which gives an idea of the quality of their drinks.
If you have arrived in Brussels by train from another city, you can take the last one before leaving in two breweries that share the same block.
Brasserie 28
(Boulevard de l'Impératrice 3) is a brewery focused on low-alcohol beers.
If you want to opt for something more 'popular',
BrewDog
(Putterie 20) has a place just a step away from the Gare Central station.
For those who bet on the combination of haute cuisine and beer, Brussels also offers several options.
One of the most acclaimed is
Les Brigittines
(Place de la Chapelle 5), a former post office converted into a restaurant.
Its Franco-Belgian cuisine uses seasonal products to offer a careful selection of the country's cuisine.
And yes, of course, it has mussels on the menu.
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