We plan to take a stop in Brussels for a day before travelling on by train.

Can anyone recommend a good quality hotel close to the main train station - preferably quiet and with large beds.

A recommendation for a good local Belgian beer cafe would also be greatly appreciated

À la Mort Subite is a traditional cafe, a little out of the main tourist area:

http://alamortsubite.com/

There is also a brasserie called Falstaff which is decorated in the Art Nouveau style.

http://www.lefalstaff.be/

Locals visit these as well as tourists.

Lavandula

Thank you Lavandula. We will go where the locals go.

I enjoy T'Bruges Beertje in Bruges. There must be many like that in Brussels.

If you had more time I would also recommend you explore the places around Place-St-Gery for funky cafes (a younger crowd). Lots of cafes there, and pretty close to the centre.

Lavandula

We walk quickly so will do our best to make it to Place-St-Gery. We will miss our espresso machine and home roaster while away for 7 weeks so a search for good coffee is always on the itinerary.

Cafes in Brussels usually means many kinds of beer is available, don't worry about the coffee (I mean there is coffee, but it's primarily a beer experience).

I just read some reviews of Falstaff on Trip Advisor - my own experiences were OK but approach with caution. Apologies for recommending unreservedly before.

Lavandula

There is also Delirium, but I haven't been there myself:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/8986/?view=beerfly

I can guarantee that À La Mort Subite has its own beer by the same name.

Lavandula

I would second the suggestion of À La Mort Subite.

Friends in Belgium say their young adult daughters go to Delerium

For a classic cafe they recommended Cafe Cirio near the Bourse but we never had time to visit it during our trip last fall

It is now Belgium in Two Days. After much thought,there are enough Belgium beers and things to see that will keep us there for at least two nights. I will post shortly about hotels because I think we are going to need a very comfortable large bed to collapse into after all the drinking. Belgian beers are expensive here in Australia due to high alcohol exise taxes and rip off marketing so we get to drink a few of the hundreds made there. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

A second day sounds like a good idea. Here is a thread from last fall with beer suggestions
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...mendations.cfm

Even if this is the wrong time for you, Good_Will, others might be interested to hear about this beer festival in Brussels at the end of August / beginning of September:

14th Belgian Beer Weekend
Friday August 31 - Sunday September 2, 2012

http://www.weekenddelabiere.be/en/pages/home.htm

Lavandula