What should we sample?
 

Usually we have a glass of wine with dinner in Europe, but since we will be in Belgium (Thanksgiving long weekend) beer seems to be THE National Drink. Can any Fodorites who have done this Belgium weekend before, suggest several "typical" or "special" beers for the non-beer drinker to sample? Found a number of brewery/pub suggestions in former postings, but nothing suggestion what type or name of beer to order in a restaurant. <BR> <BR>PS: Should we expect it to get dark here about 4 pm here also? Just read that it does that in Scotland at this time of year. <BR>

Try Lambic or Gueze. Lambic comes in fruity flavors like cherry or peach. There is a good beef dish called Carbonnade which is beef and onions cooked in beer...its outstanding, too. Some of the brewry/restaurants serve shellfish such as mussels that go really well with Lambic (I like the cherry).

Marion, <BR>There are two beer museums offering tours and tastings in Brussels. Check out the Maison des Brasseurs adjacent to the City Hall; it's a museum sponsored by the Confederation of Belgian breweries. If you are interested in the gueuze and lambic (lembec) beers, check out the Musee Bruxellois de la Gueuze at 56 Rue Gheude. It's near the Gare du Midi metro station. Gueuze and lambic are types of beer rather than brand names. Specify a brand of lambic rather than just "Lambic, please." <BR> <BR>There are three cafes in Brussels featuring interesting beers. In't Spinnekopke at 1 Place du Jardin aux Fleurs has a wheat beer brewed with curacao and coriander rather than hops. It's a cloudy, white beer. Mort Subite (Sudden Death, named after a dice game not the beer's after effects) is at 7 rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres and finally De Ultieme Hallucinatie, (The Final Hallucination) 316 Rue Royale serves a beer of the same name as well as an interesting Cantillon framboise. <BR> <BR>If you want a convenient place in Brugges to sample 300 of Belgium's beers, visit 'tBrugs Beertje at 5 Kemelstraat, just off Simon Stevinplein. Brugges has a brewery that offers tours, as well. It's the "Straffe Hendrick" brewery, in operation since the mid-1500s. <BR> <BR>If in Ghent, which lies between Brugges and Brussels, look for the beer with the intriguing name - Delirium Tremens, served in a brandy snifter upon which pink elephants are embossed. No distinctive taste, but an interesting name and method of serving. <BR> <BR>With over 400 varieties of beer in Belgium, it's almost impossible to make recommendations. It's easier to tell you which beers to stay away from, namely "Jupiler", "Leffe" and "Stella Artois", three mass-market beers with all the character of Bud Lite. <BR> <BR>Look instead for a Chimay, either Chimay Red, Chimay White or Chimay Blue. These are all Trappist monastery beers and excellent. The colors refer to the color of the crown cork on the bottle. (Yes, many of the Belgian beers are corked in the bottle!) <BR> <BR>For Lambic beers, try Timmermans' Lambic, Gueuze and Kriek. All are fruity and truly distinctive. You can encounter cherry, raspberry, peach flavors in the lambics. It's a bit disconcerting to drink a ruby colored beer with a thick pink head and carbonation as delicate as that of a fine champagne. <BR> <BR>For something truly distinctive, look for Gueuze Girardin, a complex beer with hints of apples, sherry and cedar. <BR> <BR>The "Triple" beer of the Westmalle monastery is a fine Pilsner type beer but may be difficult to find. <BR> <BR>Just a cautionary note. Many of the Belgian beers have a much higher alcohol content than those of America. Be guided accordingly! <BR>

I second the vote for the brewery museum in Brussels. All sorts of info about beer brewing; there are PCs that you can access for FAQs, restaurants in Belgium that specialize in beer selections, etc. Oh, there's a story about my niece rebooting the system, in case you care. After the tour, you get a glass of beer; the whole thing is in a cellar, very VERY neat place. <BR>I also like the Chimay (all of 'em) and the cherry lambic (the peach is weird, but good). After a meal of steamed mussels and Belgian beer, you'll be convinced there MUST be a Higher Being.

Oh Wes, how could you put down "Leffe", it is one of my favorits. The Leffe Blond that is. We just returned from our three week journey, (Which Wes helped plan our auto travel route)and tried several beers while in Brugge and an outlying town near Ghent called St.Martin-Latem. I liked the white beer the best, especailly the Hoegaarden. If you like a light, wheaty beer that doesn't have that "bite" to it, go with the white beers. My husband who enjoys darker, richer beers liked the Westmalle and Duvel. Both this beers have an alcohol content around 6-7%. The Duvel has an after taste that reminds me of Champagne. You might also try Kriek, I think it is a lambic, very fruity, but not as sweet. <BR>Have a great time, Belgian was our favorite country!

Many thanks for the great suggestions. Will remember the higher alcohol content -- one of the great aspects of a vacation in Europe is its public transport system (no driving!!) <BR> <BR>Wes, would you recommend one of the other tours of Bruges or simply doing either the "Turn Right at the Fountain" or the "Fodor's" walk on one's own? According to web info the canal cruise doesn't operate on Thanksgiving weekend (late Nov). <BR> <BR>Thanks again, Marion

Marion, <BR>Bruges is an easily walkable city. Assuming you're arriving by train, stop in the tourist information office and pick up one of the magazine sized brochures that lists a number of self directed tours with detailed explanations of all you'll see. The brochure has a comprehensive map in its center. You can take the bus from the train station to the market square and bell tower to start your walk. The tourist office also has brochures featuring restaurants, again with detailed maps.