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Brussels Beer Tasting Tour
Looking for an original way to explore Brussels? After offering city walks in several other Belgian cities, the Beer Tasting Tour has come to Brussels too. These guided city tours focus on the Brussels beer culture and history. What's especially nice about them is that it's not just about learning facts; you get to taste it yourself too!
Having lived in Brussels for quite some time, I like to believe that I know all the bars in the Brussels city center. So I was extremely curious to discover what they could still teach me while on a Beerwalk in Brussels. Well, as it turns out, surprisingly much!
I met up with the others in the bar Les Brasseurs. Apart from me and a friend, the other tour members consisted of four friendly blokes from Antwerp who were spending a guys’ weekend in Brussels. Our guide Michel, a beer connoisseur from Molenbeek, was there to greet us. We installed around the table and our guide ordered a beer for each of us. The tour had started!
How does it work?
We walked through the city center with regular beer-themed stops in five different bars. Although I knew the bars already, it was still interesting to hear the guide’s anecdotes about these places. We were also offered a different beer in each of them, thereby learning first-hand about the beer-brewing process, the various kinds of beer and much more.
Even when we were out on the streets, our guide pointed out different sights while explaining their link with beer. What do beer and the buildings on Grand Place have in common? And what about the statue of madame Chapeau, the Halles Saint-Géry or the remnants of the first city wall around Brussels?
Although the itinerary and the beers offered vary every time, I won’t give away what we’ve tried and where exactly we’ve been. I will, however, tell you that it’s an original selection of places and that it included one of my all-time favorites. I will also share some photos of the bars we’ve visited. Can you recognize them?
Who should join?
I’d recommend this tour to people who’re visiting Brussels for the first time and who’d like to take original tour through Brussels, as well as those who’ve already been and who would like to get a more in-depth view. Oh, and it’s recommended that you do like beer :-)
Why join this beer-walk?
Apart from the fact that the tour offers an original take on Brussels, as mentioned above, it’s also just a very entertaining activity. When combined with beer, learning about culture and history suddenly becomes much more fun.
The guides are experts with a profound knowledge of Belgium and Belgian beer culture. They’ve usually studied zythology and are professionally trained tourist guides. On the two tours I’ve joined, I was accompanied by a guide who explained things in a very interesting way and had a broad knowledge overall. They joined us at the table during the beer tasting and answered all our additional questions. It felt as if I was hanging out with a bunch of friends.
Practical information
- The tours are offered in English, Dutch and French
- The Brussels Beer Tasting Tour costs 39 EUR per person, takes three hours and includes five beers. Afterwards you can keep the glass as a souvenir.
- They also offer tours in Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Kortrijk, Leuven and Mechelen
- More information on the Beerwalk website
- Make sure to eat before joining the tour ;-)
Comments
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