[euge]

I want to go sooo bad. Next year maybe. Glad to see you did a salad & shrimp for din dins urthristy. Actually all that looks great and healthy not like the crap you get here.

I imagine it's like a dream.So many choices. Unless you know what you want beforehand agonizing over what to choose seems unreal with a 3000 beer menu.

Only 28 hours? Squeeze in a few beers and take some pics man.

[theoman]

If you're happy with staying in and sampling, I don't understand the point of leaving Brussels. Brugge is nice and all, but you gotta get out, walk around, take a boat trip and all that stuff. Brussels has the best bars, I think. It doesn't get any better than Moeder Lambic Fontainas. They're very, very serious about serving high-quality, well-kept beers.

[uthristy]

thirsty - don't think I didn't run all over the countryside when we visited Belgium - first day was a tour of the Royal Palace combined with a Beer Festival - second day was a tour of Rodenbach, then Palm as well as the Belgian BBQ Festival. Rodenbach is in Roeselare, Palm is in Steenhuffel and the walk from the train station to Palm is nearly 4 miles. From there Antwerpen, then Brugges, then Ghent and back to Brussels.

Now thats more like it
I once traveled with friends before and they would find a spot and never leave, odd they flew 9+hrs and didn't want to see the sights.
We never traveled with them again, LOL

Brussels has the best bars, .

Says the man from Brussels

[svejk]

...can you say Kulminator.Thats a pub you should spend hours & hours pouring thru the list.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1232/

I couldn't agree more.  For a short trip, a visit to Kulminator is really hard to beat.  I believe every Belgian beer lover should go there at least once in their life.

[MDixon]

So Brussels man, tell me what is so awesome? Truthfully I didn't find much to love about the city. Some great bars, but we had a much better time in Antwerpen, Ghent and Brugge...YMMV

Also people in Belgium seemed to find it odd we came there traveling around for beer.

[theoman]

So Brussels man, tell me what is so awesome? Truthfully I didn't find much to love about the city. Some great bars...

You pretty much answered your own question. Reread my previous post. I like Brussels a lot, but I don't deny that the other towns are pretty excellent. If you only have a day and are only concerned with beer tourism, there's no point in leaving Brussels (although I agree - Kulminator is pretty cool). Nobody in Belgium has a better selection of well-cared for taps than Moeder Lambic Fontainas. The original Chez Moeder Lambic is also excellent, with a much better atmosphere. I really don't like Delirium, but if you're looking for something specific, it's hard to beat. Just pick up a copy of "Around Brussels in 80 Beers" and I think you'll agree.

[uthristy]

I imagine it's like a dream.So many choices. Unless you know what you want beforehand agonizing over what to choose seems unreal with a 3000 beer menu.

Its abit overwhelming at first but I like to prep by checking a few websites as to whats good or new.

http://blog.seniorennet.be/bierblog/
http://www.bloggen.be/bier_in_beeld/
http://hierstroomthetbier.be/
http://belgianbeerboard.com/
http://gloriousfoodandwinebelgianbeer.blogspot.com/

[rabid_dingo]

 Well, First of all I am definitely going back. uthirsty, those links were posted while I was there so there is my first excuse to go back. To check their accuracy.

The flights were all fantastic. The plans didn't exist and it was, like I said "A whirlwind Trip" Short and without direction...

They guys I was meeting up with had planned on a VRBO. The first day was shot because the owner and my friend didn't meet
up right. Miscommunication. So it was up to my arriving group to check in and secure it. By the time that was done and we
found the rest of our group it was 11:00-12:00 noon. So Brugges was waived off and I threw out the Delirium Cafe idea. No
argument and we sought it out. Took is a bit to find it as the maps were all in a language we could not understand.
After walking around the restaurants that surround the area and subsequently walking past it maybe 3 times. Eureka!

We had dinner at one of the restaurants afterwards. That pretty much completed my day. On
the train back to the airport by 8:30am the next day.

Here's my take and some fun. Not in order and I am not snobby cicerone that tastes in order an/or in suggested direction.
This was purely recreational and I had a fantastic time. There is one beer here that I would love to see comments on and
wonder if I am nuts about what it was supposed to taste like or If I got a bad beer. Please comment on these if you have
had them. And it was not the Duff. Not pictured: Delirium Tremens and Noctourn.

          

          

          


What a contrail really looks like...

[rabid_dingo]

[euge]

I've had the Malheur 10 and the Kwak. Both good/great though I prefer the Malheur 8.

Looks like you had fun. Limited by the time window I think Delirium Cafe is something people will remember. The Liefmans looks interesting.

[tschmidlin]

Goudenband is a great beer!  I really like the Schlenkerla Marzen, although I prefer the Urbock.  Malheur, Kwak, Duvel, and Boon Geuze are all very good.  Delerium Tremens and Nocturnum are both great too.  I'd say you made some great selections!  I haven't had the Duff though, what is that like?

And yes, that is what a contrail looks like when the flight path is more or less perpendicular to your position instead of coming toward you, and when the sun is not setting behind it

[uthristy]

Took is a bit to find it as the maps were all in a language we could not understand.

Ahh you were in  foreign country that speaks 4-5 different languages

< edit to ask >
So did you get the Nude-O-Scope or the enhanced grope?

INFO

[gordonstrong]

Delirium Cafe is a good choice for the range of beers, as long as you aren't there when it's overly crowded.  If I was only going to be in Brussels for a short time and wanted a big selection, that's where I'd go.  When you suggested running all over the place, people who had been there suggested you'd be better off finding one good place and spending some time there.  Glad to see that's what you did.  Go back on other trips and check out some of the other suggestions.  You could easily have done the same thing in Antwerp at the Kulminator or Brugge (Bruges) at 't Brugs Beertje.

At DC, I like to get the Delirium Nocturnum on draft, and the La Rulles Tripel on draft is also a winner.  Other than that, trying whatever random beers you haven't tried or those that you have tried but want to see what they taste like fresh is a good move.

The restaurants on the little side street (rue de Bouchers?) you have to walk through to get to the cafe are sort of tourist traps.  The food is OK, but you can do a lot better. 

Many people in Belgium speak English, so you can usually get help.  Flemish/Dutch is sort of a cross between German and English, so if you sound out the words you can often figure out what they mean.  Some conversational French can help, particularly in restaurants.

The main point is, I'm glad you went and that you enjoyed it.  Belgium is a wonderful country, and you can only get a brief glimpse in a day.  But now you know what we're talking about!

[bluesman]

Ruben...I'm jealous.

Never had the opporunity to go to Belgium yet.  It's on my list for sure.
I've had the Shlenkerla Marzen, DT and Duvel beers which were great choices. How was the food?

Sounds like you had a great time. At least you have a primer now for the next trip.

[rabid_dingo]

Euge the Liefmans was a fantastic sour. Barrel aged for "many many months" per the label.
Tom, can you remember in more detail the Boon Geuze? Describe it to me so make sure I got it right.

Gordon, The cafe was not crowded, we were 4 of maybe 12 people there. It did pick up later in the evening, but
by then we scored seats right at the taps at the bar. Never moved, until we got hungry. Then
we ate and called it a night. We were there for a good long while. 5-7 hours.