I recently had the opportunity to head overseas to attend a music festival in Bristol UK (Astral Fest) as well as Sonic Whip in Nijmegen. In-between these two excellent musical experiences I allotted myself a few days for a brief stay in Amsterdam and a few days in Brussels. I had been to Brussels for a quick trip to Cantillon last year, but I just had to go back with a better understanding of the beer style that I had fallen in love with the prior visit.
My Journey started off with a quick stop in Amsterdam for a visit at a few record shops but my primary goal was to visit Het Lagerhuys for a bite or two and to enjoy a couple of their nice bottles. I finally got to try bitterballen which is a kind of deep-fried meat filled croquette. More importantly I got to try my first Tommie Sjef. The Oude was like nothing I have ever had before with it’s tart lemon flavors but also a nuttiness that comes with the older beers used in the blending. I followed the Oude up a bit later with a nightcap of the Symbiose from Het Boerenerf which was an interesting blend of lambics, mead and cider. I can’t say i recall much about this one as iI think my tastebuds were still reminiscing about the previous bottle which is a shame. I had not started taking notes yet. Would have loved to stay longer to explore the cooler a bit more but I had a big couple of days coming and needed some sleep.
The following day I took the Thalys train down to Brussels. My mission in Brussels was quite simple, due to closings I had to hit places on specific days. Day one was record stores, restaurants and bars so I dropped off my stuff at the centrally located Bedford Hotel and got right to it with lunch at the Poechenellekelder and an Oud Beersel Kriek. I followed that with a quick trip to Moeder Lambic, then some shops and a long walk up to the Brussels Beer Project for a flight of sours. The ruhbarb was outstanding. I had another bite at A La Morte Subite where I had the opportunity to get the full angry waiter experience. Finally, dinner at Poechenellekelder again because I had left something there and had a very young Cantillon Grand Cru Bruosella.
Wednesday was 3 Fonteinen day. I had a lazy morning and got off to a later start than I wanted but I made my way to Midi station to catch the quick train to Lot. I wasn’t expecting such a modern facility tucked away in this cute little town. I just love that little pasture/orchard on the side of the train tracks. I started in with probably one of the best beers I have ever tasted. The Armand’4 · Lente 2010. One of the more complex Lambics I have ever had. You get the usual tartness, lemon and grapefruit but then there is this whole subtle funk in the background. Never had anything like it before. I also ordered a plate of the delicious Pas De Gueuze cheese and bread to snack on. I followed the Lente up with the Oude Gueuze 2012 which also had a nice funk to it and a bit of a peppery note. I should have cracked open another nice bottle here but decided to end with a taste of the Faro draft. I actually liked it. It didn’t seem as far off as I had heard described. It would make a nice every day drinker. I loaded up my backpack with some quality bottles and headed back to Brussels for the evening with a pate at Nüetnigenough and a nice bottle of Cantillon, followed by an obligatory Moules Frites at L’Ancien Bruxelles. The night was capped off with a beer and a couple shots of absinthe at Delerium Village.
Thursday was the big day. After a nice big breakfast, Cantillon!. I had been there the year before without any understanding about the place other than it’s reputation. I was a sour drinker but that was mostly kettles with the occasional barrel aged variety. I met a young gentlemen named Hamisch who knew all the ins and outs of Lambic and particularly Cantillion and we shared bottle after bottle and i soaked up as much info as possible.
On this trip I knew the routine and started right in with a bottle of Mamouche which was a bit different and floral from the elderberry flowers. The place was quite empty when I picked out the Drogone which I was highly anticipating. Tart and dry with the intense grape flavor I was slowly enjoying this one when a few tables arrived. Half way through the bottle I exchanged it for two quarter bottles of Zwanze 2021 and 2022 with a table of four beer lovers. We all kind of decided that the Zwanze 2022 “Poivre Des Gorilles” won the day with it’s intense pepper flavors. The Parasol was so much lighter and more citrusy. Followed this up with the Sophia Lambic which I then traded for a Le Plaisir. The Le Plaisir reminded me more of drinking a white wine than a lambic. Really brought the wine influence. While the Sophia had some interesting mineral characteristics. I really do like the ones made with the grape pomace. Got myself another t-shirt and grabbed 5 bottles in the bag. looks like i missed the Drogone takeaway by a day but still got some great stuff.
Walked across the street to grab a couple bottles from Les caves de l’Ermitage. Headed back over to Moeder Lambic where I had a great Canadian bottle of Intermodal from Bellwoods Brewery and a bottle of St. Lamvinus from Cantillon and that wrapped up my Brussels trip. I was able to pick up one last bottle of Tommie Sjef at a great little shop in Nijmegen called De Bierbrigadier which I think is a chain. Now I just had to lug the extra suitcase I had packed in my smaller case. I put all the bottles in inflatable protectors and got it through three train stops and on to the plane with no breakage and have now started my aging cellar. The goal is not to touch my haul for a while I enjoy what I can get locally in Minnesota.
