Belgian trip

[Bozone]

In an effort to avoid employee turn-over and reward employees for their dedication, I borrowed a great idea. I pledged to my brewery employees that they who worked this back breaking labor of love for 5 years would be rewarded with a week long European trip of their choosing. They chose Belgium and next April we will be heading to Brugge to base ourselves. I am soliciting recommendations for lodging as well as breweries to contact for tours. There will be 7 of us. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers, Todd

[HinduKush]

In an effort to avoid employee turn-over and reward employees for their dedication, I borrowed a great idea. I pledged to my brewery employees that they who worked this back breaking labor of love for 5 years would be rewarded with a week long European trip of their choosing. They chose Belgium and next April we will be heading to Brugge to base ourselves. I am soliciting recommendations for lodging as well as breweries to contact for tours. There will be 7 of us. Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers, Todd

Hotel Salvator. Get the two big family rooms on the top floor across from the main house, the annex. Great central location, 15 minute flat walk to the train station, handful of blocks from 't bruge beertje. Hotel Salvator

[gitchegumee]

Beertje is highly recommended in Brugge. DeDolle is nearby and a must-see/taste. What a wonderful, eclectic brewery run by a great family. Also a trip to Brussels for Beer Circus & Cantillon, and the nearby town of Beersel for Gueuze is highly recommended. Drie Fonteinen is superb for a kriek and guinea fowl or rabbit stewed in the house beers. Best meal I ever had was at the older central hotel in Beersel (forgot the name) where I had home made blood sausages and a goblet of Giardan kriek. If you can make it to Roeselare for a trip to Rodenbach, it's still worth the trip. And Zatte Bie is an interesting brewery, if you can find it in hop growing area of Watou. So many places to visit. Have fun!

[HinduKush]

Beertje is highly recommended in Brugge. DeDolle is nearby and a must-see/taste. What a wonderful, eclectic brewery run by a great family. Also a trip to Brussels for Beer Circus & Cantillon, and the nearby town of Beersel for Gueuze is highly recommended. Drie Fonteinen is superb for a kriek and guinea fowl or rabbit stewed in the house beers. Best meal I ever had was at the older central hotel in Beersel (forgot the name) where I had home made blood sausages and a goblet of Giardan kriek. If you can make it to Roeselare for a trip to Rodenbach, it's still worth the trip. And Zatte Bie is an interesting brewery, if you can find it in hop growing area of Watou. So many places to visit. Have fun!

The Centrum Hotel in Beersel. Run by an older Belgo-German couple?

[LongLiveLagers]

Also, the half-moon brewery is inside of Brugge and offers tours. They make the "Brugge-Zot" and have an old Steinecker square kettle that's pretty fascinating.

Kevin Davey
Chuckanut Brewery

[organicbrewer]

You could stay at the Het Anker brewery in Mechlen. They have a hotel attached.

[gitchegumee]

Centrum! That's it! High on my list of places to stay. Nice and quiet, but the last train to Beersel isn't very late. Great beers in that little burg.

[el_mocoso]

are you hiring?

[Moonlight]

The hop museum in Poperinge should never be missed on a trip to Belgium. The town is pretty cool as well!

[Phil]

oh, you'll have a hella time.

Don't forget Struise in Oostvelteren and Westvelteren down the road. Geek faves. The fresh Westvleteren beers, I am sure will curl some brain cells.

if you have time, Alvinne, for some craziness. Belgo/American hoppy pale ales are pretty fun. You can buy these at Struise, the "Old School Building", in Oostvleteren.

MUST DO: Moeder Lambic in Place fontainas, and St.Gilles, for what in my money are two of the finest beer bars in the world. Fontainas, is a regular Monday night hang out for me. Drink the many Lambic, the Jendrain Jendrounille Saison V, and have a mixed cheese and meat plate. (avoid, Delirium... but if you have to...) if you meet Jean, ask about spices in wheat beers. ;-)
Make sure to meet up with the chaps at Zinnebier Br.De la Senne, Yvan de Baets as well as the chaps from Moeder - Jean and Nayim, who'll refresh your ideas toward Belgian beer. ;-) (easy walk to P/Kelder, and the Papier Doree and the Porte Noire, in Brussels from M/L Pl Fontainas - some heavy late night drinking will happen, but Port Noire is a bit smoky at times...)

Of course, Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen. (DrieFont, is accessible by train to Beersel) If you can hire a car, head out to Pajoytenland, and head to the small "Lambic Bars" especially Moriau in St.Peters Leeuw. (see if they have any of their old style Kriek - unfiltered, raw, funky, awesomeness) || make sure you hit Groete Dorst (only open Sunday morning)

Ghent, if you're feeling a bit heavy in the wallet, hit Belga Queen. Way nicer than Brugge, lot less touristy, and more real belgium. A frew good beer bars, one on the water side, Het Waterhuis is the better of the bunch.

Roselaare, for the De Zalm, for raw Rodenbach from the foeder (FoederBier) - Not sure if tours are available, but you can ask.

De Dolle, for my money, one of the most, finest, and all time favourite brewers, breweries and places, ever. Fresh Arabier/Oerbier, off tap, especially when they have hit peak on a dry hop, are just frikken sublime.

Haalve Man, Brugge, speak to Xavier Vaneste. , (speaks really good English) - explain who you are, he's a busy guy, but pretty approachable. I suggest emailing promptly. The blonde and brown unfiltered at the Brewpub are pretty interesting. The Rabbit pie... drool worthy.

The delirium brewery, Hyghe, where I have to be most weeks, (on top of brewing in London), is worth a visit; dripping with history.

Other Beers to look out for, Westmalle Extra, Chimay Dorree, Petit Orval - the monks table beers, all low strength brews, and just loaded with flavour. Westmalle Extra, a real fave.

Look out to drink, Viven IPA, Trubador Magma, De Ranke XX bitter, Valheir Extra, JJ Saison V, if you think that there aren't hoppy beers in Belgium. Although that is a, "that's all of them", list... but, I go to bed happy having had a few glasses of them.


Anything else?