Belgian Ardennes

[Trappist]

Yes, that's where we will be heading to from 27 feb to 6th. of March.
I booked two hotels for that, and the first one Le Val de Poix (https://www.levaldepoix.com/)
should offer some great local beers, according the picture I found on Google



Things will be posted over here asap!

Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

That's one of my favorite places on earth. I'm very much looking forward to your postings Filip. Enjoy your Visit!

Cheers! - John

[Jay]

You both have a fantastic time, looking forward to seeing your report 👍🏻

Cheers
Jay

[Trappist]

Hi,
Here is a small impression of our springtime holiday in the Belgian ardennes, and even more...

The trip has become quite beery, maybe that bit too much 

We had the luck that the weather was in our favor. One week of sunshine!!! and it was even possible to sit outside when enjoying a good Belgian beer.
Both hotels were top-notch. No single complaint, and we got discounts of 31% and 24%, thanks to https://www.tui.be/ (actually much cheaper than booking.com for instance).
Our first hotel looked promising when seeing that picture of the beers on the wall there. See initial message.
Well, that beer wall was there, but placed inside the breakfast room. Unfortunatly only for exposion, so not that many beers on offer, and the bar was not open for public during day time.
No prob, much more beery spots were available elsewhere, nearby the hotel.

The best beery spots we went to were:
La Capsule in Dinant: https://www.lacapsule.be/
Le Grand Café at Anhée: https://www.facebook.com/legrandcafe22/ (Trappist beers!!)
Hotel bar Le Panama at Dinant - 142, rue Arthur Defoin.
Le ST-HU'BART at Saint-Hubert (https://www.facebook.com/StHuBAR/) (it was closed for the days we were visiting saint-Hubert, so that was a real bummer)

On our way back home, we went to the re-vived Bierhuis Oud Beersel, which has just been opened.
A really nice experience, especially when you are a Lambic- Oude Gueuze lover.
It was there that I read on Facebook that Armand Debelder from 3Fonteinen has deceased. What a sad news this is.
It's quite a big loss for the Gueuze world. I met Armand on several occasions, already a while ago. What a friendly guy he was! A true shame he is not with us anymore. R.I.P. Armand.

We also headed to De Heeren van Liedekercke for a final beer and food!
That's a long time ago that we went there, and actually nothing has been changed. Amazing.
We had some delicious Spaghetti gratinated and lasagna from the house. Top-quality!!

Well, that's a bit what we've done last week.
I hope the movie gives a nice realistic impression of our short vacation in the Belgian ardennes.

Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Another wonderful mini movie, thank you Filip!      

Cheers! - John

[Viv]

Hi Filip,

Great video indeed!

Some mouthwatering shots of your meals, and some tantalisingly short shots of some of the
beers you tasted. I wonder if you are going to post some tasting notes as there were a few
interesting looking and very low-profile beers tasted in your travels......

Cheers!



Viv

[Trappist]

Thanks guys,
Ofcource I will post more info

I'll start with the last address we visited. Last but not least
De Heeren van Liedekercke - https://www.heerenvanliedekercke.be/?lang=en
This place was nicely laying on the track back home to Bruges, and it is an Original cafe book entrance too.





It's been a long time ago when we visited. Must have been more than 8 years ago. wow.
But see, nothing has been changed !!! As if time stood still 



We were given these walnuts as appetizer. Nice time spending with cracking the nuts.
Showing the Original Cafe book gave a free appetizer and a free house beer!



Here is the house beer we got at no charge.
Heerenbier - a brown beer at 8,5 vol. %, introduced in 1996.
With this product they wanted to show that brown beer doesn't have to be sweet.
In making this beer a specialist mix and knowledge is used to combine just the right amount of malt and hop types to create a lightly sweet taste with a bitter aftertaste.
The result from dry hopping...
Brewed to their recipe by Boelens (Belsele).
A truely excellent beer !!

My choice was completely different!



Black Rocs Stout @ 7.5%
A nice collaboration with Barrel of Monks Brewing - Boca Raton - Florida - USA, and Brasserie de l'Abbaye des Rocs - Montignies-sur-Roc.

https://barrelofmonks.com/
http://www.abbaye-des-rocs.com/

Wow, that was an amazing beer !!
It is only 7.5 vol% strong, but that felt much more powerful. So much flavor concentrations too.
Not really that dry or Xtreme burnt hop bitter. This is more mellow, sweeter.
But those Cognac barrel flavors!! AMAZING !!!
Such an OAKY experience, and it also gives those tobacco flavors, i.e. cedar wood. Similar to sipping the finest Spanish oloroso sherry 

Yes, that sure is a true masterpiece IMHO!!!

Needless to say that the food at Heeren is wonderful too !!!
Don't forget that DHVL is one of the best beer restaurants in the world!
Tha's the MAGIC job of beer master Joost De Four and his brother, master chef cook Tom De Four. 





Look how appetizing that gratinated spaghetti and lasagne are 

I'm speechless....

Cheers,
Filip

[Jay]

A truly fantastic report Filip, some beautiful locations captured....also great beer and food 👏🏻 looking forward to reading more.

Cheers
Jay 

[Trappist]

A truly fantastic report Filip, some beautiful locations captured....also great beer and food 👏🏻 looking forward to reading more.

Cheers
Jay 

Thanks Jay,
Tomorrow, I'm a day off work, so will post something about the re-vived Oud Beersel pub !
Cheers,
Filip

[Trappist]

Well Jay,
That's ready by now
See: https://www.belgianbeerboard.com/smf/index.php?topic=163.msg527
Cheers,
Filip