After Ghent we headed to Brouwerji 3 Fonteinen, who are known for their geuze (sour) and kriek style beer. We arrived in time for a tour of their, smaller than I expected, barrel room where one of the master brewers talked about their operations and poured and poured. While Simone was passed out in the baby bjorn we mingled with the group and tasted some great beer and cheese. As most of the group made their way to the onsite beer shop, we chatted up a visiting brewer from Orange County, California and Marco took care of the floaters.
Next stop was Brussels - to Cantillon Brewery. Another brewery famous for its geuze style. Annie and I stayed in the cozy, fire lit, and overcrowded tasting room while Patrick and Marco did the self-guided tour of the brewery.
What I find most interesting about the Belgium breweries we visit is how old their still in operation equipment is, one hundred plus years old some of it. It's not the shiny, new steel tanks, clean and brightly lit bottling rooms that I was used to touring in America microbreweries.
We stocked up on some Cantillon and then headed to our hotel in Brussels. This was our last night before we parted ways with Patrick and Annie. We had a late, nice dinner out while Simone was on her best behavior, sound asleep in the baby carrier.
The next day Marco and I drove to the Flanders region to visit two favorites - Brouwerji de Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren and De Dolle Brouwers. Two very different and unique operations.
Westvleteren, a 19th-century Cisterian monastery and Trappist brewery, is famous for not selling their beer anywhere in the world other than by appointment only pick-up at the monastery and at their onsite cafe. We hung out in the cafe for some brews, sandwiches, and their famous ice cream that is topped with freeze-dried hops.
Next up was to my very favorite, De Dolle. I could go on about this husband and wife operation. We had toured the brewery last visit so we just relaxed in the tasting room where, in between greeting regular visitors and pouring beers, Jo gave Simone cuddles and her very own De Dolle t-shirt.
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