I got to drink a lot of amazing lambic and gueuze while traveling in Belgium last month. Here are some pictures I took of the more memorable ones.
Cantillon Gueuze and Lambic at the Brasserie Cantillon tasting room in Brussels
La Mort Subite Gueuze at A La Mort Subite in Brussels. Order two and you'll be guaranteed to hear your very competent waiter announce "Deuex Gueuze" to the bartender across the room, followed by a loud "pop" as your bottle is opened and poured completely into two large goblets.
Girardin Gueuze (Black Label) and Boon Mariage Parfait Gueuze at Bier Circus in Brussels.
Boon Kriek poured on draft and Lindeman's Gueuze. Served at Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant in Ghent.
Cantillon Iris at A La Becasse in Brussels
Drie Fonteinen Lambic straight from the barrel and into the pitcher at the Drie Fonteinen Lambikdroom in Beersel.
Cantillon Mamouche (left) and Cantillon Fou Foune (right) served on draft at Moeder Lambic Fontainas in Brussels.
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Did they inspire you to brew your own?
ReplyDeleteWithout a doubt. As soon as I came home I started making plans to brew a lambic. If all goes well, hopefully in a few years I'll be able to blend three vintages to make a gueuze!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how the prices relate to what they go for here in the states.
ReplyDeleteSo are these the top 7 places to drink lambic in Belgium? Or do you have some more suggestions?
Jeffrey
ReplyDeleteMany of these beers are much less expensive to drink in Belgium compared to what they cost here in the US. For example in the Cantillon tasting room you can buy a glass of their gueuze for 2 euros , and a 750ml bottle to take home for 10 euro (about $2.80 and $14 US dollars respectively). The two glasses of Cantillon in the last picture at Moeder Lambic were 5.50 euro each (so about $7.60 US dollars). In each of the last two pictures price lists are actually visible on the yellow beer menu and the small chalkboard. At many smaller, less touristy cafes and pubs around Brussels 375ml bottles of Girarden and Boon gueuze amongst others can be had for around 3 or 4 euros. Needless to say I built up a sizable stash and hauled it back in a suitcase.
These are by no means the top 7 places to drink lambic in Belgium. Although, many of the well known lists on the subject such as Tim Webb's Good Beer Guide to Belgium (which I used for planning) and LambicLand also include such places as Brasserie Cantillon, Moeder Lambic, and Drie Fonteinen. While I can recommend visiting any of the the places I pictured in this post, there are many, many others. I only found A La Becasse on a recommendation from the owner of the B&B we stayed at in Brussels and it turned out to be a wonderful little place.
The regular line-up of 750ml bottles of Cantillon are around 4 euros at the brewery. The more limited ones ( like mamouche, etc) are pricier though..but still nothing like the prices stateside.
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