After a successful first night in Antwerp I can say without a doubt that Belgium is going to be a magical place.
Our last couple days in holland were amazing. We hiked around, went swimming, rented Dutch bikes, took a tour of a 300 year old windmill (the tour guy spoke no english so it was a lot of hand gestures and us nodding our heads). He put the brake on the thing and led us up into the inner workings...huge wooden cogwheels. Amazing! We met an awesome young Dutch couple and played giant chess. I finally beat gregory for like the first time in 8 years. I was so excited.
After that week we finally felt rested and ready for many days of traveling and sightseeing. Onto belgium's hip young jewel Antwerp. We took the train in from Amsterdam central which only took like 2 hours and got in around 2. By 3 we were on the bus to Westmalle Trappist brewery (about 30 minutes outside of Belgium).
Westmalle is one of the 6 trappist monk-brewed beers in belgium, all ranging in size and popularity. They recently renovated the cafe across the street from the abbey where you can buy their beer and eat, plus buy a tremendous amount of touristy gifts. The cafe is very nice, clean etc. But it looks much fancier and chic than the old one in then pictures. Now, Greg and I love Belgian Trappist beers but overall in the states I can't say that I drink much Westmalle. Sometimes I find the 2 beers they have to be overly heavy and not as creamy and delicious. Well let me tell you: Trappist beer on tap at the Abbey pub is nothing like a bottle opened in the states. The double was a beautiful brownish color, with a fantastic whitish head, very light in mouthfeel and the malty notes tasted like heaven. The triple was just bas good, yellow in color, a slight yeasty residue, notes of citrus. Greg really dug the triple but I actually like the half and half that they served- an even split of both beers.
Now you cannot go into the Abbey where they brew the beer but you can take a tour of the grounds. If you get there at the right time you can buy cheese from the monks but we were not there early enough. But we did go up to the front of the church which was beautiful and we walked around the entire brick wall that they have running around the church and the brewery. They have obviously expanded several times and they are actually getting ready for another expansion. There were 2 very large cranes on the grounds. It would appear like life in the Abbey is very busy.
On our bus ride home from Westmalle, Greg and met a very nice Dutch beer writer who was at the cafe celebrating a young many who after 4 or some odd years walked to all 6 of the Trappist breweries in Belgium. They had a party at the cafe once he finished his walk that day. Jan, our new Dutch friend, told us a lot about the british beer festival and told us that we must try some De Molen beer from holland. He said it was one of his favorites.
After a quick rest in the hotel, (the very convenient but small Etap), we headed out to our next Antwerp beer destination: the Kulminator bar. Famous among beer geeks from all over this place is truly a destination worth visiting. Several hundred bottles on the list with many rare vintages in the clouded-over beer cellar that you can see into on your way to the bathroom or the little porch out back that is still really just part of the bar with the roof kinda cut out. The place is a beer collecter's dream! Stuffed from corner to corner with beer magazines, bottles, westvleteren cases (more on them later) pictures of all the Trappist monks from the different breweries. Dried hop cones hanging everywhere from the walls etc. It is a truly fabulous, eclectic place. It is run by this little old couple who have had the bar since like the 70's and they are the only people serving beer to this cramped and packed beer bar.
Greg and I ended up sharing s table with some fun British guys who had flown over from London to visit antwerp for the weekend and drink beer so we were in good company.
Let me just first say that I had some beers that knocked my socks off!
First I had a vintage Rodenbach from 2008 which was sour goodness in a glass. It was dark brown with a great head and came in at around 7%. It was sour but not overly sour. It had fabulous notes of cherry and sour apples, malty with notes of cinnamon on the tongue as it finished. I was in heaven. (side note: Greg finished his first beer before I had time to write any notes down :))
Next up was a small shared bottle between the two of us. It was Mikkeller/De Struise beer, I believe the name was elliot. It was a collaboration beer brewed at the De Struise brewery in belgium. It was 130 ibu's and 9% abv and darkish brown in color. For my not so beery friends and family...130 ibu's is crazy and kinda smells like drinking a pine tree. This beer was intense. So much hop on the nose it could almost knock you over. It was a citrusy pine tree to the nose with a whitish/yellow head. But the mouth feel and taste was nothing like the smell. It was malty tasting, with not a lot of hops in int he finish. It was smooth on the pallet. We were in love.
After that big beer we decided to try something from another Belgium brewery De Dolle. It was a 2008 lichtervelds blond. Wheat, thick head, inside a dark unlabeled bottle. It was smooth but backed a little punch at the end. It was a great beer to sit back in sip. I had never had anything from this brewery before so I was excited to finally try some. (thanks Lee and David!)
The night was getting late and the owner and his wife we obviously getting tired for the night, so we ordered one last beer and settled up our tab. But not before the owner threw some guys out for being annoying and standing in his wife's way while she tried to serve people their long-awaited beer.
We finished the night with the best beer we have had so far in Belgium and it wasn't even Belgian! It was s beer from the Dutch brewery that our friend said we had to try, Brewery De Molen. It was a 2011 stout and hop beer brewed with Sorachi which is a Japanese hop and it came in at 7.5%. It was piney on the nose, with a very, very thick head. So thick that when I swirled it around I the glass it rose up over the glass and made a little dome over the top of my little De Molen glass. It was delicious!
Next up today: Greg and I will be tooling around Antwerp seeing the sites. We are going to the famous antwerp cathedral and then maybe a museum. At 3pm we will be heading over the de konick brewery for a tour of their location. We happen to come on the day they give tours so hopefully we can get there early and get in line, as they only allow 30 people to come on the tour. Onward and upward!
Love you all!
Missy and Greg
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