What Will You Get Up To On A Fascinating Brussels Beer Tour?

A shout of Sante accompanies the clink of glasses as we toast yet another round of drinks. I’m surrounded by my Brussels beer tour buddies, and although we only met a few hours ago, countless beers since (obviously in the name of research) means we are now confessing undying friendship.

We are in Delirium, a cavernous bar famous for its selection of over two thousand beers, and I’m pretty sure we are on a mission to sample them all. It’s the icing on the cake of a brilliant evening of entertainment which started with a New Europe beer tour.

Kwai beer on a Belgian boozy night
Kwak beer on a Belgian boozy night

Brussels beer tour

Earlier that evening, a group of around 30 beer lovers met in Scott’s Bar on Rue des Herbes des Montagnes. Ushered up a dingy stairway into a mezzanine level lounge, I thought I’d mistakenly wandered into an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Chairs were arranged in a semi-circle and guests were encouraged to take a seat. A mixture of groups, couples and singles nervously shuffled into the room, wondering what they had let themselves in for.

Introducing our New Europe guide

Magali, or Mags is an exuberant Bruxellois. She has a repertoire of well rehearsed jokes and stories and regales us with them throughout the evening. She starts with a brief introduction to the ingredients of beer – yeast, hops, water and barley in case you didn’t know (I didn’t!) and explains why beer became so popular in medieval times.

The rise of beer popularity

Disease was rife and water was rarely treated or filtered. The more people drank water, the more they seemed to get ill. Beer, on the other hand, did not make people ill, unless you drank too much of course! (As I write this, I’m suffering from a rather potent hangover, thanks to too much beer on said beer tour.)

The water that was added to barley, hops and yeast was boiled to remove the bacteria, hence why people assumed it was healthier for them. In Belgium, I think they are exaggerating the risk, as Mags assures us that during the eighties children drank beer in school. I’m not entirely sure whether I believe her, but can you imagine that in high school today?! Let’s just say truancy rates might decrease!

Beer quiz

Mags encourages audience participation by frequently asking questions, and rewarding diligent students with points for their countries.

I get England off to a flying start with a question about the French Revolution, and soon the Brits are storming away, with forty points on the board in quickfire time.

Trappist beers

Beer brewing in Belgian monasteries
Beer brewing in Belgian monasteries

We hear about the monks and their role in beer production, and a litany of other enthralling facts.

Making new friends on our Brussels beer tour

I am utterly fascinated, but our brief history lesson comes to an end in no time. Mags scurries off to collect our first beer of the evening, but not before giving us our orders. We must get up, wander around the room and introduce ourselves to people. Beer drinking is a sociable activity and she is keen to ensure we all have a great night.

Frankly, I almost do a runner. Brits are renowned for their stiff upper lip and this type of request horrifies us. Reticently, we turn to those closest to us and make awkward introductions. The ice is soon broken however, and before long a sea of people mingle in the room and the chatter reaches mega decibels. I chat to Andrew, a music producer from Nashville, Eliane, a student From New York who is currently at university in Paris, Becky a graphic designer, Matt a welder and Paul from London.

Brussels beer tour buddies
Brussels beer tour buddies

All too soon, Mags returns with our beers and continues her tales of war and woes (what was the story with the French Revolution). She explains that beers essentially have three tastes and we will experience them all this evening. That is sweet, bitter or sour.

Our first beer

There’s a choice of a sweet Chimay Blue or Bitter Westmalle? For our first beer. I’m expecting miniatures so when I see a full size bottle, I start to worry for my sobriety. We pour the dark liquid into its bespoke glass in the way that Mags demonstrates and before we take our first sip, listen to the heritage of clinking.

Clinking beers

One of the downsides of medieval times was the constant feuding between families and wars between countries. The response was to propose marriages between family members of feuding families to put an end to animosity. However, imagine at the wedding breakfast, you find yourself seated next to someone who killed your brother, your sister or your father? Perhaps not the friendliest of wedding receptions. Indeed not, as a common occurrence at such occasions was for guests to routinely drop dead. Some vengeful guest would exact their revenge on an unsuspecting guest by surreptitiously poisoning them.

Clinking was the protection against this potential hazard. By bashing goblets of beer together boisterously, drinks would mingle. Thus to poison your neighbour was to poison yourself.

We listen to more tales whilst sipping our beers. A chimay is not a light beer. At 9% it needs to be savoured, but nevertheless as the tour progresses we feel our defences drop and the conversation flows.

Grand Place views on our Brussels beer tour
Grand Place views on our Brussels beer tour

Toone testing

Before long, its time to move on to another venue in the city. This time we head through the Grand Place into the old town, and enter an unassuming establishment called Toone (on Rue Du Marche Aux Herbes street if you are interested). This pub cum restaurant, was originally a puppet theatre, and in a room with large trestle tables we gather with our new found friends to try smaller samples of sweet, sour and bitter beers.

Sour beer on the Brussels beer tour
Sour beer on the Brussels beer tour

I quickly establish, that contrary to my original expectations, my favourites are the dark and sweet beers. I grimace at the sour beer and am pretty unimpressed with the bitter, however Mags and her knowledge is impressive, information and entertaining.

The tour comes to an end in no time but we are having so much fun, we are not keen to call it a day.

A mini pub crawl

I suggest visiting the coffin pub (Le Cerceuil). I first came across this pub as an eighteen year old living in the city, whilst working as an au-pair. It’s a morbid place, with skeletons in glowing coffins and skulls for beer goblets. More novel than exciting, I’m pretty stoked that it still exists, but we soon move on the star attraction that is Deliruim.

beer in a alleyway in Brussels
when in Brussels….beer at Delirium
Delirium after the Belgian beer tour
Delirium after the Brussels beer tour

This place lives up to its name. With so many beers to its name, and with die hard enthusiasts trying to try as many as possible, this place could drive you mad.

I figure it must have temporarily driven me insane, as before I know it, it is 1.30am and I’m walking through the streets (not entirely in a straight line I must admit). We’ve swapped contact details, got the obligatory drunken photos and created some new travel memories to dine out on.

Brussels Beer tour
Brussels Beer tour – making new friends with the help of a little beer!

Your map of our beer tour

If you wish to join this tour, contact Get Your Guide. The tour costs €22 which includes a full size Chimay or Westmalle and three sampler sizes at Toone. The map below shows you the location of the pubs we visited, which are all within close proximity.

If you book with Get Your Guide, the app allows you to download a mobile ticket without worrying about printing. This is particularly useful if you are travelling, and do not have easy access to a printer.

I can honestly say this is one of the most entertaining, if not the funniest tours I have ever done. Laughter and chatter were in plentiful supply throughout the 2.5 hour tour, and with skillful management of the guests Mags managed to encourage great interaction between guests which ultimately made my evening.

This post may contain affiliate links which pay me a small commission should you click on them and make a purchase. Creating blog content takes up a lot of time including researching, fact checking, editing and more and for very little reward. It would be great therefore if you could use these links if anything catches your fancy. These small commissions help towards the cost of running the site, and the occasional glass of wine.
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About Anne

Anne is the founder and editor of Frommilestosmiles. If she isn't travelling, she is thinking of travelling or planning her next trip. She has visited over 90 countries on six continents and sampled everything from backpacking to bank bursting travel. Her mission is to help you enjoy more luxurious travel without the luxury price tag through the use of airline and hotel rewards and other money-saving travel tips

11 comments

  1. That sounds a pretty fun, so keep on sharing such kind of an interesting blogs

  2. It was fun having some drinks in Brussels! The tour was a great way to spend some time interacting with people and having some tasty beers!

    • It sure was fun Andrew. What are your travel plans for the next few months?

      • I’ll be back and forth to Toronto a few times and down to Orlando a few times in the next few months. Then Thailand for three weeks in December. Looking forward to exploring in Thailand!

  3. I had some reservations about the beer tour and you’ve withered it away in a flash through this blog. It’s amazing to know the process and the range of emotions you went through! It was heartening to know that you made friends and you hung put with them and I’m sure clinking of beer mugs must have added to the flavour of beer.

  4. Danielle Desir

    Loved the fun facts about water back in the medieval times – I had no idea that water made people sick because it wasn’t treated but beer, on the other hand, did not. Makes a lot of sense!

  5. Ahah such a funny story, kinda makes sense people would think it’s healthier since, yeah it was boiled so in some way healthier than dirty water. Thanks for the article, hope you enjoyed it a lot even with your slight hangover 😉

  6. I love a good beer tour, and there’s no better place to do it than in Belgium! I didn’t know about the history behind the beer there, so really enjoyed reading about it. You clearly had a good time on the tour, and made new friends too!

    • Yes it reminded me of travelling in my twenties when I was forever making new friends on the road. Mostly I travel with my husband now so it doesn’t happen as often and what a night we had!

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