Ghent Visit 2025

As we were staying in Brussels, on our way to the railway station again we passed through the Parc du Cinquantenaire (Visit Brussels)...

On our way to Schuman Metro Station, and evidence of the EU appears.

We reached Ghent, on the 8th of September, which was declared liberated by the British 7th Armoured Division 81 years ago to the day in 1944 (Desert Rats), 3 days after allied forces had entered the city and the same day the Belgian Government was returned to power (Bulletin). Our first target was the Tourist Office (website), close by the Gravensteen above, the Castle of the Counts (History Hit), which I visited the last time I was in Ghent over 20 years ago.

The first bar I had planned for us to visit wasn't open, despite their website saying it would be, oh well, anyway, we sat down at a table in Vrijdagmarkt, and had a beer from one of the restaurants there, I believe it was Cassis (website), I may be wrong, but whatever... An excellent bottle of Corsendonk Agnus Tripel (7.5%), brewed with Styrian Golding (hopslist), Hersbrucker (hopslist) and Challenger (hopslist) hops, providing citrus fruit, pear, and coriander spiciness to the taste, refreshing and enjoyed immensely, and I was getting thirsty by now! 👌

By the way, the history of Corsendonk and brewing ale goes back to the late 14th century and the Priory of Corsendonk which had its own brewery then, however they were forced to close by Emperor Josef II in 1784, then they started brewing again in 1906, but now they claim to have become 'particularly famous from 1982 onwards' (website). 

The name of Gulden Draak (Golden or Gilded Dragon) comes from the legend of the Gulden Draak that originally adorned the bow of an early 12th century Viking Ship, then was atop a dome in Constantinople, from where it was brought to Flanders by Flemish Count Boudewijn in the 13th century ending up in Bruges; and from where it was finally removed as a spoil of war by the victorious Ghent forces following the Battle of Beverhoutsveld in 1382. It has since remained in the Ghent Belfry (above) symbolising freedom and power (visitgent).

The importance to the Brouwerij Van Steenberge of the history behind the Gulden Draak beers, their Titans, has seen the brewery include this on its website. The first Gulden Draak I tasted, was in Brussels near the end of the last millennium, when I called it a "Christmas Pudding of a Beer" - a description my brother (who lived in Belgium at the time) liked enough to use himself elsewhere. So, Gulden Draak Classic, a majestic 10.5%, brewed with Styrian Golding (hopslist) and Brewer's Gold (hopslist) hops, and it still is a Christmas pudding of a Beer! The brewery state this is a Tripel, as you can see though, not a pale golden one, but a darker ruby red colour, rich, full bodied and full of flavour. This time I drank it appropriately close by the Belfry at Bier Central, Botermarkt 11 (website), and we ate here too, tasty food as well, nice one.

On our way to our final bar this trip, and back to the station, we passed Sint-Baafs Kathedraal (St Bavo's Cathedral - website), where a church had been on the site since the 10th century, with the current cathedral building evolving from what was then St John's Church to the current gothic style cathedral in the 15th and 16th centuries.

On our way southwards we followed the same canal (Schelde) virtually all the way to the bar, so I thought at least one photograph of a canal should be included!

And another, and just to prove I was there, my head made this cameo performance! 😉

And wouldn't you know it, the planned final bar of our visit was closed too, despite their website saying otherwise, tut! BUT... Virtually opposite we found what I believe is probably an even better bar, on the canal, on a barge called Kaffee De Planck, Ter Platen 10A (website), and with over 200 beers to choose from. 😁 We didn't meet Odette, who has been the 'driving force behind De Planck' since 1985, but we did meet a very friendly young member of staff, cheers m'dear!

Anyway, we sat upstairs, on the covered part of the deck and, together with eating a few gratis nibbles I drank, from Brouwerij De Leite (website), their 8.0% tripel Enfant Terriple, the pun being linked to a Terrible Child. Apologies, but I can't find the hops used, but slightly spicy, and tropical fruit and citrus fruits in the taste, notably orange, with a dry bitter finish, cheers! 👍

You can see a digital street map of Ghent here at the Tourist Board's website.

A Day in Bruges

Belfort

Many years ago, circa 25 years, I met a lad called Jannes in Sheffield, and we had a few bevvies; Jannes who came from Bruges recommended I visit Bruges, particularly for the beers and bars. Many years later I have now visited Bruges, not only encouraged by Jannes, but also after seeing the film In Bruges (YouTube). The bell tower pictured above, the 13th century Belfort (website), is at Markt 7, 8000 Bruges, and has significance comically and tragically in the film.

Café Vlissinghe

Our first disappointment was the 1515 Café Vlissinghe, Blekerstraat 8000 Bruges (website), the oldest continuously running café in Bruges. Disappointment only in the fact that it doesn't open Mondays and Tuesdays, we were there Tuesday, oh well...

I had to photograph a canal and bridge

De Vloamse Trine

Anyway, we had a wee wander around, getting hungry, so thinking about food, obviously, but the centre of the city was very busy, however, we managed to find a quieter bar still pretty much in the centre, and quiet, although it started filling once we had found seats. De Vloamse Trine, Kraanplein 5, 8000 Bruges (website) became our food and drink provider, and not a bad price for food or drink either. Enjoyed the food and I drank another Duvel (website), as I had done the day before, and as I've written about before (blog), a very dependable tasty ale to go for indeed. 

Kruispoort Gate

We decided to walk off the food so headed towards the main canal that encircles Bruges and reached Dampoort, then just east of south to one of the remaining 4 city gates to Bruges, Kruispoort Gate, built way back in 1402 (website) and in wonderful condition!

A little further south is the Hof der Gefusilleerden (Courtyard of the Executed - website), Kazernevest 8000 Bruges, where memorials to the 13 civilians shot there for giving assistance to Germany's opponents by the German occupiers between 1916 and 1918, now stand. Included is the monument above for the second British civilian executed during World War I (the first was the British nurse, Edith Cavell in 1915) Captain Charles Fryatt (Merchant Navy), who was court-martialled by the Imperial German Navy and executed on the same day, the 27th of July 1916. His crime was to not stop his ship the SS Brussels when confronted by a German submarine, but he headed full steam towards the submarine. A year later he was arrested whilst leaving the Hook of Holland, from where he was transported to Bruges for trial and execution (Historic UK).

De Garre

We wandered around a bit more, next to canals mostly, and then headed for the Staminee De Garre, De Garre 1, 8000 Bruges (website), literally down a very well hidden alley off Breidelstraat, off the Burg. We missed the entrance to the alley (like a small doorway between shops) once, and Dan had been there before! So don't rush if you want to find it. As you can see, it's in an older building, but De Garre will celebrate its 40th anniversary next month (21st April).

Drink-wise I had the 8.7% Brugge Tripel (website) in De Garre, a very nice tripel that I hadn't had for many years, not since Dan had given me a box of said ale with a complimentary glass, very similar to the glass in the photograph, as a present; I still have the glass. Dan had their very own house beer on draught, their De Garre Tripel, brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge (website), and 11.0%, Dan was surprised, but he enjoyed it, right enough! 😉

't Brugs Beertje

Our final port of call on our way back to the railway station was the bar that Jannes had specifically advised me to visit, and with over 300 beers on sale here, he was certainly a good advisor! That is 't Brugs Beertje, Kemelstraat 5, B-8000 Bruges (website), where we drank Straffe Hendrik Tripel (website), 9.0% of full flavoured ale, with hints of citrus, caramel and banana, with a gentle bitter finish, nice one to end with, cheers!

Oh yes, and we met a nice couple of couples from East Anglia  at 't Brugs Beertje too, I had to pry Dan away to catch our train, then we took a wrong turning and missed the train anyway... Then we caught the wrong train, but there's another story!

Back to Brussels we eventually went...

Belgian Ales Part 2

So, Part 2 of my personal mini 'Belgian Beer Festival' and blogs (Part 1) with the 7th to 12th Belgian ales, all contained in the box in the photograph above, and reviewed here [there may just be one more 'bonus' ale to come, again, for comparative reasons]. Interestingly, I have just discovered as I research for/write this that the 3 different breweries' 2 ales each are all brewed by just the ONE brewery, that is Brouwerij Van Steenberge! I shall explain further as I go through the ales, again, all bottle-conditioned, and brewed at the over 200 years old Brouwerij Van Steenberge (website), no doubt how Lidl could offer the deal at such a reasonable price... 😉

The Bornem abbey ales (above and below) have been brewed by Van Steenberge since 1971, but remain linked to the roots of the Sint-Bernardus Abbey in Burnem, which was closed in the 18th century, but then re-established in 1844. The Dubbel (above) is the only example of a Dubbel in my dozen beers featured in these 2 blogs. Dubbels are like the strong dark milds of Belgian ales, not as strong as Tripels, but this one still weighs in at 7.2%, so, not to be sniffed at! This is a very dark brown/ruby ale, fruity, rich, smooth and sweet to taste, not bad at all, despite my preference for the more bitter and pale golden Tripel style; I gave it 6 out of 10.

The Bornem Tripel is much more to my taste, pale golden in colour, and at 9.0%, a tad more to it! The aroma gives a hint of a darker fruity ale, but the flavour is more complex, a touch of sweetness, but with a lovely dry bitter finish to each mouthful. My notes say "very good" which is reflected in my score of 8 out of 10.

And the last 4 ales are all a whopping 10.5% in strength!

The name of Gulden Draak (Golden or Gilded Dragon) comes from the legend of the Gulden Draak that originally adorned the bow of an early 12th century Viking Ship, then was atop a dome in Constantinople, from where it was brought to Flanders by Flemish Count Boudewijn in the 13th century ending up in Bruges; and from where it was finally removed as a spoil of war by the victorious Ghent forces following the Battle of Beverhoutsveld in 1382. It has since remained at the Ghent Belfry, guarding the people of Ghent and symbolising freedom and power (visitgent).

The importance to the Brouwerij Van Steenberge of the history behind the Gulden Draak beers, their Titans, has seen the brewery create their own dedicated website. The first Gulden Draak I tasted, and I admit to having drunk this in Brussels towards the end of the last millennium, when I called it a "Christmas Pudding of a Beer" - a description my brother (who lived in Belgium at the time) liked enough to use himself. So, to the Gulden Draak Classic, as I intimated above, a majestic 10.5%, and which remains a Christmas pudding of a Beer! The brewery state this is a Tripel, but not a pale golden one, but a dark ruby red in colour, rich, full bodied and full of flavour. Indeed, the brewery liken it to a barley wine, which ages and develops well with time due to the secondary fermentation in the bottle following the addition of wine yeast; they recommend keeping 75cl bottles for many years to mature! Unsurprisingly, it scored 9 out of 10.

Similar to the Gulden Draak Classic, the Gulden Draak 9000 quadruple is 10.5% in strength, and the secondary fermentation in the bottle is created by adding wine yeast. It has very complex flavours, but is dissimilar in that this is paler in colour, more of a dark amber/blonde beer with a hint of red, and having a big fruity aroma and a much fruitier flavour; so not quite the same impact, but it's very good still, and scored 8 out of 10. 

Following the success of Gulden Draak, Brouwerij Van Steenberge created Piraat in 1988, again 10.5% in strength, but a blond ale. Piraat is slightly sweet and spicy at first taste, but with a much more bitter finish. Similar to Gulden Draak they add wine yeast to create the secondary fermentation in the bottle. I certainly liked this, and gave it a score of 8.5 out of 10.

The Piraat Tripel Hop (10.5%) set me a conundrum, do I prefer this to the Westmalle Tripel reviewed in my last blog?!? 😕 Well, it's likened by the brewery to the American Pale Ales that were influenced by hoppy craft beers first created in the USA, and that have become popular in Britain and, indeed, which I do like a lot, as regular readers of this blog will realise! It's a golden ale with 4 different hops added to the original Piraat, and unsurprisingly has a big hoppy fruity aroma, a hint of citrus in the taste, and a lovely bitter finish. I rated it "very good" in my notes but couldn't give it the same score as Westmalle Tripel, so I gave it just 9.25 out of 10, but who knows, if I get to taste it again... I shall have to keep my eye out for more! 😄

I hope you have enjoyed these 2 Belgian Ale blogs, look out for a bonus 😉 Cheers!