Belgium: A Beer Trip Full of Joie de Vivre

There was no time to waste though, as our next stop beckoned: Moeder Lambic’s original location at Rue de Savoie. Now one small bottle of Cantillon Kriek heavier, my traveling companions and I took a short stroll to the lovely outdoor patio at Moeder where we were treated to a five-beer flight of terrific brews from around the country – as well as a lovely charcuterie plate festooned with delicious local cheeses, meats, breads and spreads that certainly hit the spot after hours of nothing but minuscule portions of airplane food.

Our host, Jean Moeder, the founder of Moeder Lambic, regaled our group with tremendously interesting tidbits about each beer that was given to us. The last beer sampled was Cantillon’s Kriek on cask, which was actually superior out of the bottle from the brewery (showing how important bottle-conditioning is to Cantillon’s offerings).

Moeder Lambic treated us to a five-beer flight of terrific brews from around the country – as well as a lovely charcuterie plate festooned with delicious local cheeses, meats, breads and spreads.

According to Jean, Cantillon was the only brewery in Brussels in 2009, but now, there are 22 active breweries in Belgium’s capital city. Just like in the States, beer is a rapidly growing industry in Belgium.

As we strolled past the evocative and picturesque city streets in Belgium, the weather sunny and breezy, it became apparent that Brussels is a densely populated yet quite relaxed European metropolis. Traffic noise was loud and constant, but the general joviality and quiet generosity of the Belgian people spoke louder than any car horns ever could. With terrific beers on tap at almost every location you could visit, that national spirit is certainly understandable.