Friday 12 December to Monday 15 December 2008
Friday 12 December
06.00 Pick up at Colchester.
06.30 Pick up at The Woolpack, Mildmay Road, Chelmsford.
09.45 Sea France ferry from Dover.
12.15 Arrive Calais.
13.30 The first stop for a meal and a beer or two at Orval Ambassadeur Estaminet ter Spinde in Jabbeke. They have 60 beers including Chouffe on draught and a house beer.
16.15 Call in at De Heeren van Liedekercke in Denderleeuw, one of the top beer and food establishments in the whole of Belgium. They have more than 300 beers including all of the Trappists and all of the Lambics. You will be spoilt for choice.
19.00 Arrive at the Novotel Leuven Centrum. Copies of Podge's Leuven Bar Guide* and a City Map* will be provided.
Saturday 13 December
10.00 Coach leaves hotel for a journey to De Dochter van de Korenaar Brewery in the enclave of Baarle-Hertog.
11.30 Arrive at the brewery for a look in on their open day and a tasting of all their beers*. The brewery opened in April 2007 to great acclaim with their excellent dry beers.
14.00 Set off for a visit to the 14th Christmas Beer Festival in Essen with a choice of well over 100 seasonal Christmas and Winter Belgian Beers. This is one of the top two beer festivals on the Belgian calendar.
18.00 Stop off in downtown Antwerp for a look at the Christmas Market and a crawl of some of the great beer bars in the City centre.
22.00 Leave Antwerp for journey back to Leuven.
De Dochter van de Korenaar Brewery
Sunday 14 December
09.30 Coach leaves hotel for Tongeren.
10.15 Arrive in Tongeren Belgium’s oldest Gallic/Roman town and host to a huge Sunday Antiques Market which dominates the town. We will have time to pop in for a drink in some of the excellent cafes too.
13.30 Call in on Taverne Haspengouw in Zepperen for a pre-arranged meal and a crack at their excellent 100 strong beer list, which includes plenty of 75cl bottles for sharing.
16.30 Pay a visit to the brand new Brouwerij De Vlier in Kessel Lo. Their Kessel Blond is a big tasty white beer weighing in at 7.5%abv and will be served with local cheeses*. After visiting the brewery we will call in on the two local bars of In den Rozenkrans & de Kastaar.
21.00 Coach pick up for the short journey back to Leuven.
Tongeren Christmas Markets
Monday 15 December
10.00 Set off from hotel.
10.15 Call in at ABS Drinks beer warehouse where they are opening especially for us to buy beer to take home. There may be a welcoming beer from these friendly people, you never know.
12.00 Arrive at the Brouwershuis, the Palm Brewery Tap right opposite the brewery to sample the rare Palm beers on handpump. After a three course bier cuisine meal we will have a tour and tasting* at the Palm Brewery and a look at the castle and the stables to say hello to the horses.
19.20 Sea France ferry sails from Calais.
19.50 Arrive Dover.
21.35 Arrive Chelmsford.
22.30 Arrive Colchester.
Antwerp December 2008
All above times are local and approximate. Food, drink, passport and insurance costs are each Traveller's responsibility. The items marked with an asterisk are included in cost of the Tour.
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