Friday 24 April to Monday 27 April 2009
Friday 24 April
06.15hr Pick up Chelmsford – Woolpack, Mildmay Road.
09.20hr Eurotunnel from Folkestone.
10.50hr Arrive Calais.
11.30hr The first stop is over the Belgian border at Brasserie La Marée on the quayside at Nieuwpoort. Here we have the opportunity to eat and enjoy a choice from their excellent 70+ beer menu that includes Drie Fonteinen Geuze, Hercule Stout and La Chouffe on tap.
14.30hr Call in at 't Apostelken in Aalst for a crack at their 150 strong beer list which usually features a few specials.
19.00hr Arrive at the Centrum Novotel Hotel in the historic city of Leuven. Information about quality beer in Leuven and a city map will be provided.
't Apostelken, Aalst
Saturday 25 April
10.00hr Leave hotel for the Abbey le Ramee where we will meet Jacques Mortelmans who has led the restoration of these spectacular buildings over many years. Here we will taste both the blond and amber beers* specially brewed for him by du Bocq brewery.
12.15hr Arrive at the outstanding Jandrain-Jandrenouille brewery with a chance to taste their beers* brewed with a US slant.
14.30hr Stop off at Herberg in der Ster in Wezemaal for a meal and a quality beer or two at this amazing pub.
17.00hr Quick call in on the brand new Brouwerij Hof ten Dormael in Tildonk for a quick look at the brewery and possibly a beer*.
18.30hr Call in at ABS Drinks for their beer festival and an opportunity to buy beer.
20.30hr Pay a visit to the Vilvoordia BierProef Festival in Jette which is offering a host of quality Belgian beers plus a few rarely found Italian, U.S. and Danish ones too.
Sunday 26 April
09.30hr Coach leaves hotel for early start on the Toer de Geuze.
10.00hr Arrive at Hanssens lambic blenders for the first of our stops on the Tour. From here, we hope to call in at 3 Fonteinen, Oud Beersel, Boon, Timmermans, Lindemans, De Cam , De Troch and Mort Subite.
19.00hr If we get time we will call in at Heeren van Liedekercke in Denderleeuw. With any luck, we may have a taste of the ultimate blended lambic beer in the special one-off Geuze Mega-Blend which has inputs from Boon, De Cam, De Troch, Drie Fonteinen, Hanssens, Lindemans, Oud Beersel and Timmermans.
21.30hr Arrive back at Leuven.
Boon Brewery, Lembeek
Lindemans Brewery
Monday 27 April
10.00hr Coach leaves hotel for journey home.
11.00hr Arrive at nineteenth century brewery Van Den Bossche in Sint Lievens Esse, which is still family owned. Here we will have a brewery tour* and tasting* of their superb beers.
13.15hr After a short drive we arrive for lunch and a few beers at Fonteintje a nice rural inn armed with a beer menu of 180 choices.
Later Possible stop at Veurne for a quick beer if there is time.
19.50hr Leave Calais on Shuttle.
19.30hr Arrive Dover.
21.30hr Arrive Chelmsford.
Podge enjoying himself at Van Den Bossche Brewery, Sint Lievens Esse
All above times are local and approximate. Food, drink, passport and insurance costs are your responsibility. We will try to make the cost of as many as possible of the items marked* inclusive of the tour price but some may cost extra.
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