Podge’s Belgian Beer Tours

Tour 60 / Beer & Heritage Tour 2012

Friday 24th August – Monday 27th August

We have once again secured the services of our friend and Archaeologist, Dave Buckley to act as guide on our popular annual Beer & Heritage Tour. This year we are based in the historic city of Leuven at the luxury Novotel.

Alden Biexen

Alden Biesen Castle, Bilzen.

A fully guided visit* of the beautiful castle and Commandery Alden Biesen at Bilzen, built by The Teutonic Order of monks who nursed wounded Crusaders.

A fully guided tour* of the Flemish Coal Mining Museum Vlaams Mijnmuseum at Beringen which commenced mining in 1901 and where the last truck of coal came to the surface in 1989. The mine was subsequently turned into this fascinating Museum and visitors are guided round by an ex-miner.

An extended visit to Palm Brewery at Steenhuffel. This will include at introductory film*, tour of the brewery*, a look round the famous stud farm for Palm’s Brabant Draught Horses at Diepensteyn Castle* and finally a taste of their beers*. This is followed by a meal at the brewery tap Brouwershuis across the road.

A visit to Herkenrode Abbey* with an audio guide in English for their exhibition on the abbey. We will also have a tutored beer tasting* and explanation of Herkenrode beer, we will taste two of their beers* together with a tasting of their Abbey Cheese with herbs*.

A visit to the Au Phare Stadsbrouwerij in Tongeren for a Beer tasting and meal. The building of this brand new brewery is still being completed and it is due to open later this month in the centre of this historic City associated with Ambiorix, leader of a tribe of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where modern Belgium is located. He is a national (and local) hero for his stance against Julius Caesar.

A visit to the Kunstemaecker just outside Veurne where we will have our first meal after crossing the Belgian border. This is an excellent new find and although they only have around 60 beers available, every one is a cracker. They also have some great beers rarely found in this area, including a draught lambic.

A meal and a beer at Het Vijgeblad in Beringen, one of the very best bars in Limburg. Here we will have a beer or two chosen from a menu that has nine on draught and 70 outstanding bottled beers which include some of the best Belgian Geuzes and Krieks.

Tour Price: £380 (per person)

Based on sharing in a twin or double room. Single Supplement: £94. If you are travelling alone and want to share a room with another traveller please contact Podge as we are regularly able to pair up travellers in twin rooms to avoid the need for payments of Single Supplements.

All detailed itinerary times are local and approximate. All food and drink (apart from those marked with an asterisk* on the detailed itinerary) and all passport and insurance costs are each traveller’s responsibility. Personal insurance is not included in the Tour price, but is strongly advised, as is carrying the European Health Insurance Card available online, by phone or via the Post Office.

If you would like to join us or have any questions please call Podge on +44 (0)1245 354677 or send Podge an email. Please also contact Podge to get details of how to send a deposit of £100 per person for this Tour. Full balance payable 5 weeks before departure.

Included in the cost of this Tour: Hotel accommodation and breakfasts; Luxury coach travel on a 49 seater coach with toilet; All Brewery visits, tours and brewery beer tastings; Entrance fees to attractions, museums and historical sites; All other items marked with an asterisk on the individual detailed tour itinerary; Copies of Podge’s City Bar guide and Map for the town or city where we stay or spend some time on Tour; Free still and sparkling water on the coach; Pick up from Ipswich (Crown Street Layby), Colchester (Southway Chapel St South Layby) or Chelmsford (The Woolpack, Mildmay Road). Arrangements can be made for different joining points on the way to Folkestone or even on the other side of the channel. Tour terms and condition here.