OnTap Magazine

32 | Winter 2025 | ontapmag.co.za 4:00 am thanks to the boys at Siren, we were ready for our last day. The beer flowed quickly; we sold out by 6:00 pm. We then had a few hours to hang out with new friends and say our goodbyes as we were heading to the next town at 6:45 the following morning. We had four days left and we made the most of it. After an absolutely epic festival, we hopped back onto a train to Antwerp. (Did I mention the trains?!) Antwerp happens to have a beautiful train station from where you can rent those e-scooters and cruise around the city. A crucial stop is Billie's Bier Kafetaria, an incredible little beer bar in the heart of the city. That evening we ate mussels (you must when in Belgium) and then it was early to bed for me as we would have another prompt start in the morning. Next up: Bruges, maybe the most beautiful city in Belgium. We were up early and on to yet another train, eager to arrive in our next city, with more beers to try. But first: waffles! Now there are two types of waffles. Brussels waffles are typically larger, rectangular, and made with a lighter, yeast- leavened batter, resulting in a crispy exterior and airy interior. Liège waffles, on the other hand, are smaller, more oval-shaped, and made with a thicker, doughier batter that incorporates pearl sugar, giving them a crunchy, sweet flavour. We had both! Back to the beer. First stop: Duvelorium for a great view of the square and a super fresh glass of probably the best-known Belgian beer in the world. It’s a little commercial for me, but is still a great beer. Another necessary visit down a little alley is De Garre for their Belgian Triple. This is their house beer. The beer is brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge, made famous by other beers like Gulden Draak and Piraat. Find this alley and you won't regret it. Explore this city! There are so many sites and quirky little bars and cafes around; we could definitely have done a few more days here. It's also home to the longest beer line, where a Belgian brewer installed a two-mile long beer pipeline that pumps beer straight from his downtown Bruges brewery to his bottling facility outside of town. The next day brought about what Jake and I had been waiting for the whole trip: a little expedition out toWestvleteren, a town in Western Flanders, home to Sint-Sixtus Abbey, followed by a visit to St Bernardus Brewery further west. You guessed it: another quick train journey took us from Bruges to Poperinge, the hop capital of Belgium (I bet you didn't know that). From there, our mode of transportation would be e-bikes. (Now, normally you wouldn't catch me dead on a bike, but this was the only way we were going to get this done. The things I do for beer…) We hit the road; it was a beautiful day with not a cloud in the sky, the smell of the countryside in the air. We headed north from Poperinge and before we knew it, we could see the Sint-Sixtus Abbey. Now, you can't just walk in as it is private property and if you want your one-month quota of this insanely good beer you must have a car given that they use your license plate as a reference for collection. However, there is a restaurant next door that serves a delicious breakfast or lunch and you can get the freshest stock right there on site. The whole experience was amazing, sitting looking out over the countryside eating pâté and trying – as some might say – the “world's best beers.” On our way out I happened to spot a gentleman entering the monastery. I cycled over and asked if he worked there. He politely replied, “No, I am one of the Brew day lunch with Sibeeria and Hop Hemel Berto sharing from his private collection Lunch at the cafe next door to St Sixtus WORLD OF BEER