Drew and I are trying to arrange a Belgian beer tour, focusing on Trappist breweries with some farmhouse thrown in. At this point, we’re looking to start Sept. 26 2025 in Brussels with Belgian Beer Weekend. Tour will be led by Bob Sylvester, former brewer/owner of St. Somewhere. He’s done several of these before and has some great contacts. Tentatively 10 days, 2 breweries/day.
Nothing is set in stone and we’re open to ideas. We’ll probably stay in Bruges and/or Ghent and make day trips. We’ll have a bus. This is what we’re talking about…
We can hit all of the Trappists except for Rochefort which has no facilities at all, although there is a brasserie in town that serves as their de facto tasting room. The only one that offers legitimate tours of their brewing facilities is La Trappe. I maybe, and it’s a big maybe… be able to get us into Chimay. Orval offers a tour of the grounds which I’d highly recommend as well as Chimay. As far as “Trappist adjacent“, Achel and Val Dieu are stunning and offer really great tours and food. De Halve Mann, Bourgogne de Flanders are in Bruges so no travel needed if we base in Bruges. De La Senne, Le Hermitage if we stay in Brussels.
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That sounds like an amazing trip! I love that you’re focusing on Trappist breweries along with some farmhouse visits—there’s such a rich tradition in that part of Belgium. Starting on September 26th during the Belgian Beer Weekend is a fantastic idea; the atmosphere must be incredible!
I’m especially excited about the potential to visit Chimay and Orval—both are on my bucket list! And it’s great to hear that we’ll have Bob Sylvester leading the tour; his experience and contacts will surely enhance the experience.
If there’s an itinerary developing, I’d love to see it, and any recommendations for what to do in Bruges or Ghent would be appreciated too. Looking forward to more updates as the plans come together!
Absolutely, the tough part is deciding on the destination! There are so many fantastic options to consider. I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts and preferences!
