Belgian Beer Culture

Beer in Belgium is a living cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO, a tradition of extraordinary variety with hundreds of distinct styles and thousands of beers. From the strong ales brewed by Trappist monks and the golden tripels to the spontaneously fermented, sour lambics and gueuze unique to the Brussels region, each beer has its own glass and ritual, and the brown cafe is its natural home.

Highlights

• Trappist ales - the beers still brewed within monastery walls.
• Lambic and gueuze - the spontaneously fermented sour beers of Brussels.
• The glasses and rituals - each beer served in its own branded glass.
• The brown cafes - the traditional cafes where the culture lives.

When to go

Year-round; an evening in a traditional cafe with a long beer menu, or a brewery visit. The Trappist and lambic breweries reward seeking out, and Brussels has historic cafes and lambic bars for the full experience.

What to expect

Belgian beers are often much stronger than they taste, so they must be treated with respect. The sour lambics and gueuze are an acquired taste that surprises those expecting a sweet or standard beer. Every beer has its own glass, and cafes take the ritual seriously.

Nearby

The breweries and cafes are found across Belgium; the Brussels region is the home of lambic.