Something New Just Popped-Up in Tonbridge

The Old Fire Station

I’ve written about this before and probably on more than one occasion, but Tonbridge is crying out for a decent pub. I’ve lived in the town now for over thirty years and have seen the closure of several Tonbridge pubs and witnessed the slow decline of many more. Fortunately the south end of the town, which is the part where I live, still has a sprinkling of half-reasonable pubs which is more than can said for the north end of Tonbridge. Here just two remain from the six which once graced this newer part of the town.

The pubs which are left are, by and large, owned by one or other of Britain’s two main pub chains - Enterprise or Punch. As such they tend to stick to a “safe formula” offering tried and tested beers, quiz nights or Sky Sports.

There’s nothing wrong with that of course if it’s what people want, and whilst this may apply to the majority of the town’s remaining pub-goers there is a substantial minority to whom such a package holds little or no appeal. I include myself amongst this group, and the fact that a minority of disgruntled would-be pub-goers does exist in Tonbridge was demonstrated on three nights last week and three this week.

To elaborate; Tonbridge has a new venue in the guise of the town’s former fire station. Tucked away in the streets behind Tonbridge’s imposing 13th Century castle, the Old Fire Station saw the last fire engine depart back in 1986, when the Fire & Rescue Service moved to a modern and purpose-built facility on the town’s industrial estate. Now, after standing empty for the past three decades, and following extensive renovation work, the iconic building has been given a new lease of life, and opened its doors for the first time at the beginning of the month.

The Old Fire Station’s new owner is Richard Collins, a 42-year-old successful businessman who founded and runs Medischeme medical insurance brokers. Richard beat around 40 other bidders to buy the building after promising himself ten years ago that one day he'd own it. His idea is that the Old Fire Station will house a variety of pop-up bars, restaurants and shops, giving businesses which are new to the area the opportunity to trade in the town.

First to transform the disused space has been Tunbridge Wells based, Fuggles Beer Café; itself a recent and much welcomed addition to the local beer scene. Fuggles owner Alex Greig, hailed the move as a "great opportunity", stating “We've been quite keen on expanding the brand for a while now and this seemed like a great opportunity." He added “Tonbridge is very high on the list of places to move - whether that will be in a year or in five years. This is going to be something a bit different and I can't wait to bring a bit of Fuggles to the town."

Fuggles Pop-Up Bar

This opportunity came true a week ago last Thursday. Unfortunately I was out of the country that week so was unable to attend. I did see via social media, that the initial three nights were a roaring success, so with the same nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) planned for this week, I took a wander down to see for myself.

I arrived shortly after 7.30pm on Friday evening, to find the place buzzing. Some people were standing out in the yard, but the majority were seated at wooden bench-like tables in the attractively renovated interior space. I had a pre-arranged meeting with a friend, who had arrived a little earlier than me. He recommended I try the Ilkley Fireside Porter, but I thought it a little early for such a dark beer. Instead I opted for a swift half of Arise, a 4.4% extremely well-hopped IPA from Burning Sky Brewery.

We bumped into three neighbours of mine, who were about to leave. They kindly offered us their table; right in the corner of the room, adjacent to the bar and close to the rather small kitchen. This was lucky, as the rest of the tables were all occupied. Looking around the clientele all seemed to be enjoying themselves. There were a good number of women, getting stuck into the beers, the wine and the gin and tonics; the latter being something of a speciality with Fuggles. The customers were certainly not the usual Wetherspoon’s crowd, nor were they the football shirt wearing, Fosters-swilling blokes who are all too common in Tonbridge pubs. Instead they appeared to be the sort of discerning people who would appreciate an establishment such as Fuggles, which offers a wide variety of beers along with interesting variations on other drinks.

Saturday Afternoon

It all bodes well for the future. I managed a very brief chat with owner Alex Greig who, like the rest of his staff, was rushed off his feet. He was extremely pleased with the way Fuggles have been received in the town, and confirmed that he is definitely looking for suitable premises in Tonbridge, to give the company a permanent home here.

After the craft-keg, I moved on to a pint of cask Mary Jane, a 3.5% pale ale from Ilkley Brewery. Brewed using American Amarillo and Cascade hops; this was an excellent and thirst-quenching beer. I followed with a pint of 4.2% Fireside Porter from the same brewery. Smooth, warming and eminently drinkable, this was a good beer to finish on. We left just before 10pm; my friend had a train to catch and I was tired following a hectic week at work, catching up with things after a week away in the Czech Republic.

I popped back in briefly, late this afternoon, having just enough time for a swift one before picking my son up from the station. The Old Fire Station was less busy, but there were still quite a few punters sitting enjoying what was on offer. Before leaving, I took the opportunity of shooting a few photos.

I will definitely be back; Fuggles themselves return next month and Sankeys, the Tunbridge Wells based, pub, fish restaurant and champagne bar people, will be running a pop-up over two weekends in December.

It is believed that more shops and restaurants will get involved to transform the ground floor of this iconic building, with owner Richard Collins, stating "Everyone loves it in Tonbridge. My offices are still going in on the top floor, but we are looking for a range of different things for downstairs. It's basically a big community space. Since we have started putting stuff online about the development, everyone has been coming to say what they would like to do.” 

Rear of the building, showing the attached tower

"The building was built in 1901, it's been community owned for a long time I am just the guardian of it. This isn't about making a profit, yes great if we do, but it's about people enjoying themselves. I want to do something for everyone; I don't want just restaurants and pubs. I want to get the whole community involved.” 

For people like myself, not only does this development show that Tonbridge is finally starting to go places and become something which is a lot more than just a dormitory town for London-based workers. More to the point, it also demonstrates there is a demand for an innovative beer establishment, such as Fuggles (something many of us have known all along).

Pivovar Eggenberg - Česky Krumlov

The Eggenberg Brewery sits on flat ground, overlooking the Vltava River in the heart of Česky Krumlov close to the town’s massive castle. With roots that go back to 1560, Pivovar Eggenberg beers can be found both in the town itself and villages within the surrounding area.

Many commentators have described the beers as nothing to get excited over, and whilst that description may apply to the company’s Světlý ležák 5.0% light lager, but the 4.2% Tmavý ležák dark lager was eminently drinkable, and reminded me of an English Porter. Eggenberg also produce several other beers, primarily in bottle form, but a draught, unfiltered version of the light lager is available in a few outlets, and also at the large beer hall, attached to the brewery.

A recent addition to the range is the Nakouřený Švihák, a 5.2% smoke or "Rauchbier". I enjoyed a bottle with my meal in a restaurant in the centre of the historic town, and have also brought a bottle home. Whilst not as smoky as the classic Schlenkerla beer from Bamberg, the Eggenberg version is still very drinkable, and is well worth looking out for.

Brewery Beer Hall

A tour of the brewery had been high on our agenda, so imagine the disappointment when we saw the notice informing visitors that tours were suspended until December, owing to renovation works. Nevertheless we still enjoyed a meal in the large beer hall, attached to the brewery, and also a quick “morning beer” from the tiny bar in the brewery shop.

The Eggenberg Brewery in Česky Krumlov should not be confused with the Austrian brewery of the same name. As mentioned earlier, the brewery dates back to 1560, when a new brewery was built in the town to satisfy the demands of a growing population. In 1622 the Eggenberg family gained control of Krumlov and between 1625 & 1630, they relocated the brewery to where it is today. The town remained in the possession of the Eggenberg's until 1717 when the last male heir died aged only 13. The Eggenberg’s Bohemian possessions then passed to the House of Schwarzenberg which began modernizing the brewery in 1719.

Brewery shop & bar

Production volumes increased dramatically during this period, reaching almost 35.000hl at the end of the 19th century, and the brewery remained in the hands of the Schwarzenberg family until 1940, when it was seized by the occupying forces of Nazi Germany.

Adolph Schwarzenberg, the last owner, had been an outspoken critic of the Nazis but managed to escape occupied Czechoslovakia. Fully expecting the return of his property after the war, he found himself on the wrong side of the notorious Beneš decrees of 1945, which led to the expulsion of around 3 million ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia. This was despite his strong anti-Nazi stance and his record of being a loyal Czechoslovak citizen. Back in 1937, he had even donated a million crowns towards fortifications for the defence of Czechoslovakia against invasion by Germany!

The brewery from across the river

After overcoming these preposterous allegations and proving, beyond doubt, his loyalty to the post-war state, Adolph Schwarzenberg still saw his estate confiscated by a Czechoslovak government, increasingly under communist influence. The final straw was the communist takeover of February 1948, which put an end to all hope for Schwarzenberg to return home or seek redress.

Today, the brewery is again privately owned, with its new owners naming it after the Eggenbergs; the founders and first aristocratic owners. Look out for their beers if you are visiting the Czech Republic, especially if you are fortunate enough to visit Česky Krumlov.

An Autumnal Week in Czech

My autumn Czech trip was, in some respects, similar to the one I made back in the spring. Prague was sunny and warm for the first couple of days, but this was then followed by a period of rain. I’m sure the receptionist in our hotel was pleased as she said that after an exceptionally dry and hot summer, the whole country was crying out for rain. That’s all well and good I replied, but if it was all the same to her I would prefer it if the rain held off for another week!

In the end we only really had one day of wandering around in the rain, as the second wet day was spent travelling, by coach, from Prague to Český Krumlov – the town where we spent the second half of our trip. The rest of our stay was characterised by sunny days, but increasingly cold nights. Autumn was definitely a week or two ahead of the UK, with some spectacular seasonal colours from the trees. Snow is forecast for the coming weekend, but I’m sure that’s not that unusual for a mountainous region of central Europe.

Basically, our trip was a tale of two contrasting halves; spending four nights in the big city atmosphere of Prague, followed by four nights in the delightful preserved medieval town of Český Krumlov. The latter wasn’t without its share of tourists; in fact the town is now the second most popular destination for foreign visitors to the Czech Republic. Český Krumlov is people sized though, and easily seen in a day, but for me it was the perfect place to relax and enjoy a few beers - after taking in some of the impressive sights of this beautiful medieval town.

More detailed reports to follow, of course, but I’m pleased to say that good and sometimes excellent beer is still available in what has become one of my favourite countries to visit.

An Evening at the Old House

Old House Ightham Common

 It was a rare treat for me last night, when I spent an evening at the CAMRA National Inventory-listed Old House at Ightham Common. Because of the isolated situation of the Old House, the majority of my visits to this unspoilt gem have been in daylight hours; the normal means of getting there being by bus from Tonbridge, and then a short walk down the lanes.

On this occasion, a friend’s son kindly offered to drive his father, a couple of friends and me over to Ightham Common. The reason for our visit, apart from to spend some time in this excellent pub, was that a few members from South East London CAMRA had got in touch with our branch social secretary, to say they would be visiting the Old House, and wondered if some of us would like to join them.

We arrived shortly before 8.30pm, and found the pub busy, but not quite bursting at the seams. There were three people from South East London sitting by the window, so after ordering our drinks, we grabbed some chairs and sat down and joined them. Their means of getting to the pub had been train to Borough Green, followed by a taxi to the pub. They had booked a return rip and we had done the same. This proves, as if it were necessary, that where there’s a will there’s a way to get to these isolated pubs.

We were all glad we did; the South East London contingent for the cider, and the four of us from West Kent for the beer; Dark Star Hophead, served direct from the cask, kept in a temperature-controlled room out the back. Later, some of us switched either to St Austell Tribute or Stonehenge Great Bustard. I opted for the former, but I understand from my companions that the Stonehenge was also very good.

I have written before about the Old House, which is situated to the south of Ightham village in Redwell lane. It is an attractive, part 17th Century tile-hung building, but there are few clues externally that it is actually a pub! There is no pub sign and the signboard on the right gable has faded beyond recognition! Internally there are two bars, with the main one on the left, and a much smaller bar, which looks more like someone’s front room, on the right.

It is definitely a case of “duck or grouse” in the main bar, due to the low-beamed ceiling and this is where the regulars gather and the real banter takes place. There is a large brick inglenook fireplace at the far end, which houses a roaring log fire during the winter months. We all agreed that it would be very atmospheric to visit on a cold January night, and enjoy a few pints whilst toasting our toes in front of the fire.

The Old House has limited opening hours, because owner and licensee, Nick Boulter has a full time job in the city. This means opening has to be restricted to weekday evenings and weekends. Nick's brother Richard had run the pub for 20 years prior to Nick taking over and it was the uncertainty over the succession that had called the pub's future into doubt for a while. Fortunately, things turned out fine in the end, and following some much needed renovation work, back in 2011, the Old House is well and truly back open again for business. For more details click the following link to CAMRA's National Pub Inventory website, which contains a much more detailed description of the pub.

Our respective taxis arrived shortly after 10.30pm. There were still a few regulars left in the pub, but most of the earlier crowd has vanished. It had been a good couple of hours in this classic old rural pub, with good beer, good company and pleasant and uncluttered surroundings. As Arnie once said, “I’ll be back.”

EBBC West Flanders Excursion - Part Two

De Struise Brouwers, Oostvleteren

Following on from Part One of the narration, we re-join the European Beer Bloggers on their West Flanders Excursion. 

Following our departure from the world-famous Abbey of Sint Sixtus at Westvleteren, our coach drove us along the winding lanes of this flat, but attractive area of West Flanders. After a detour to avoid a local cycle race, we arrived in the village of Oostvleteren, home to the now legendary De Struise Brouwers. Housed in an old school building, complete with corridors, blackboards and even the old school toilets, De Struise have acquired a reputation for pushing the boundaries of brewing. This has inevitably elevated the company to near “God-like” status amongst the beer geeks of this world thanks, in no small part, to reviews received and ratings given for their beers on sites such as Rate Beer and Beer Advocate, (see Hi-Tech Ticking). 
 

Corridors were never like this when I was at school!

 Quite a few of our party were understandably excited by the prospect of visiting De Struise, but I must admit that until this visit I had never heard of them. The coach deposited us outside the old school and we made our way across what must once have been the playground, to an old class room where we were met by one of the brewery partners. Unfortunately I didn’t catch his name, but he was very friendly and, whilst obviously very proud of the brewery and its achievements, he was very approachable and down to earth.

The brewery was started back in 2001, by two partners who owned an old ostrich farm. The farm had been converted into holiday accommodation for visitors to the area, and the idea was to produce distinctive regional beers to serve to the guests. Starting initially with wheat beer, the partners soon branched out by producing other styles, and since then have never really looked back.

Lessons - De Struise style

Until 2013, when they commissioned their own brewery at the “Old Schoolhouse” in Oostvleteren, De Struise functioned as a “gypsy brewer”, producing their beers at the Caulier Brewery in Hainaut, before moving in 2006, to the Deca Brewing Facility in Woesten-Vleteren in West Flanders. The company also have a shop in Bruges. De Struise are named after the old Flemish word for ostrich, which also is a contemporary slang term meaning "tough". Many of the beer labels feature ostriches, and the bird features prominently on their logo. The name “De Struise” translates roughly into English as "The Sturdy Brewers".

The on-site brewery can produce up to 1,000 litres of beer at a time which, if you’ll pardon the pun, is no small beer. The taproom has around 20 beer lines and after our host had spoken about the company’s history, and talked us through some of the beers, we were offered 8cl tasting glass samples of which ever beers we fancied.

For some people this was like being a kid in a sweet shop, but after several days of over-indulgence taking in some fairly extreme beers, the last thing I wanted was more of the same. I was actually taking notes at this stage, but although I have only written about three of the beers, I am fairly certain that I sampled more. The three I wrote down were: Havic Pilsner 4.5%; Oblis Saison 8.0%; RIP Dark Brown Porter 7.0%.

An impressive row of taps

The brewery has recently ventured into stronger and sometimes rather more extreme beers, with "barrel-aging" becoming increasingly important. As evidence of this, we saw plenty of old wine casks, stacked up in the yard. As I mentioned earlier, many of the party were in their seventh heaven here so I probably sound like a real philistine when I say I found myself yearning not for a super-strength barrel-aged imperial porter or a vanilla-oaked Chardonnay-infused Saison, but a good, a plain simple quaffing beer; something I could sit there and just enjoy, without overly challenging my taste buds, or other senses.

That statement is in no way intended as a snub, or a put-down to De Struise, who obviously produce a wide range of world class beers, but instead is more a reflection of the stage I had reached after five days of sampling, and on the whole enjoying, some of Belgium’s finest but often quite challenging beers. We were privileged to have visited De Struise Brouwers, at their “Old Schoolhouse” home, and to have been talked through some of the beers by one of the partners in the firm.

Chilling out in the old school yard

After thanking our host, and also saying goodbye to our guide, Johan from Poperinge, it was back on the coach. The combination of a warm early evening and a surfeit of strong beer was enough to send me to sleep, so it was quite a shock when one of my travelling companions shook me awake to announce it was time to get off the coach. We had reached the town of Roeselare, home to the legendary Rodenbach Brewery, and our coach was parked right outside the Eetcafe where an evening meal had been arranged for us.

I was still half asleep as we filed into the restaurant, and was not that receptive to the idea of yet more beer. I settled for a glass of water, along with a bottle of Boon Geuze, “just to be sociable”. After a fish-cake starter, we enjoyed a real tasty serving of that most traditional of Belgian dishes, Carbonade flamande. 

Suitably fed and watered, we departed the Eetcafe, and re-joined the coach for the short journey across town to the Rodenbach Brewery. I have written at length here, about our tour round this historic producer of classic Flemish Red-Brown Beers, so I won’t say anymore in this post. Suffice to say that after a late finish at Rodenbach, we were driven to the historic city of Bruges, where we were to stay the night.

A Belgian classic for dinner

It had been one of the best days out I have experienced in a long time, packing in several superlatives and, for me, some places that had been on my brewery “wish list” for ages. I’m certain I speak for all the tour participants when I give thanks to Visit Flanders, for organising the itinerary, and a special thank-you to Yannick, our ever patient, helpful and good natured guide who accompanied us every step of the way and who ensured that everything ran smoothly, and to time.

Kent Green Hop Beer Fortnight

Unfortunately, due to other commitments, I had to miss this year’s Canterbury Food & Drink Festival. The festival, which opened on Friday 25th September, acts as the official launch of Kent Green Hop Beer Fortnight. It is also the only location and occasion when all (or nearly all!) Kent Green Hop Beers are available in the same place at the same time.

All is not lost though, as there will be plenty more Kent Green Hop Beers available in local pubs and at other events after the festival. I was drinking Shepherd Neame’s version No.18 Yard, in a Maidstone pub, on Friday evening, (the opening day of the festival). I was there for a significant local CAMRA branch anniversary reunion; but more of that in a later post. I am also certain, that over the coming weeks I will come across more of these seasonal specials on the bars of various local pubs. One local pub, the Poacher & Partridge at Tudeley, is hosting its own Green Hop Beer Festival next weekend. I will try and get over, even if it’s only for a short while, as I’m flying off on the Sunday for my second visit this year to the Czech Republic. (More about that at a later date.)

The general public (but not readers of beer blogs), often wrongly believe that beer is brewed from hops whereas, as we all know, beer is brewed from malted barley (sometimes with the addition of other cereals), with hops providing the ‘seasoning’. Hops impart tanginess, bitterness and aroma, but when beers are brewed with green hops, the fact the hops are fresh and untreated means they are an unknown quantity. This combined with the influence of the weather, and other seasonal factors, on their growing period ensures the flavour of the resultant beer will be different each year. As brewers are normally at pains to ensure their beers taste the same every time, these factors add a variety and interest which would not normally be present. Because brewing with green hops can only be done during harvest, their use creates a very special beer with a truly unique flavour.

Hops are normally dried, prior to being used in brewing, in order to preserve their important flavouring characteristics, and to ensure the harvested crop lasts throughout the year. Green Hop Beer though, is made with fresh, or green, Kentish hops. The resulting beers have a characteristic fresh taste because the green hops used contain oils and other aroma compounds that are normally lost when hops are dried. The brewers make sure the hops are as fresh as possible by using them within 12 hours of being picked.

So far as taste is concerned, green-hopped beers have a definite resinous tang which is almost certainly due to the abundance of hop oils and other flavouring compounds. These are elements which are either diminished, or lost altogether during the normal drying process. There is a distinct mouth-feel to the beer, which is noticeable in the form of a slight furriness on the tongue and the roof of the mouth.

Brewing beer with freshly harvested hops has spread in recent years to other parts of the world, with a growing number of American brewers now producing what is known either as a “Wet-Hopped Beer” or a “Harvest Ale”. During my recent visit to Belgium for the Beer Bloggers’ Conference, we were given several “Fresh Hopped” beers to try. These were in bottled form, as we were a week or so away from harvest time when this year's fresh hop beers will be brewed.

These “Fresh Hop” beers were generally very good, but on our visit to Joris Cambie’s hop farm, close to the town of Poperinge in the centre of Belgium’s hop-growing region, we were told by the farmer himself that several of the bigger brewers partially dry the hops first; so that they can be used a day or two later. This isn’t really entering into the spirit of “green-hopping”, and I told Joris that such beers would not qualify as Green Hopped beers in Kent. He agreed and told us that the fresh hop beer he brews, complies in every way. Mind you with 10 hectares of the finest organic hops growing on his farm, it would be difficult for him not to be using them straight away!

Returning to England; green-hoped beers are all about the heritage and future of the country’s hop-growing industry. This isn't just about grabbing a seasonal product while you can. English hops are in desperate need of a boost. Hop acreage has dropped from a high of 71,189 acres in 1878 to around 2,500 now, and this decline has been exasperated in recent years by the increasing popularity of hops from places like America and New Zealand.

The demand for the citrus and tropical flavours imparted by these hops shows no sign of abating, and is side-lining the earthy, floral, hedgerow fruitiness of traditional English varieties. Anything which helps reverse this trend, by encouraging an interest in our home-grown varieties, has to be encouraged and is surely worth the support of every English beer drinker.

For local readers and those planning to be in Kent during the course of the next two weeks, the complete list of  Kent Green Hop beers, along with tasting notes, can be found by clicking on the link here.

EBBC West Flanders Excursion - Part One

I felt more than a little hung-over on the post-conference Sunday morning, regretting what I knew was a bad decision to finish the previous night’s pub crawl of Brussels with a Westmalle Triple. (I’m talking about the European Beer Bloggers Conference, in case you hadn’t twigged). Still I was up sufficiently early to complete my last minute packing and to check out of the conference hotel before 9am.

The reason for the early morning departure was that I had booked on the two-day, post-conference excursion, organised by the tourist agency, Visit Flanders, and the coach was schedule to depart at 9 o’clock sharp. I said my farewells to those the new friends and acquaintances I had made, who weren’t coming on this particular trip, (there were two other excursions for delegates to attend, plus some people were just heading home), and boarded the coach.

The sun was shining as we set off through the streets of the Belgian capital, heading out towards the city ring-road and the E40 motorway. I know this road quite well, having travelled along it on a number of occasions whilst journeying to and from Cologne for a large trade-show (IDS), with some of my work colleagues. With the sun helping to lift my spirits and the increasingly flat countryside looking its best, as we drove towards Flanders, I began to feel human once more, pleased to be free of the confines of the city and looking forward to exploring this north-westerly province of Belgium in the company of my fellow Bloggers.

After 40 minutes or so, we turned off the E40 and headed off in a north-westerly direction towards the town of Leper (Ypres); the scene of so much fierce fighting during the Great War. With the sun beating down on the pleasant and peaceful countryside, it’s hard to imagine the carnage and slaughter which occurred here one hundred years ago. We skirted around Leper and before long reached the first stop on what promised to be a busy and quite beery day.

The assembled party outside the Hop Museum

The town of Poperinge is the centre of hop cultivation in Belgium, but the hops grown in the surrounding fields are all that remain of a once much more extensive industry; one which met its nemesis during the conflict of 1914-18. The town was several kilometres behind the Allied front line, and we were told it became a resting place for battle-weary troops during all too brief moments of respite away from the fighting. No doubt there were many cafés to keep the troops refreshed, and also brothels and bordellos to allow relaxation in other ways!

Our coach dropped us at the "Hop Museum Poperinge", housed in a tall 19^th Century building, right in the centre of Poperinge, and we spent a pleasant hour or so being shown around the various exhibits by Johan our guide. Hop picking in Belgium was much the same as I was in England, although the drying kilns seemed a lot less sophisticated than the traditional oast houses we have back in Kent. One difference was the hops were measured by weight, rather than volume and the pickers’ were paid accordingly. This led to all sorts of sharp practices; some a lot less savoury than others, whereby coffee or certain other liquids were tipped into the baskets containing the hops, in order to increase the weight.

A suitably rustic lunch at De Stadsschaal

After the tour, we were shown into the  "De Stadsschaal" café attached to the complex for a rather tasty rustic lunch; accompanied, of course, by some equally rustic and hoppy beer: the latter in the form of Poperings Hommel Bier. Suitably refreshed, we made our way back to the coach and continued with our trip around West Flanders. Johan, our guide from the Hop Museum, joined our party, although he later “jumped ship”, when his wife picked him up when we stopped at the Struise Brouwers in Oostvleteren – more about that later.
  

It was only a short ride to our next stop; the De Plukker Brewery attached to the hop farm of Joris Cambie. I have written a separate post here about Joris’s farm, the organic hops he grows and the excellent beer he brews in the on-site brewery so, apart from saying that farm, farmer and brewery were all very much part of the scene in this hop-growing region of Belgium, I will not repeat myself further.

Sign at the abbey entrance

After leaving De Plukker Brouwerij, our coach headed towards one of the most famous, but also one of the most reclusive Trappist Breweries, the Abbey of Sint Sixtus at Westvleteren. Our coach pulled up in the lane outside the abbey, and many of us wandered up to the gate. The gates, however, were firmly shut, not only to protect the monk’s privacy and preserve the atmosphere of quiet contemplation which forms an essential part of any monastic community, but also to deter those individuals who drive up to the abbey hoping to purchase beer.

Beer is sold weekly, in small quantities, from the doors of the monastery itself to individual buyers after they have reserved their order by phone. Sales are limited to one order every 60 days per person per license plate and phone number, and it is a matter of “pot luck” as to which of the abbey’s three beers are available. The type and quantity of beer available for sale are only revealed when order are placed, making the whole process very secretive. As the beers have increased in popularity, the number of 24-bottle crates per car permitted has decreased. For the highly sought-after Westvleteren 12, it is now limited to just one case.

In de Vrede

Fortunately, for travellers like us there is one other official sale point for the beer, aside from the brewery itself. A short distance down the lane, and set back from the road, is the abbey-owned “In de Vrede”. This modern, barn-like structure acts as a cafe and visitor's centre, and all the Westvleteren  beers can be bought there for immediate consumption or take-away, depending on availability. However, as our visit took place on a warm and sunny late summer Sunday, the place was absolutely heaving, and there was no beer available for take-away at the shop.

Fortunately there was plenty of beer for the thirsty hordes. We managed to grab a couple of long bench tables outside and soon after a  waiter appeared to take our order. All three Sint Sixtus beers were available; namely Westvleteren Blonde (green cap), 5.8% ABV, Westvleteren 8 (blue cap), 8% ABV and Westvleteren 12 (yellow cap), 10.2% ABV.

Whilst many of my fellow travellers opted for the world-famous Westvleteren 12, (voted by Rate Beer as the “best beer in the world”), I decided to go for something lighter, in the form of the 5.8% Westvleteren Blonde. This was a deliberate choice as, however famous the12° beer might be, I did not wish to drink such a strong beer on a warm and sunny afternoon; especially as I knew there were two other brewing establishments to visit later that day, plus a dinner which invariably would include more beer! The other reason was I have never seen Westvleteren Blonde on sale anywhere else, so this seemed the perfect opportunity to acquaint myself with it.

Enjoying Westvleteren beer

I was extremely glad I did, as the beer was excellent; served as it was in a Westvleteren chalice-glass. Sitting out in the warm late summer sunshine, sipping this perfectly chilled blonde master-piece of a beer in the company of like-minded beer enthusiasts, reminded me, as it did in Franconia a few months previously, that life doesn’t get much better than moments like these.

I was reluctant to leave “In de Vrede”, and as we walked back to the coach through the large and virtually full car park, it was plain to see the obvious popularity of the Sint Sixtus “brewery tap”. I was also impressed by the amount of bikes we saw parked outside, and the number of cyclists out enjoying the late summer sunshine, but then this part of Belgium is so flat it invites itself to those who wish to explore it on two wheels.

To be continued............................................