@daveratkins.bsky.social
Loves great beer, food and travel. Hill walker & trekker. Frequently found in Belgium when not in great UK pubs.
Excellent night at Brugs Beertje enjoying Christmas Beers together with @bonsvoeux1.bsky.social
November 25, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Excellent night at Brugs Beertje enjoying Christmas Beers together with @bonsvoeux1.bsky.social
Essential research at Brugs Beertje. Comparing Stille Nacht 2025* & 2017***. Both great but very different. 2025 vibrant fresh honey sweet, hints of stone fruit, lovely bitter sweet finish. 2017 is less malty sweet, peach & apricot flavours more developed, more complex & mellow.
November 25, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Essential research at Brugs Beertje. Comparing Stille Nacht 2025* & 2017***. Both great but very different. 2025 vibrant fresh honey sweet, hints of stone fruit, lovely bitter sweet finish. 2017 is less malty sweet, peach & apricot flavours more developed, more complex & mellow.
At a very festive looking Cambrinus, Brugge enjoying their excellent Flemish Fish Stew and the scampi in garlic butter.
November 25, 2025 at 2:36 PM
At a very festive looking Cambrinus, Brugge enjoying their excellent Flemish Fish Stew and the scampi in garlic butter.
An excellent De Dolle evening in Nüetnigenough tonight.
November 24, 2025 at 8:36 PM
An excellent De Dolle evening in Nüetnigenough tonight.
It's been a good time at a very busy Grote Dorst today. Trying a variety of lambic beers as well as some vintage geuze and a rather rare Schaarbeekse Kriek produced in this local village of Eizeringen.
November 23, 2025 at 2:26 PM
It's been a good time at a very busy Grote Dorst today. Trying a variety of lambic beers as well as some vintage geuze and a rather rare Schaarbeekse Kriek produced in this local village of Eizeringen.
Now comparing Hop Harvest 2025 from draft (L) and bottle (R) at the De Ranke Taproom. They are both fantastic but the bottle just has the extra fresh hop character.
November 22, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Now comparing Hop Harvest 2025 from draft (L) and bottle (R) at the De Ranke Taproom. They are both fantastic but the bottle just has the extra fresh hop character.
Great to be back at the De Ranke Taproom. Draft Père Noël with the snowy background seems appropriate for the first beer.
November 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Great to be back at the De Ranke Taproom. Draft Père Noël with the snowy background seems appropriate for the first beer.
This years De Ranke Hop Harvest 2025 with freshly picked hop cones is tasting superb.
November 21, 2025 at 5:53 PM
This years De Ranke Hop Harvest 2025 with freshly picked hop cones is tasting superb.
Beautiful, if very cold weather at 3 Fonteinen Lambik-O-Droom. Enjoyed some excellent vintage geuze beers from 2010, 2014 and 2015 this afternoon.
November 21, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Beautiful, if very cold weather at 3 Fonteinen Lambik-O-Droom. Enjoyed some excellent vintage geuze beers from 2010, 2014 and 2015 this afternoon.
Great beer in a great place. At 't Parlement, Halle. So good to see it so busy.
November 19, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Great beer in a great place. At 't Parlement, Halle. So good to see it so busy.
Great pairing of Westvleteren 12 with 3 ice creams infused with Tre Fontain Triple, Lindemans Kriek and Barista Chocolate Quad. At (H)eerlijk, Ostend.
November 19, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Great pairing of Westvleteren 12 with 3 ice creams infused with Tre Fontain Triple, Lindemans Kriek and Barista Chocolate Quad. At (H)eerlijk, Ostend.
It's Game Meat season and here in Belgium they do it well. Superb pairing of Wild Boar fillet and Westvleteren 8. At (H)eerlijk, Ostend
November 19, 2025 at 2:40 PM
It's Game Meat season and here in Belgium they do it well. Superb pairing of Wild Boar fillet and Westvleteren 8. At (H)eerlijk, Ostend
Always appreciate getting the personal touch at Cantillon.
November 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Always appreciate getting the personal touch at Cantillon.
Christmas has indeed arrived (a bit early?) at De Dolle Brouwers. Great to see @6townsmart.bsky.social here.
November 16, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Christmas has indeed arrived (a bit early?) at De Dolle Brouwers. Great to see @6townsmart.bsky.social here.
Enjoying the first draft De Dolle Stille Nacht 2025. The first keg of the season has been opened at the brewery.
November 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Enjoying the first draft De Dolle Stille Nacht 2025. The first keg of the season has been opened at the brewery.
Enjoying the first draft De Dolle Stille Nacht 2025. The first keg of the season has been opened at the brewery.
November 16, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Enjoying the first draft De Dolle Stille Nacht 2025. The first keg of the season has been opened at the brewery.
Excellent fresh Westvleteren 8 and Coupe In De Vrede infused with the same beer. Superb pairing.
November 16, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Excellent fresh Westvleteren 8 and Coupe In De Vrede infused with the same beer. Superb pairing.
A good start to the day.
November 16, 2025 at 10:13 AM
A good start to the day.
Cantillon 125th Anniversary Brew Day ends with a full coolship and a celebration Magnum of Lou Pepe Kriek 2011. Drank lots of great bottles today and met many friends from around the world.
November 15, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Cantillon 125th Anniversary Brew Day ends with a full coolship and a celebration Magnum of Lou Pepe Kriek 2011. Drank lots of great bottles today and met many friends from around the world.
Sampling the special 125 Anniversary Gueuze Brewed with 50% raw wheat & 50% malted barley like lambic 125 years ago. 4 years in the barrel before bottling. It's excellent.
November 15, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Sampling the special 125 Anniversary Gueuze Brewed with 50% raw wheat & 50% malted barley like lambic 125 years ago. 4 years in the barrel before bottling. It's excellent.
Should have posted this earlier.Good Morning from Cantillon where the Public Brew Day is underway.
November 15, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Should have posted this earlier.Good Morning from Cantillon where the Public Brew Day is underway.
I can report that A l'Imaige Notre Dame in Brussels has finally reopened after many months of closure. Unfortunately Au Bon Vieux Temps is still firmly shut. I was told borh owners died during COVID which is why there has been such long closures.
November 14, 2025 at 9:07 PM
I can report that A l'Imaige Notre Dame in Brussels has finally reopened after many months of closure. Unfortunately Au Bon Vieux Temps is still firmly shut. I was told borh owners died during COVID which is why there has been such long closures.
Cheese and Stille Nacht Reserva 2022. Great pairing. At Nüetnigenough
November 14, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Cheese and Stille Nacht Reserva 2022. Great pairing. At Nüetnigenough
Now at the @oudbeersel Beerhuis.
The @oudbeersel BZART lambic using Barbara grapes was released for the first time today. It's excellent. Nice rich grape character and great sparkling carbonation.
The @oudbeersel BZART lambic using Barbara grapes was released for the first time today. It's excellent. Nice rich grape character and great sparkling carbonation.
November 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Now at the @oudbeersel Beerhuis.
The @oudbeersel BZART lambic using Barbara grapes was released for the first time today. It's excellent. Nice rich grape character and great sparkling carbonation.
The @oudbeersel BZART lambic using Barbara grapes was released for the first time today. It's excellent. Nice rich grape character and great sparkling carbonation.
Interesting morning at Cantillon comparing Carignan 2016 & Saint Lamvinus 2016. The former has lost its intense grape flavours but fruity notes remain the lambic acidity is mild & mellow. The latter still has nice grape flavours & is now a really nice balance of grape & lambic.
November 14, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Interesting morning at Cantillon comparing Carignan 2016 & Saint Lamvinus 2016. The former has lost its intense grape flavours but fruity notes remain the lambic acidity is mild & mellow. The latter still has nice grape flavours & is now a really nice balance of grape & lambic.