Welcome to this special edition of the famous Belgian Family Brewers Tour, where Bruz Beers is partnering with Belgian Beer Me! Beer Tours of Belgium, to produce this eventful tour. Bruz Beers has two locations in Denver. While this is a special tour designed for the loyal customers of Bruz Beers, the tour is open to everyone. It begins in Brussels and ends in Antwerp. Treasuring tradition, authenticity and favoring quality are priorities for the Belgian Family Brewers (BFB).  It’s where innovation meets tradition. To be a member they must:

• Have been brewing in Belgium continuously for at least 50 years.

• Be an independent, family-owned brewery.

• Sell each beer under only one name.

There’s a story behind these fabled breweries and their beers, and this tour will take you there to learn the history, meet the families and experience pleasure in a glass. 

Learn more about the Belgian Family Brewers in this great article by Erik Verdonck. 

Each departure of this tour will feature a different group of the BFBs as time and availability permits.  We will, however, endeavor to present opportunities to try beers from all the breweries in this association on each tour.

At present, there are 21 member breweries:
Boon | De Brabandere | De Halve Maan | De Koninck | De Ryck | Dubuisson | Dupont | Duvel Moortgat | Het Anker | Huyghe  | Lefebvre | Lindemans | Omer Vander Ghinste |  Roman | Saint-Feuillien | Saint Bernardus | Silly | Strubbe | Timmermans | Van Eecke | Verhaeghe
 
You may not recognize the names of some of these historic breweries, but you will recognize their hundreds of popular beers, most of which are enjoyed in the United States and other parts of the world.  Beers such as Brugse Zot, Straffe Hendrik, Scaldis (Bush), Arend, Saison Dupont, Duvel, Maredsous, Goudon Carolus, Ename, Hopus, Delirium Tremens, Abbot 12, Prior 8, Silly Scotch, Hommelbier, Lucifer, Palm, Rodenbach, Petrus, Timmermans and Duchesse de Bourgogne, to name just some.  For a complete list, visit BFB Brands.

This tour will also include the famous Belgian Beer Weekend Beer Festival, held on the magnificent Grand Place, Brussels’ medieval town square.  This festival, staged by the Belgian Brewers Federation, features around 50 breweries (including some from BFB) serving more than 350 beers. Perfect September weather, with perfect beers equals a perfect beer festival. During this festival weekend is also when the Knights of the Brewers Mash Staff knight the new knights. This tour is lead by Stu Stuart, who is an Honorary Knight of the Brewers Mash Staff.

You’ll walk away from this tour with an even greater appreciation for Belgian Family Brewers beers and the families who brew them!

Plans for this tour include overnights in Brussels, Bruges, Watou/Poperinge, Gent.

• Nine nights accommodations in nice, friendly, centrally-located hotels often in the old town section of the city and some in bucolic rural settings.

• All breakfasts, three lunches and three dinners with gratuities.

• Ground transportation via private luxury coach with professional driver. Leave the driving to us!

• Professional and courteous BBM! guide services.

• All tours and admissions.

• Canal boat tour in Bruges.

• An instant group of interesting and fun, beer-loving friends you haven’t met yet.

• Guaranteed tour price the moment submit your deposit.

• Plenty of unstructured free time to relax, shop and explore on your own.

• Custom BBM! name badges.

• Souvenir BBM! luggage tags.

• One souvenir BBM! soft-sided cooler per household.

• Flexibility in the event you need to transfer or cancel your tour.

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• Airfare

• Airport transfers.

• Some meals and beer on your own.

• Free-time sightseeing. Our guides are available to provide suggestions.

• Fine Print: You are responsible for the costs of your free-time sightseeing. Be sure to read our Terms & Conditions Agreement for important details.

• Gratuities, at your discretion, for brewery tour guides and coach drivers.

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Deadline to sign up is one month before departure. 

$3195/per person + Air, $575 single supplement*

* Prices based on double room occupancy.  If you are a solo traveler and would like to have a private room all to yourself there is a single supplement fee of $575 in addition to the base price of $3195 per person. We can also work with you to pair you with other single travelers to avoid the single supplement. Better yet, recruit a friend to come, too! Unless, of course, like Rick Steves says, you prefer to “snore alone.”

This tour is confirmed to go, so it’s important to sign up ASAP, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Also, tours can fill suddenly, so signing up early guarantees your place and avoids disappointment.

• The maximum number of travelers on this tour will be 24.

Please share BBM! tours with your beer enthusiast friends and encourage them to join the fun!

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The Belgian family brewers:

• Boon

• De Halve Maan

• De Koninck

• De Ryck

• Dubuisson

• Dupont

• Duvel Moortgat

• Het Anker

• Huyghe

• Lefebvre

• Leroy

• Lindemans

• De Brabandere (Formerly Bavik)

• Omer Vander Ghinste (Formerly Bockor)

• Roman

• St. Bernardus

• Strubbe

• Silly

• Timmermans

• Verhaeghe

This tour features prominently eight of the 21 members of the Belgian Family Brewers: De Ryck, De Brabandere, De Halve Maan, St. Bernardus, Vander Ghinste, Liefmans, Verhaeghe (Home of Duchesse de Bourgogne) and Huyghe (home of Delirium Tremens).  

We’ll be staying in Brussels, Bruges, Watou and Gent. Other highlights include  Belgian Beer Weekend Beer Festival, Trappist Westvleteren In de Vrede Cafe,  and the Hoog Crater WWI Museum & Beer Cafe.

Day One, Fri., Sept. 2 • Brussels  This incredible tour begins in the afternoon in Brussels as we meet at 12 noon in the lobby of our centrally-located hotel.

We’ll have a short meet and greet and then attend the Celebration of Saint-Arnould Patron Saint of Brewers Procession starting from the Grand Place leading to the Saint Michael & Gudula Cathedral with the consecration of the beer (blessing of the wooden keg) organized by the Knighthood of the Brewers Mash Staff. This is the official kickoff of the Belgian Beer Weekend. You’ll see the pageantry and feel the electricity of this organization, which traces its roots to hundreds of years ago. You immediately get the sense that this is something larger than the sum of all of us. Very few beer enthusiasts will ever experience this age-old tradition. This is a veritable Who’s Who in the Belgian beer world. 

The Belgian Beer Weekend Beer Festival opens to the general public at 6 p.m. This is a pay-as-you-go festival. You will never find a more jaw-dropping backdrop for a beer festival than the Grand Place of Brussels.

At the Saint-Arnould Patron Saint of Brewers Procession we’ll visit the world-famous Grand Place, which Beer Author Tim Webb of Good Beer Guide Belgium so deftly describes its wow factor as, “...unquestionably one of the world’s finest places for making you feel as though it’s all been worth it.  He astutely paints a vivid picture of Brussels as, “…every city on earth, unedited and confused, all rolled into one.  The whole of modern life is to be found here somewhere, usually unshaven.”

Day Two, Sat., Sept. 3 • Brussels   This morning is an optional walking tour of Brussels. The Belgian Beer Weekend Festival opens today at 11 a.m. Now is your chance to pick up where you left off yesterday. (Breakfast)

Day Three, Sun., Sept. 4 •  Brussels   This morning, there is an optional visit to a famous local flea market and a very special lambic cafe. The fun thing about Belgian flea markets is you see everything and much of it is hundreds of years old. Alternatively, you can have this afternoon free or take another run at the Festival.

Later this afternoon, I recommend visiting Brasserie de la Senne taproom on your own. This evening we have our Welcome Dinner at one of my favorite restaurants.  (Breakfast & Dinner #1)

Day Four, Mon., Sept. 5 •  Bruges  This morning visit Brewery De Ryck, run by a mother, daughter and brother. The mother, An, is the “brewster,” which is the Belgian term for a female brewer. They make an amazing line of beers including a Special Belge, which is almost a lost style and one of the best tripels you’ll have anywhere. Our hostess is Miek, who is the daughter and the marketing manager.

Afterward, we continue on to Brewery De  Brabandere, where our host will be Export Manager Emmanuel Ghesquiére. He’ll give us a tour and present you with a tasting to remember. This brewery has a wide range of beers from Super Bavik Pils to Flemish Red Ales to its Petrus line of wild beers to dubbels to tripels to barrel-aged beers. In fact, it has one of the largest varieties of beer of any brewery we visit on the tour. CEO Albert De Brabandere is the fifth generation in this family to run the brewery, which was established in 1894.

Late this afternoon, we’ll arrive at our centrally-located hotel in Bruges. 

The evening is on your own to explore some of the most interesting beer cafés in the city. Dinner is on your own. There is no lack of inviting restaurants in Bruges! (Breakfast)

Day Five, Tues., Sept. 6 • Bruges   This morning we have a short walking tour on our way to Brewery de Halve Maan , brewers of Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik, and Tripel Wild. After lunch there, we’ll take a canal boat ride and learn more about the history of Bruges. Then, we’ll have a short walking tour to show you the center of the Old Town and give you the lay of the land so you are comfortable exploring on your own.

This afternoon and evening, you’ll have some more free time to take in the many sites of Bruges, rent a bike, take a carriage ride, visit museums, or just people watch, while savoring a Belgian beer in a sidewalk café. As a suggestion, visit  Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery, enjoy their fine mixed fermentation ales. This brewery opened in 2016. You may do a self-guided tour, or simply visit their taproom and gift shop. They have a nice terrace out back on the canal, too. While not a member of the Belgian Family Brewers, this brewery is a recommended visit. Dinner is on your own in one of Bruges' many romantic and rustic restaurants. See which one speaks to you and enjoy!  (Breakfast & Lunch #1)

Day Six, Wed., Sept. 7 •  Watou/Poperinge   This morning we visit the home of Trappist Westvleteren beers, the Abbey of St. Sixtus and its brewery tap, “In de Vrede,” (In the Peace) for lunch and to indulge in their famous, exquisite and rare beers. You’ll be able to buy Westvleteren beer to go in the gift shop upon arrival.

Next, we visit Brewery Strubbe, run by brothers Marc and Stefaan Strubbe, sixth generation owners. They make a wide range of thirst-quenching beers ranging from Oud Bruin to Grand Cru to Tripels. The brewery was established in 1830, the same year Belgium became a country.

Afterward we depart for dinner at Bar Bernard, the rooftop taproom of Brewery St. Bernardus. 

After dinner, we’ll go next door to the Brouwershuis Inn, where the group will be staying.

The Brouwerhuis features a Great Room with a bottomless refrigerator of St. Bernardus beers. (Breakfast, Lunch #2 & Dinner #2)

Day Seven, Thur., Sept. 8 •  Watou/Poperinge   This morning have a  tour and tasting at Brewery Vander Ghinste. This is their 130th Anniversary. This brewery makes a wide range of styles from pils, to blonds, to wits, to dubbels, to tripels, to Flemish Red Ales. Be prepared to be amazed.

Next, we’ll have lunch at the Odnar Restaurant at Brewery Liefmans, followed by a tour and tasting with Olav Blancquaert, who has a long history working for the brewery and its parent company Duvel Moortgat. Olav is Duvel’s Brand Ambassador, former head brewer at Liefmans and the son of Rosa Merckx, who led the brewing team at Liefmans for more than 40 years. 

Afterward we will visit historic Ieper, where you will have dinner on your own. Afterward, we’ll watch the solemn Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate. (Breakfast & Lunch #3)

Day Eight, Fri., Sept. 9 •  Gent   This morning we visit the famous Hooge Crater WWI Museum & Beer Cafe. What is Hooge Crater? Good question and the answer is astounding. 

“Hooge Crater was the result of a massive explosion.

On July 19, 1915 the British decided to destroy, with a limited but well-targeted attack, the concrete fortifications the Germans were building.

The 175th Tunneling Company of Royal Engineers therefore dug out a 57m long gallery over a period of five and a half weeks.

The 3rd Infantry Division then placed a 1,700kg charge of ammonal underneath the German fortifications.

The largest mine of WWI blew at 7pm. on July 19, 1915 and left a 40m wide by 6m deep crater!”--Travel France.

 We’ll have a guided tour, then time visit the museum and cafe.

 After lunch we visit the nearby Brewery Verhaeghe. You may know this brewery as the home of the delectable Duchesse de Bourgogne. While they specialize in Flemish Red Ales, they make a line of other fine beers, most of which will likely be new to you. Be prepared to be amazed by their foeder forest. This brewery is operated by three siblings: Des, who is the office manager; Karl, who is the CEO and Peter, who is the brewer and blender.

 Next, we continue on to Gent and our centrally-located hotel. We’ll have a very short walking tour to acclimate you to the old town, and point out some beer cafes and restaurants. Dinner is on your own. I’ll provide you with a list of great beer cafes to explore. Enjoy beautiful Gent! (Breakfast, Lunch #4)

 Day Nine, Sat., Sept. 10 •  Gent  Late this morning, we have a tour and tasting at Brewery Huyghe, home of Delirium Tremens and about 25 other beers you likely have never heard of because they are not imported into the United States. Huyghe is a grand old, family brewery and our guide, José, is always enthusiastic to share his knowledge of this famous brewery. 

Upon our return to the center of Gent, the afternoon is free to explore, shop, etc.  Maybe just find a spot on a terrace and people watch. Dinner is on your own. 

This evening, we’ll meet on the Korenlei at the medieval harbor of Gent for a bottle share to lighten our load from the extra beer we somehow accumulated, and say farewell to all our new friends we met this week. It is located across the  Leie river/harbor from the Graslei. This is the most photographed location in Gent and the epicenter of social activity in the city. Soon, you’ll see why! (Breakfast)

Day Ten, Sun., Sept. 11 •  Gent  Breakfast concludes this most memorable and satisfying Bruz Beer Belgian Family Brewers Tour. Rail service between Gent St. Pieters Station and the BRU airport is frequent, about a one-hour ride on the direct train to the airport.  (Breakfast)* This itinerary is subject to change

Tonight we gather for our Farewell Beer Session, where we will share memories of the tour and say so long for now to our new friends. (Breakfast)

Sun., Sept. 11, Day 10 • Antwerp   It’s A Wrap!  Our grand Bruz Beers Belgian Family Brewers Tour officially ends with breakfast.  There are no group activities today.  Brussels International Airport (BRU) is quick 60 minute, or less, train ride away.  You may catch the train from Brussels to anywhere in Europe. Buy your tickets the night before and hop on the train this morning. (Breakfast)

* Itinerary subject to change.

Learn more about the Belgian Family Brewers:

Everything's Relative: The Belgian Family Brewers By Lew Bryson for DRAFT Magazine | PDF
Belgian Family Brewers Press Trip By Chuck Cook
Brooks on Beer: Belgian Family Brewers By Jay R. Brooks for San Jose Mercury News |  PDF

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