A pretty full day in Payottenland, home of lambiek and guezue, in the Senne valley. This is beautiful country with rolling hills, orchards, and small farms.
Beersel is a short drive from our hotel in Aalst. Our first stop is at the Centre de Lambiek – a museum and visitor center dedicated to lambiek brewing and blending. Also in Beersel is the wonderful 3Fonteinen restaurant and brewery. Armand Debelder, the famous and legendary father of the modern lambiek renaissance is at his shop – very cool! We dined in the restaurant – rabbit stewed in guezue for me, Flemish stew for Ryan.
Just down the road is ‘Oud Beersel’ a guezue blender brought back to life and now considered one of the most respected of the ‘Geuzestekerij’.
We finish at the beer festival with the best name ever – ‘the Night of the Great Thirst’, the international geuze and kriek festival of the Payottenland. All the lambiek angd gueze blenders are represented. The festival quickly desends into a communal sharing of purchases – great fun!
pics: the ‘Great Thirst’, friends in a foeder, Oud Beersel tour, Armand