Orval
A l'Ange Gardien, beside the abbey
Draught "Orval vert", the young version that is sold almost nowhere else.
Gastronomy
What we're drinking
And, between glasses, where we're eating.
The ride passes three of Belgium's five Trappist breweries, none of which will show you around. So the plan is to drink at the cafés next door and to fill in the rest from there.
The Trappists
Three on the route, two that need a good bar.
Chimay
Espace Chimay at Auberge de Poteaupré
The abbey doesn't open its brewery, so this is where you taste it, 300 metres down the road.
Rochefort
La Gourmandise, Rochefort
The abbey has no visits and no taproom. This was the first place to pour Triple Extra on draught.
Westmalle
Any good beer list in Ghent or Bruges
It's off the route in Flanders, so we'll drink it where it's poured.
Westvleteren
In de Vrede, opposite the abbey
Legally sold only there, and a long way from our route. A possible detour from Ghent, and probably one to miss.
Lambic
Brussels and the Senne valley, before the bikes.
Cantillon
Anderlecht, Brussels
A self-guided walk through a working lambic brewery, by bike on the first day.
3 Fonteinen
Lot
A small tour of a blending house and brewery, with a tasting room to linger in.
Moeder Lambic Fontainas
Brussels
The first night's dinner and a very long list of taps.
Zennebar
Brasserie de la Senne, Tour & Taxis, Brussels
Dry, hoppy, modern Brussels beer at the source.
Breweries on the way
Worth stopping for, Trappist or not.
Maredsous
The abbey's visitor centre
Abbey beer and abbey cheese at about the 40 km mark of the easiest stage.
Maison Leffe
Dinant
A museum and tasting in the town the beer is named for.
Caracole
Falmignoul
A small brewery near Dinant, reached by bike on the rest day.
De Halve Maan
Bruges
Bruges' own brewery, with a tour and a beer at the end of it.
Het Anker
Mechelen
Gouden Carolus at its source, with a brasserie for the last dinner of the trip.
Beer bars
For the long lists.
Delirium Café
Brussels
For the sheer number of them, if we're still awake.
De Dulle Griet
Ghent
About 500 beers, on the Vrijdagmarkt.
De Hopduvel
Ghent
A shop with 900 or more bottles, for the beer that comes home with us.
Hal 16
Ghent
A food hall with Dok beer on about 30 taps.
't Brugs Beertje
Bruges
The Bruges beer bar, and the reason for our choice of day there.
Cambrinus
Bruges
Lunch with a long beer list.
Den Stillen Genieter
Mechelen
About 300 Belgian beers, Trappists included.
At the table
It can't all be beer. Some of it is beer in a sauce.
Nüetnigenough
Brussels
Beer-focused Belgian cooking for the first lunch.
Le Chef est une Femme
Arlon
Seasonal market cooking, twice, with a different menu each time.
La Broche
Dinant
Dinner after the easiest stage.
Le Jardin de Fiorine
Dinant
Upscale French cooking on the rest day.
Romain des Bois
Saint-Hubert
Dinner on the plateau after the longest climb.
't Klokhuys
Ghent
Ghent stew and waterzooi in the Patershol.
Vrijmoed
Ghent
The celebration dinner, and the one big splurge.
Onslow
Bruges
Bib Gourmand dinner before the last train back.
The beer log
Filled in from a phone, with varying care, as we go.
Nothing yet. The first entry will be a good one.