There are loads of amazing beer festivals in Belgium each year, offering beer-lovers the chance to drink their all-time favourites, and try something different too. Here, we share the top beer festivals you can visit via a ferry to Calais or Rotterdam, including those in Ostend, Antwerp, and Brussels.
Belgian Beer Weekend – Brussels
Of all the beer festivals in Belgium, the Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussels is the one to choose if you’d like to drink from an unrivalled collection of beers. With around 400 different beers on offer, you’re sure to find a whole number that you love. The Belgian Beer Festival is a big event for those in the brewing industry, as it’s hosted by the National Federation of Belgian Brewers which includes many of the country’s best known breweries, and welcomes around 60,000 visitors each year. The festival begins with speeches at the Town Hall followed by a procession of beer carts and wagons. Then, you’ll be invited to try whichever beers take your fancy.
The Belgian Beer Weekend 2022 is set to take place between the 2nd and 4th of September at its usual spot in Brussel’s Grand Place. This impressive location is easily accessible and provides a fantastic backdrop to the festival, making it perfect for beer-lovers from both Belgium and further afield. Attending the festival is free, you’ll just need to pay for your beers as you go along. A word of warning, some Belgian beers are very strong, so be sure to pace yourself to ensure that you get the most out of your visit.
There’s lots to do in Brussels when you’re not enjoying the Belgian Beer Weekend too. Once you’ve admired the beauty of the Grand Place, you might like to venture to the Notre Dame Du Sablon. Originally a chapel in the 14th century, the building was extended in the following century due to the popularity gained from its healing Madonna statue. Alternatively, you could try something a bit different with a trip to the Belgian Comic Strip Centre, which looks into this lesser-known aspect of the city’s history.
Modeste Bierfestival Antwerpen – Antwerp
Each year, at the beginning of October, you’ll find the Modeste Bierfestival Antwerpen in Antwerp. Hosted by the De Koninck Brewery, alongside Antwerps Bier College, this Belgian beer festival helps to celebrate smaller breweries through allocating each stallholder the same amount of space, regardless of their size. Over 30 breweries attend the festival each year, including both modern and family brewers, giving the event a buzzing atmosphere. In addition to trying a whole range of Belgian beers, you’ll be able to listen to beer-themed lectures, so you might learn something new about your favourite beverage while you’re there!
The Modeste Bierfestival Antwerpen is traditionally held on the first weekend of October, which means you’ll be able to visit on the 1st and 2nd October in 2022. The festival takes place at the De Koninck Brewery itself, which is located on this boundary between Antwerp and Berchem, around a 30 minute walk from the city’s impressive Gothic central train station. Due to attracting beer-lovers from around the world, this event has been known to host around 4000 visitors, so make sure that you get there early to avoid the queues!
Antwerp is one of Belgium’s coolest cities, so you’re sure to love spending time here around the Modeste Bierfestival Antwerpen. Visit the towering MAS museum where you can learn all about Antwerp and its fascinating history, shop for antiques on the popular Kloosterstraat, and catch an indie film at the super cosy Cinema Cartoon’s. If you’d like to dance the night away after a day of drinking beer, head to the hip Nightclub Ampere – Belgium’s first eco-club. The club plays house and techno music, so definitely pay this club a visit if this is your genre of choice.
Christmas Beer Festival – Essen
Just north of Antwerp you’ll find Essen, home to the very festive Christmas Beer Festival. Showcasing around 200 Belgian Christmas and winter beers each year, this festival is run by OBER (the Objective Beer Tasters Essen), and what started out as a small gathering of beer-lovers has now turned into a festival attracting around 2000 people from around the world. Seize the opportunity to try exclusive winter and Christmas beers from breweries of all sizes, including unique wood-brewed beverages and popular mulled kriek – a beer soured with cherries. In general, Belgian Christmas and winter beers are darker, sweeter, and stronger than their summer counterparts, so you’ll certainly be able to discover something new.
The 2020 dates for the Christmas Beer Festival have not been confirmed yet, but it always takes place on a weekend in mid-December across 2 days. If you’re not taking your car to Belgium with you, you’ll be able to get a shuttle bus to the beer festival from the train station. This festival has a particularly wonderful atmosphere as it cheers up the dark December days, so it’s certainly worth a visit if you can get tickets! Tickets are sold online leading up to the festival to ensure that it doesn’t get too busy on the day. You can keep up to date with when they go on sale by joining the festival’s mailing list.
If you love spending time in the great outdoors, you’ll enjoy visiting Essen outside of the Christmas Beer Festival. This green town boasts lots of cycling and hiking trails, and there are plenty of gardens and several museums to explore too. The Ickx Chocolaterie is definitely worth a visit to get your Belgian chocolate fix, and you can try even more beer at the brewery which is joined to the Bakery Museum – where you can pick up a tasty treat or two!
Ready to experience one of these top beer festivals in Belgium for yourself? Book your Hull to Rotterdam or Dover to Calais ferry crossing with us today.
