A paradise for beer lovers
Brussels, capital of beer
Poechenellekelder © visit.brussels - Marin Driguez
Beer is part of Brussels and Belgium’s DNA. The country boasts some 200 breweries and 2,500 different beers. In 2016, UNESCO added Belgian beer culture to its list of intangible cultural heritage. And it is buzzing in the capital! Brussels is home to numerous beer festivals, cafés and restaurants with an extensive beer menu, beer tastings, and (micro)breweries brewing beer in artisanal and/or experimental ways.
The Belgian Beer World Experience
Visiting Brussels? Be sure to visit the experience centre dedicated to Belgian beer culture, which is located on the top floors of the fully renovated former stock exchange building in the heart of the city. Discover everything there is to know about more than 1,500 Belgian beers, from traditional Trappists to innovative craft brews. Through interactive installations, immersive stories and sensory smell and taste experiences, you’ll dive deep into the heart of our beer culture – recognised on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage!
Wrap up your visit with a perfectly poured beer in The Beerlab, which offers panoramic views of the capital. Santé!
You can currently take advantage of the “Atomium Combi ticket” promotion. Alongside visits to these iconic attractions, you’ll receive a unique beer glass as a gift! Don’t miss out!
Free gift: A collector's beer glass!
When you purchase a combi ticket for the Atomium, the Design Museum Brussels and the Belgian Beer World Experience, you’ll receive a beer glass that’s destined to become a true collector’s item. Start your visit at the Atomium and within the following 48 hours, head to Belgian Beer World and pick up your exclusive beer glass!
© Renaud Masson
Brussels breweries
In our capital, we have noticed a renewed interest in craft beer production and craft beers in the last decade.
Want to throw a party in Brussels? You can! Several breweries have packed concert calendars!
Check out the Facebook pages of Brasserie de la Mule, La Source and Brasserie ILLegaaL, among others, for up-to-date news!
Beer museums in Brussels
Contemporary, hip beer spots thrive in our capital: they build on historical richness and savoir-faire.
Those who like to be immersed in a barrel full of history can visit the Beer Museum of Schaerbeek. There you will discover a collection of more than 2,500 Belgian bottled beers, around 5,000 beer glasses and plenty of old machines and objects from the fascinating world of beer.
And if you’re looking for authentic Brussels heritage, you cannot miss a visit to Cantillon Brewery and Museum of Geuze, a stone's throw from Brussels South Station. This family brewery has been brewing gueuze, kriek, lambic, faro and fruit beers, in the traditional way, since 1900!
Top addresses where beer plays a starring role
Beer is omnipresent in Brussels. Besides breweries, there are plenty of other places that make beer their trademark. Think of the numerous cafés that boast an impressive beer menu, or restaurants that get creative with beer as a (not so) secret ingredient. Want to stock your own beer cellar or give a few bottles as a gift? Get yourself to the specialist shops that will guide you through the proliferation of beer varieties. At Good Beer Spa, go for a total experience and bathe in this divine elixir.
Beer events all year round
Beer is on Brussels’ agenda all year round. Here you will discover the main events for beer lovers: festivals, incentives, tours, tastings...
The Belgian Beer Weekend > the first weekend of September
Every year the magnificent Grand-Place hosts the high mass of Belgium's rich beer culture: the Belgian Beer Weekend. This is when breweries from all over Belgium come together to present their beers to a diverse audience of beer fanatics and beer novices. You will have the chance to taste a broad spectrum of Belgian beers: from traditional Trappist beers and abbey beers to modern craft beers.
Wanderlust > September
Wanderlust is brewery Brussels Beer Project's annual event. For this occasion, the brewery covers the Vismarkt with food trucks and stalls where you can taste more than 50 beers, while being treated to live performances.
BXLBeerFest > late September - early October
'We are more than a beer festival,' say the organisers of BXLBeerFest. They want to put Brussels at the top, internationally, as a beer city. With this ambition, they transform Tour & Taxis into a beer oasis for a weekend. You can meet friends in a friendly atmosphere and taste artisan beers from thirty breweries from all corners of the world. And, of course, there will also be lots of goodies to make all that beer taste even better.
