LowCountriesRatebeerGathering - for BeerGeeks only

We are back from Belgium where we had a lot of fun - this will be an extra posting.

Jim had to go Brussels for the EuroIA while I decided to go to Antwerp to join the LCRBM (Ratebeer-Gathering).

The Gathering was real fun - I went to Antwerp by train and the weather was just gorgeous. Only downside, I have had "a few" strong Belgium Beers the evening before so I had a terrible hangover and thinking of drinking any alcoholic liquid wasn't a wonderful thinking. Jim had booked me a great hotel near the Kulminator where we were going to meet for the tasting.

I met some of the people before at the Groensplaats in Antwerp and we went for Lunch.

Joris and Robert:


Robert, Joritt and John:


Jonas and Tim:


After lunch we went to the Kulminator which is run by Leen and Dirk, a wonderful and great couple which shows their love for beer in their absolutley amazing BeerBar. Joe - we definetly have to go there!!! The menue is unbelievable and the Vintages in their Cellar blow you away. They made it possible for us to sit outside their beergarden, where they sat up a table and glasses and everything! - and we started tasting from 2 pm to 5 pm. Mind you it was the beer we brought, so that is how generous Leen and Dirk were!!!!


My favorite or most interesting beers were Mikkeller Big Bad Barley Wine, brewed by Mikkeller (?), Jeppes' brother, Great Divide Old Ruffian , Panil Barriquèe (Sour), Drie Fonteinen J&J Oude Geuze Roze and my first Mead Apis Półtorak Jadwiga Mead

Well at least one picture of me:


The crowd with the bottles:


Carlo (Belgium) and Jeppe (Denmark) - as well as Phil (UK) and John (USA) in the back:


Jeppe and his brother Mikkeller:


Anthony, his girlfriend, duff and Tim:


After the tasting I was sick, I wasn't able to stay there longer and went to the hotel to lay down for a while. That was a great idea and after eating a huge portion of Asian food I was able to show up again. There they were - mostly all of them in an already funny condition ;-)

We went all nuts and ordered a lot of Vintage Beers - my favorites here were: De Neve Geuze from 1995, Malheur Dark Brut (Noir), Rodenbach Alexander (I don't think I will rate this as my palate was ruined anyway), Loteling Bruin from 1984




Too bad I haven't taken more pictures, but talking, tasting, eating and reading the menue were multitasking enough for me!

I had the pleasure meeting

- The Three Danish Musketeers, I totally enjoyed your company,
- The Dutch crowd (man, you guys were all so funny) including Alitha, who should really start rating beer and my rating neighbor Jorrit,
- The Belgiums, who are the nicest people in the world (Tim, Carlo, Joris!!!),
- Robert and Jonas from Germany (yeah Jim and I are not the only German weirdos!),
- Savad, whom I asked around twenty times about his name - I'm soooo sorry for this, - John from Colorado, whom I hopefully meet again,
- Fred Waltman (my new source for beer questions from Franconia) and of course
- Marcus and his great wife, yep, we will definetly visit you in Luxembourg some day!,
- Anthony and his girlfriend - too bad you weren*t there later,
- Duff and Phil, Ship Up! - well I forgive you that you both were rude and nasty - that is what beer can do to youngsters, right? :-),
- MagicDave, his beautiful girlfriend and Gareth!

Hopefully I haven't forgotten anybody.

All in all it was a great event and I would love to repeat this - hopefull next time with Jim.