During our motorhome trip in Europe last summer, we bought some special and interesting beers. Over the past few weeks, we've been tasting German and Belgian beers in succession. Great fun!
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ShareKlosterbryggeriet Neuzelle
In early July, we visited a monastery brewery next to the absolutely stunning monastery. New cell. The brewery was founded in 1589, and is known for "Schwarzer Abt" as well as porter, bock beer and cherry beer. The brewery attracted attention for a number of years because they were not allowed to use the term 'beer' for some of their brands due to the addition of syrup not complying with German purity laws. After a 13-year legal battle, the brewery won.
We bought a box of various interesting beers, which then travelled with us in the motorhome around six more countries....
Since we came home, the beer has been allowed to settle in the houseboat, and after a few months it was time to try it! The beer in this small carton was interesting to say the least. There were several really dark beers, both stout and schwarzbier, which is a kind of "black pilsner". What did it taste like? I liked Schwarzer Abt, which was both flavourful and easy to drink, even though it was so dark. Fruit beers are a bit difficult to get used to ...
Beer from De Koninck in Antwerp
A little later in the trip, at the end of August, we arrived at the Antwerp in Belgium where we visited the brewery De Koninck. This was a really interesting visit, with a great meat meal, and we also took home a lot of beer.
First of all, we got Duvel, which is small but both strong (8.5 %!) and with a lot of character. Small, but delicious!
We also picked up a whole bunch of other varieties of Belgian beer. They all taste good, we must say, but are perhaps more or less flavourful. Our favourite was the one called Tripel d'Anvers. Very good beer flavour!
Beer tasting?
We had thought about having a real "beer tasting", but that didn't really happen. Instead, we've tried some with dinner from time to time, and it may not have been so bad either!
Do you like beer? What do you like, for example, stout, schwarzbier or fruit beer? Have you visited a brewery?
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Deciree says:
I think Kjell would have liked the beer tasting - fun to try new flavours. Hugs
27 January 2019 - 7:15
Helena says:
Always fun to try 🙂
27 January 2019 - 9:48
Elisabeth says:
It's fun to try out different varieties.
27 January 2019 - 9:03
Helena says:
Can only agree 🙂
27 January 2019 - 9:48
Ama de casa says:
A lot of beers there!
I like beer, but am one of those boring beer people who prefer light lager, and it should be ice cold.
I have visited a few breweries and remember my surprise when I visited Carlsberg in Copenhagen a bunch of years ago.
- But? I said to the guide, isn't there a lot of Tuborg coming on that tape?
Of course it was Tuborg.
At the time, they marketed themselves as "bitter enemies", but it turned out that they had been working together in the best possible way for many years. Sometimes you can be surprised when you least expect it 🙂.
27 January 2019 - 9:23
Helena says:
Haha, funny that the "bitter enemies" thing was just a publicity stunt 😉.
27 January 2019 - 9:49
Ann says:
I love stouts, porter and dark beer. Didn't like it at first but after we visited Edinburgh for the first time, I developed a taste for Guinness.
In Dublin we then visited the Guinness brewery, which was a fun experience but very commercial.
Must say that schwarzbier sounds like something I would appreciate =)
27 January 2019 - 9:36
Helena says:
Sometimes you can have to get used to certain flavours ... 😉 We have been to both very commercial breweries and smaller ones, both can be interesting I think 🙂.
27 January 2019 - 15:57
4000mil says:
I can't believe you managed to keep your fingers away for so long. I probably should have tried them right away. 😉
27 January 2019 - 9:39
Helena says:
Yes, I'm almost a bit impressed with ourselves 😉 We had some "regular" beer with us too, which was consumed first 😉.
27 January 2019 - 9:50
Goatfish says:
I have now lost my taste for beer, almost. But if there's one thing that appeals to me, it's Belgian beer. I like Leffe!
In the past, my husband and I could try a few different beers. Both dark, light and weissbier, some should be drunk on the spot, it is just so with many drinks. I of course drank a Waterloo when I was there.
I have also liked Guiness, but then again, you have to be in Ireland.
Here comes snowy weather and then I think more "hot mulled wine" 😀.
27 January 2019 - 10:33
Helena says:
Belgian beer is very good! I remember drinking Leffe and liking it, but it was a while ago 😉 And can definitely agree that some drinks should be drunk on the spot!!! 🙂
27 January 2019 - 19:14
Only British says:
I love Schwarzbier and would love to visit the beer city of Bamberg to drink it at home.
Living in Belgium, I visited the brewery at De Halve Maan, but I prefer Brugse Tripel in Bruges. Otherwise, Duvel is a favourite and also equally strong La Chouffe with gnomes on the labels.
In the UK I like real ales and bitters that are not at all strong. St Austell is a favourite brewery as are Theakston and Black Sheep from a village up in Yorkshire and owned by two parts of the same family.
27 January 2019 - 14:06
Helena says:
I don't know about Bamberg, but it sounds interesting! We also visited De Halve Maan this summer (but did not buy beer from there). Interesting with the other brewery! I do not have such a good grip on British beer, but we will have to explore it at some point! 🙂
27 January 2019 - 19:17
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Beer has become a modern science in recent years.
We have a local producer, Qwänums Mat & Malt, which brews beer and distills strong drinks. We will try to get there for a tasting this spring.
We like to try different beers, but neither the really dark ones nor weissbier are our favourites.
27 January 2019 - 14:19
Helena says:
What fun with the local producer! Of course you are going to a tasting! 🙂
27 January 2019 - 19:18
Ditte says:
I think beer is good sometimes. Smart that you bought with you. Easily done with a motorhome.
And both beer tasting and brewery visits are nice. I have visited some breweries and it has been fun. Giuness is not exactly my favourite but there are others. Many Belgian variants are liked and Duvel is a favourite as well as trapist beer. I like Belgian beers. In Amsterdam we have visited Heineken, Carlsberg in Copenhagen, Guiness in Dublin and in Prague some microbreweries. In Tsingtao in KIna we visited their brewery which was really huge. Very funny to learn how the beer via the Germans came to China.
27 January 2019 - 14:46
Helena says:
Motorhome is smart when msn should shop with him 🙂 Wow, how many breweries you have visited! Exciting with the Chinese not least!
27 January 2019 - 19:19
Across the board says:
I prefer light beer. Found one in Portugal, Superbock, which became a favourite!
Otherwise, really cold cherry beer is very good if/when it is hot outside. In general, I want warm weather when I take a beer ?
27 January 2019 - 15:18
Helena says:
Superbock ... I recognise that! I think we tried it and that it was good, but I don't remember so well actually. Peter also likes beer in heat (I always like beer, haha).
27 January 2019 - 19:21
BP says:
I love ice cold beer, mostly in the summer as a thirst quencher. I'm not exactly a beer connoisseur, but I don't like beer that has a higher alcohol content than 6 per cent. My favourites are probably Corona (typical summer beer) and IPA. I don't like dark beers and fruit beers.
27 January 2019 - 17:57
Helena says:
I also used to not like strong beer, but with Belgian beer it is different I think! I also like IPA 🙂
27 January 2019 - 19:22
Helena - Oh darling, let's be adventurers says:
I have visited several breweries but I don't drink beer. It was interesting the first time, but then it feels like it's just the same thing. Especially since I don't drink beer myself.
27 January 2019 - 20:10
Mickey-60 says:
Beer is a subject that can be discussed at length. I don't like it when there is added fruit... What's wrong with the water hops and yeast?
And having been to Prague, I know where I like to go for a few beers.
27 January 2019 - 21:03
Reiselinda says:
Many beers there! I also buy beer to take home. Last summer we bought 2 bottles of 20 different local beers and have been drinking each one almost every Friday. Perfect way to get a weekly dose of Germany!
In Germany we have visited the Erdinger, Warstein and Becks breweries. Warsteiner is our "house beer", but when it comes to the brewery visit, you don't get to taste as many exciting beers as the other two.
We also went on a self-guided brewery tour in Bamberg. There it is rauchbier, smoky beer that is the local speciality. Different but very good!
29 January 2019 - 20:25
Lena - good for the soul says:
I definitely like beer, even if it's mostly wine. I can appreciate wheat beer with vegetarian food and cherry beer for Christmas.
Hug Lena
31 January 2019 - 5:47