For many beer lovers and beer travelers, this year’s COVID-19 pandemic has caused quite a disruption in their plans for 2020. The first half of the year saw a number of popular and anticipated events get cancelled, and the cancellations are continuing through the summer and into the fall.
Long-awaited beer released by lambic producers and blenders such as Antidoot, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Tilquin, and Bokke had to be moved online, or were even limited to local Belgian customers only. And events such as Cantillon’s Quintessence and the Night of the Great Thirst were postponed, with Quintessence being moved into 2021 and the Night of the Great Thirst currently being scheduled for September 11. Other events such as 3 Fonteinen’s Lambik Tastings from March and June have also been moved into September, surrounding this year’s Open Beer Days, while the BXL Fest scheduled for August has been cancelled for 2020 (though the Exclusive Beer Packs will still be released and will be available for pickup at Moeder Lambic Fontainas after August 24, 2020.
The fate of Cantillon’s Zwanze Day 2020 is still up in the air, with a final announcement expected by August as to whether there will be an event this year at all, and if so, will it be able to be organized globally or just more localized in Brussels or in Europe.
However, all is not lost for the lambic lover in Europe. Over the past month, restrictions have started to loosen, and many producers and blenders are now able to open their doors again for sales, and now even for tasting. Unfortunately, it is not quite as free and easy as it was before the pandemic. Hours are more restrictive than they were in the past, and reservations are required to visit some locations. If you are lucky enough to be able to get to Europe this summer, here’s some helpful information for planning your visits.
Cantillon Brewery/Brussels Museum of the Gueuze
On May 11, Cantillon reopened the doors of their shop for takeaway only on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, which until June 15 meant for Belgian customers only as the borders were closed between Belgium and the rest of Europe until then. As from June 20, Cantillon has also reopened their bar and the Museum of the Gueuze on Saturdays only, however reservations are required. Tours and the bar both start at 11AM, bar reservations can be made by email to [email protected], and tours can be booked on the Cantillon Website. The bar closes at 5PM, with the last orders at 4:15 PM.
I visited Cantillon for takeaway on Friday, June 26, and also the bar on Saturday, July 4. There was an excellent selection of bottles available for take away. the bottle list for on-site consumption on the 4th was nothing short of outstanding. the new upstairs bar area is set up for customers. There is adequate space for social distancing and it is marked you can see if you click here, and a maximum of 10 persons per table.
Cantillon does still recognize the social aspect of a visit to Cantillon. You are still allowed to share bottles with others, as long as you use clean glasses and limit the movement around the bar area. If your group does grow, they will also accommodate with a larger table (if available) to help limit the need to walk or pass bottles between tables. They require the use of a mask when you are not seated at your table, and request that only one customer walks up to the bar at a time to order.
Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen and lambik-O-droom
Also on May 11, Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen reopened their shop in Lot, again, at first only possible for customers within Belgium to Visit. As from Friday, June 12, the lambik-O-droom has also reopened for on-site consumption. The lambik-O-droom is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 12 Noon until 8:00 PM. Guidelines for visiting, as well as the current offerings available for on-site consumption, can be found on their website, however their on-site beer list is not always up to date, so you’ll want to scan the QR Code on your table to access the latest menu.
I visited the lambik-O-droom on Friday, June 26, and found it to also be quite well organized. Seating was only available outside on the grounds but it was covered and there was plenty of seating for a group (up to 10 people) to sit together and share. The beer selection was outstanding, with a number of the Twist of Fate (Spelling van het Lot) beers that would have been released in May being available for on-site consumption. Packs were also available for sale in the shop, with the same basic packs that were also made available on the webshop, as well as individual bottle sales.
Gueuzerie Tilquin
Gueuzerie Tilquin reopened their shop on June 6, and the shop and taproom are currently open on Saturdays from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, though they will be closed from July 15 to August 15. Tilquin has a number of interesting packs available for purchase, including their recently released Grape Lambic packs, with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Riesling lambics.
Visting a Belgian Lambic Tasting Room This Summer
We recognize this is a very unique time in the world right now, and our American readers cannot visit Europe under the current travel restrictions and ban. We are not advocating putting yourself at risk to travel, and we wholeheartedly believe in wearing a mask, and social distancing is still the best course of action. Our new cases in the Netherlands are minimal and some rules have relaxed even further as of July 1, 2020. We also drove to the brewery in our private vehicle and took proper precautions. We suggest following the regulations for the location where you live in Europe and adhere to all the rules that each brewery asks you to abide by. As the situation with COVID-19 is ever-changing, we also recommend you confirm the locations are open as you plan your potential visit to any Belgian brewery right now.
