Brussels and the Pajottenland region are home to many wonderful old school beer cafés and lambic breweries & blenderies, but there’s also been an exciting wave of new breweries in the capital taking inspiration from the American craft beer scene as well as Belgian traditions. If you have a few days to spare, check out my Matt The Trips : Brussels guide here and go nuts. But if you are only in town for a short amount of time, and you want to experience the old and new beer scene efficiently, head to Le Barboteur in Schaerbeek.
In a stylish space, away from the tourist traps of central Brussels, Sebastian and co. have set up a marvellous beer shop and bar. The shelves are lined with 300+ beers to takeaway from independent breweries, ranging from classic Cantillon gueuzes to fresh Brussels Beer Project IPAs. There’s then a shorter menu of around 80 beers, in bottle and on tap, to enjoy in store. On our visit, De Ranke Kriek & Noir De Dottignes on draught kept us very happy. Unlike some of London’s bottle shop / bar hybrids, there’s plenty of space to drink in, plus some all important cheese and charcuterie boards to keep you going. Eating isn’t cheating folks. On the way out, we loaded up a couple of boxes with very affordable bottles from the likes of Brasserie de la Senne, Verzet, and Tilquin, after getting considered recommendations from Thibault behind the counter. The competitive prices, coupled with a superb offering, great hospitality, and smart interior and graphic design makes Le Barboteur one of the very best spots for beer in a city that isn’t short of decent options!
Le Barboteur – lebarboteur.be
Avenue Louis Bertrand 23, 1030 Schaerbeek
