A meeting at the Belgian Beer Museum in Brussels

Last month I was in Brussels for work and we had a meeting at the first floor of the Belgian Beer Museum (no. 10—the ‘den Gulden Boom’ building) on the Grote Markt (Grand Place). It’s a gorgeous building, it’s façade adorned with gilded elaborate designs.

I’ve been to Brussels many times and I’ve seen Brussels at its loveliest. January wasn’t the best month though as I was met with rain and overcast.

After the business meeting, we had a short beer history lesson in the basement of the building. Like many beer museum visits, I was really expecting a beer tasting session afterwards but unfortunately that did not happen, well, not at least right away. In fact I was quite confused on what's next on the agenda and I accidentally followed the women who were going to the chocolate making session held a few blocks away. I did not know that the beer tasting session is at the same building but at the first floor where we earlier had the business meeting. Oh well.
If I was to turn back the clock, I would have stayed for some beer. Anywho, I was able to taste a locally brewed trappist beer during lunch though.

And to be honest, I don’t think I will recommend quickly a visit to this Beer Museum. There are so many notable beer breweries and outstanding abbeys where a grand beer tour and tasting, are in my opinion, better experienced.

Here are a few pictures of the Grote Markt (Grand Place) on a gloomy January day.

View to the Grote Markt / Grand Place from the Belgian Beer Museum building

Belgian beer history lesson

More buildings on Grote Markt / Grand Place.

The Belgian Parliament.

One thing I would like to add... traffic in and around Brussels is HORRIBLE. The only advantage in going by car to Brussels is parking. A whole day parking costs only 14,50 EUR. For this amount you pay under 3 hours parking in Amsterdam and Utrecht.