Beer

[EpsomWolf]

The Belgian beer references are right on cue.

Just booked a last minute Eurostar trip to Brugge, leaving Fri morning, getting back late Sunday. Must be 25 years since I was last there but recall it being quite small, but very beautiful so really looking forward to it.

Looking to balance the Belgian beer with the romantic walks and nice meals so need to be a bit on guard. Seem to remember being fine last time until trying some random Tripel something-or-other and fuck me, that was like a tranquiliser dart. Must’ve slept for about 10 hours after that.

I suppose it’s all about moderation and staying on top of what you’re drinking, so on that note, any suggestions for a relatively safe 5-6% daytime sampler would be appreciated.

 

[Jack Regan]

Brugse Zot is the locally brewed (in the city itself) beer. It's 6.5% so not massively boozy (by Belgian standards) and you'll likely find it on tap everywhere

 

[EpsomWolf]

Thank you, much appreciated.

 

[Jack Regan]

You'll also find lots of bottles (usually blondes) around the 6% mark. If you avoid the tourist traps then most of the staff in the better beer places will be able to point you in the direction of a good one (if you tell them your preferences).

 

[Kenny]

Off to Brugge in June.

Had never been to Belgium until last year when I went to Brussels. Going back that way as Eurostar was so easy and without stress to use (getting in before the new changes later this year that add a load of faff travelling into the EU)

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

 

[Jack Regan]

Love Brugge and this is one of my favourite films.

"Bruges is not a shithole"

 

[Jinky]

Absolutely classic film. Wouldn’t get made today, though - too many people would get offended!

 

[Langers]

I went to Bruges about 6 years ago. Incredible city - so many amazing beers and it's incredibly pretty. I recommend this place - https://brugsbeertje.be/en/home-2/

Absolutely classic film. Wouldn’t get made today, though - too many people would get offended!

Strange comment - it's not that old and the writer/director has done several films depicting similar tropes since then.

 

[Jinky]

Think there’s a few risqué scenes in there that probably wouldn’t get made now.

 

[Kenny]

FFS who made Jinky woke?

Nothing is safe

 

[leedswolf]

Thank you, much appreciated.

Try the Halve Maan (Half Moon) brewery. They do tours and have a bar and some food there too.

Restaurant | De Halve Maan

www.halvemaan.be

 

[Langers]

Try the Halve Maan (Half Moon) brewery. They do tours and have a bar and some food there too.

Seconded. Really good tour and it's a very convenient location. I think you might have recommended it to me IIRC?

 

[leedswolf]

Seconded. Really good tour and it's a very convenient location. I think you might have recommended it to me IIRC?

Indeed I did.

 

[Stan Hullis]

I had a lovely De Halve Man Quad on Sunday evening.

 

[Jack Regan]

Try the Halve Maan (Half Moon) brewery. They do tours and have a bar and some food there too.

Restaurant | De Halve Maan

www.halvemaan.be

They do the unfiltered Straffe Hendrik triple on tap in their now too, which they hadn't used to.

It's one of favourites, although the Irish bar Delaney's is a better choice if you want to drink that. They have tremendous difficulty judging the amount when you order a regular one. And as the requesite glass (the brewery use a smaller version) is a decent size you end up with well over the actual amount you're paying for.

 

[EpsomWolf]

Off to Brugge in June.

Had never been to Belgium until last year when I went to Brussels. Going back that way as Eurostar was so easy and without stress to use (getting in before the new changes later this year that add a load of faff travelling into the EU)

Funnily enough it was the ease of Eurostar that made the decision for Brugge a no brainer. Only realised an unexpected free Friday had come up this morning so wanting to capitalise on an 3 day weekend had everything booked by lunchtime.

It’s one for another thread but flights for mini-breaks now are a pain in the arse with the way they get moved around time-wise playing havoc with tight schedules.

Love the Eurostar, love Belgium too, seemed like the perfect match.

 

[EpsomWolf]

I went to Bruges about 6 years ago. Incredible city - so many amazing beers and it's incredibly pretty. I recommend this place - https://brugsbeertje.be/en/home-2/

Looks like just the sort of place I’m after, thank you.

 

[Jack Regan]

Looks like just the sort of place I’m after, thank you.

De Garre, le Trappiste and cafe rose red are good places to hit too (the latter especially if you've the misses with you).

 

[Jinky]

FFS who made Jinky woke?

Nothing is safe

Nothing to do with me being “woke”. I think it’s ridiculous!

The industry has completely changed in the last 6-8 years, let alone 15 or so. There are DEI rules producers are adhering to and a lot of fear in the industry about making mistakes.

Langers is somewhat right in that McDonagh (writer/director of In Bruges) is now an established name so would probably be able to write something similar with limited pushback, but is missing the pertinent context that McDonagh wasn’t particularly an established name when that was made, so would be met with extreme resistance on the basis of the Politically incorrect language if he were a new writer.

Established names tend to get away with it. Newer names, far less so.

I’m confident that Film Four wouldn’t invest and help a new writer delivering a script like that to them in 2024. I’d genuinely put the chances at basically zero.

There are signs that things are changing again though. It’s a pendulum effect.

Anyway, this is far too heavy a debate for a Wednesday afternoon. I only wanted to say it’s a fucking great film!