Bierpassie Weekend 22nd of june 2024

 It was that time of the year again, the Bierpassie weekend in the centre of Antwerp on the Groenplaats.

So for the third year in a row, it was time to discover a whole lot of new brews!

And this year, I also booked a hotel in the city, even if it was only 5 kilometres from my front door.  No stress, breakfast, and just some rest and relaxation... or hangover recovery.  While not a heatwave as the past two years (luckily), the weather was cosy and welcome, only with a short shower around 18.30.

And there was great live music with Peper&Zout, who brings dixieland covers of famous pop and rock numbers.

Armed with a list of beers I wanted to try out, and the booklet there, me and Noshi went on the tasting trip.  And a free book as we bought so many beer tokens in one go, though this year we did leave our tasting glasses behind, we already have four.

I will give a short comment about some of the beers we tried, and the occassional picture, as we both alternated drafts and in the end I had tried a total of 13 totally new beers for my Untappd. And already completing my year goal of trying out 50 new beers by the halfway mark.

Palm 8 Horsepower (8%) - Brouwerij Palm: strong blond with a hint of orange, a good drinker to start with.

Mort Subite Juicy Crime of Passion (7.2%) - Brouwerij Alken Maes: you could smell the passion fruit above the glass

 

Paranoia (5.6%) - Brouwerij Huyghe: a real freshner

Floris Cactus (4%) - Brouwerij Huyghe: everyone wanted to try the green beer, it was horrible tasting like cheap lemonade.  For me the worst of the whole day.

Haeseveld Strong Blond (7.9%) - Brouwerij Huyghe: has a banana touch that tasted well

 

Delirium Red (8%) - Brouwerij Huyghe

Floris Framboos (3.6%) - Brouwerij Huyghe: far better then the above cactus beer

Averbode Extra (4.8%) - Brouwerij Huyghe

Hommelbier Fresh Harvest 2024 (7.5%) - Leroy: I love the Hommelbeer, and every year I want to try the new harvest limited edition

 

Cuvee Watou Rouge (8.5%) - Leroy: a strong, cherries and raspberries beer

Liefmans on the Rocks (5%) - Brouwerij Liefmans

Liefmans Kriek Brut (6.8%) - Brouwerij Liefmans

Vrijwit - T'Ij (5.2%) - Duvel Moortgat: this new one was superfresh, for me probably even the best of the day that I drank.

 

Achel Singel (5%) - Brouwerij Achel: a great pilsner like beer with extra hoppy touch, it was launched at the event and I liked it.

Timmermans Lambicus Kriek Black Pepper (4%) - Anthony Martin Group - a special cookie this one, with the fruit and spices duelling in your mouth.

Tipsy Gold (7.5%) - Gebr. Hermans: my silver medal of the day, a lovely touch of honey to a bitter beer.

 

Boscoli (3.5%) - Brouwerij Het Anker: a tasty fruit beer

Tete de Mort Red (8.1%) - Brasserie de Bocq: freshening red beer with a whole lot of fruits in it.

 

Tete de Mort Double IPA (8.4%) - Brasserie de Bocq: antother new beer at the event, and Noshi bought me some nice merchandise from the stand as well.

 

 

Filou Olympic Games 2024 (8.5%) - Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck: specially made for the olympic year

 

Kasteel Rubus Framboise (7%) - Brouwerij Vanhonsebrouck: it remains one of the better fruit beers on the Belgian market.

Tarot Noir (8%) - Brouwerij Lindemans: Made on the basis of forest berries, this is a very juicy, good beer.

Amd so that are all the beers we have been trying and tasting, as well as meeting old reliables.  We also met a group of dutchmen for some nice chatting and around 22.00hrs we returned direction hotel, though with a stop at the restaurant / bar of a friend of ours for a little nightcap.

Next year, the event will be taking place in a new, modernised Tradefare building in Antwerp, and to be honest, I'm not sold on the idea of having it inside.  Surely it can provide cover from rain, but I fear as we always had sunny weather this period it would be to hot inside.