Those of you who have already gotten your hands on the first issue of The Beer Connoisseur no doubt enjoyed Chuck Cook’s thorough accounting of the myriad breweries and cafés spread all around Belgium.

From Chez Moeder Lambic in Brussels to the old Westmalle Trappist brewery in Antwerp Province to Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant in Ghent, the story canvassed the country, leading beer lovers on a tour of the world’s brewing capital.
 
Recently Cook, who has visited around 100 breweries and more than 200 cafés throughout Belgium since the mid-90’s, made his 20th trip to the country, and he brought along the inaugural issue of BC.

At ‘t Brugs Beertje in Bruges, which celebrated the 25th anniversary of its opening last year, Daisy Claeys, the owner, posed in front of the café’s license. 

Here, Urbain Cotteau and Carlo Grootaert (left to right), a.k.a. De Struise Brouwers, showed off Issue 1 at their new facility in Oostvleteren. 

Leen Boudewijn and Dirk Van Dyck of Antwerp's famed Bierhuis Kulminator know a thing or two about being a beer connoisseur.

And lastly, pictured below are two of the three owners of Chez Moeder Lambic, Nassim Dessicy and Andy Mengal (left to right).

Stay tuned for Issue 2, coming in March, which will feature a beer tour of the Czech Republic.

Cheers!

The BC Team