Belgium: trip 24, day one.

Looong time no post. Getting ready for an eleven day, fifteen brewery trip will do that to you.

Sorry everyone.

Here's a pictoral look at some of the places I visited on April 21, 2012.

Brasserie Augrenoise in Casteau, Hainaut Province, Wallonia.

Christian Bougard, brewer of Augrenoise.

Mashing in at Brasserie Augrenoise.

Augrenoise, the brewery's primary beer. It contains
6.5% abv and has a fine hoppiness. A very
good beer.

Gunther Bensch of Brouwerij Montaigu pouring an 

Augrenoise. 

The Augrenoise Noel, another very good beer.

This one has 9.5% abv. Yum. 

Taverne La Fourquet, taproom/restaurant of

Brasserie Blaugies.

Kevin Carlier, brewer of Brasserie de Blaugies in Dour, Hainaut Province, Wallonia, inside his brewhouse.

Alain Bailleux of Brasserie Au Baron in Gussignies, 
France. The family is actually from Belgium, which 
is just over the border. 
Blaugies and Abbaye de Rocs are less than 10 km 
away. The family have been running the superb 
restaurant since 1973, and have been brewing several 
fine beers since 1989. Cuvee de Jonquilles is imported 
stateside. The Saison Saint Médard Ambrée should be 
as well. 

Now this is how grills should be cooked. Take 
an old copper mash tun, cut it so the front part 
fits in the corner of a wall in your restaurant, and 
get busy cooking. Nice. Seriously. Cool. Oh, and 
the food...

I had a mixed grill with baked potato and asparagus 
on the side. Gunther had a steak and frites. The food 
was excellent. That's Alain pouring a Cuvée des 
Jonquilles.Yum. 

Alain pouring the Amber Saison, 7% abv. 
This one had a year of age on it, and possessed 
an enticing light sour character. A very good 
farmhouse ale!

Another brewhouse shot at Brasserie Au Baron.

The restaurant/brewpub is located in a beautiful
setting, right beside a small river. There is seating 
for over 200 people outside in good weather. 

Brasserie Brootcorens (Erquelinnes)

Hainaut Province, Wallonia. 

Brewer Alain Brootcoorens with his son and

daughter. 

Brewer Alain Brootcoorens with a colleague in the brewhouse.

Alain savoring the smell of some whole hop flowers. 

Brasserie Brootcorens has a hop field across the street from 

the brewery. 

Alain with his new Abbaye de la Thure beer, with 10% abv.

Well everyone, that was just day one on trip 24. Of course it was a Saturday, which is always a good time to visit breweries in Belgium. More later!