#de garre

It was blue skies when I opened the unmarked door and stepped into Sergio’s World Beers. Six hours later, it was just after ten when I said good night to Diana and Brandon and stepped out onto the sidewalk to call my Lyft. It was dark!

Before that I’d said good night to Chris and David, visiting from Somerset, KY. They were well educated and traveled men, theists unafraid to speak to an atheist and debate religion, climate change, and swap beer stories.

Before that I’d wished Shannon a happy birthday as he left. Another engineer, he told me things about Sergio I didn’t know, Sergio’s dad is a renowned mathematician!

Before that I’d congratulated the owner, Sergio Ribenboim on being made an Honorary Knight of the Brewer’s Paddle by the Guild of Brewers in Belgium. Sergio is a treasure for Louisville.

Six hours of delightful conversation fueled by four five wonderful beers, counting the Deus champagne beer Sergio shared for Shannon’ birthday. All in all, a typical session to be honest.

War! Covid! uhhh! what is it good for? Absolutely nothing well almost nothing. Millions are still working from home now it's proven so many jobs can be done productively without the office. uhhh!

Another useful reaction to Covid is the relaxed distribution of alcohol! Yay! A few days ago I was shocked to see a company called Craft Shack advertising they'd deliver a beer to my house, a beer that, until Covid, could only be purchased on premise at De Garre, a one off pub down an obscure alley in Bruges. I'd had the fortune to drink it there on two occasions and it was kind of magical. The experience more than the beer but the beer was really good. Strong though. They only serve it with cheese cubes and each person can only have two. The pub is three stories and the stairway is...a fucking safety hazard before you've had a drink!

With some trepidation, I ordered six beers and a few days later, FedEx brought it to my house for no more than I'd expect to pay for it off the shelf at Total Wine.

The De Garre is 11% abv, strong even for a tripel. It's brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge, a prolific brewer who also makes Piraat and Gulden Draak among others. The heavy glass is distinctive with a thick, door knob shaped based.

Lately, American craft brewers, always looking for the next new thing, have been brewing styles new to America, including the Belgian tripel. Actually, the Belgian tripel is a newer style in Europe being developed by West Malle in the 1950's, I think. I've been trying every one of these offerings and some are quite nice but none seem to result in the carbonation that is so apparent in the pics above. IMO, this effervescent aspect of the Belgian tripel is key to offsetting the sweet malty character of the beer.

De Garre

There are notable places in Bruges the normal tourist will likely never find. This pub is one of those places and it's one of my favorite places in the world to drink a beer. I say a beer because the only beer you should I'd drink there is the De Garre Tripel.

TLDR;

The pub is reached through a narrow alley off Briedelstraat. It's only a few yards from the town square and you pass by the Bruges Beer Museum and the Duvelorium if you've a mind to pass them by. If you are a beer drinker you should experience the Duvelorium because you can sit outside with an amazing view of the square and drink. The beer museum has a beer hall where you can get five short pours of rotating Belgian beer for a reasonable price.

De Garre is three tight stories devoted to drinking with close friends. The stairs to the upper stories are steep and narrow and will give pause to the sober. The De Garre tripel is brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge and is always served with cheese cubes.

This was the best spot in Brugge: De Garre. Delicious beer down a quiet alley. They only make a few of their own and it’s super laid back. A perfect place if such a thing exists (it does).

One of the places I’m looking to move to if possible. #ifnotnowwhen. Bruges spoke to my heart in a way no other place has.

12 février 2012