Real-world examples of craft beer tours in Belgium you’ll actually want to book

The best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium, city by city

Every beer traveler eventually hits the same wall: too many breweries, not enough days. The best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium solve that problem by focusing on a few cities and building your days around taprooms, classic cafés, and short train rides.

Below are real examples of how people are actually touring Belgium’s beer scene in 2024–2025, plus a few organized tour options if you’d rather let someone else handle the logistics.

Brussels: a living textbook of Belgian beer styles

If you want an example of a city that gives you both historic and modern craft, Brussels is it. Most travelers use it as their landing point, but it’s also one of the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium you can build in a single day without ever renting a car.

Start with the lambic heart of the city. Many examples of great Brussels beer itineraries begin at Cantillon (Brasserie Cantillon), a working brewery and museum where spontaneous fermentation still rules. You taste gueuze and kriek in the same space where cobwebbed barrels quietly age in the dark. This stop shows why so many real examples of beer tours anchor at least half a day here.

From there, you can walk or tram your way through the new wave. A typical afternoon might include:

• Brasserie de la Senne: Pioneers of the modern Brussels craft scene, known for bitter, dry, low-intervention beers. Their Zinnebir pale ale often becomes people’s “aha” moment.
• BBP – Brussels Beer Project: A more experimental taproom with collabs, hazy IPAs, and pastry stouts. This is where you feel the global craft trend colliding with Belgian tradition.
• Moeder Lambic Original or Fontainas: A bar, not a brewery, but every serious example of a Brussels beer tour includes it. The draft list reads like a love letter to Belgian producers.

An evening in the Grand Place area, sipping a strong golden ale at a traditional café, rounds out the day. This is one of the best examples of how to blend heritage beer culture with modern craft in a tight, walkable loop.

Ghent: canal-side pubs and small-batch experimentation

Ghent doesn’t shout about itself the way Brussels or Bruges does, but many seasoned travelers quietly list it as one of the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium.

A realistic Ghent beer day often starts at Gruut City Brewery, which plays with medieval gruit herbs instead of hops in some recipes. It’s a great example of how Belgian brewers reinterpret history instead of just imitating it.

From there, you wander the old town and stitch together your own route. Real examples include:

• Dok Brewing Company in the Dok Noord area: A modern brewpub with a rotating list of IPAs, sours, and lagers. The industrial setting and food stalls make it feel more Brooklyn than Brussels.
• Hops ‘n More: A specialty beer shop and tasting space where you can try bottles from across Belgium’s newer craft scene, then pack a few for later.
• Classic bars like ’t Dreupelkot (for genever) or Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (with a huge beer list right on the canal) to remind yourself that “craft” here includes the old guard.

This mix of small-batch taprooms and centuries-old cafés is a textbook example of how Belgian beer culture refuses to split neatly into “traditional” and “craft.” It’s all one messy, delicious continuum.

Bruges: touristy, yes – but still a strong example of a beer day

Bruges is crowded, polished, and heavily Instagrammed. It’s also home to some of the most famous examples of craft beer tours in Belgium that first-timers book.

Most visitors start with Brouwerij De Halve Maan, whose brewery tour winds through an active production space and up to rooftop views over the city. Their Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik lines are widely exported, so this stop gives you the satisfying “I’ve finally had it at the source” moment.

A well-built Bruges beer itinerary often weaves in:

• Bourgogne des Flandres Brewery: A small site where you can see and taste how they blend aged sour beer with fresh brown ale. It’s a gentle, approachable introduction to Flemish red-brown styles.
• De Garre: A tiny, atmospheric alley bar, famous for its house tripel served with cheese cubes. Many examples include this as the “one bar you absolutely should not skip.”
• Cafe Rose Red: Known for its Trappist and lambic list and cozy vibe; a great evening anchor.

Yes, Bruges is touristy. But as an example of how to pack a lot of Belgian styles into one walkable medieval city, it still earns its spot among the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium.

Antwerp & Leuven: two underrated examples of beer-focused side trips

If you have an extra day or two, Antwerp and Leuven are where the real beer nerds start to perk up. These cities are often used as examples of how to go beyond the standard Brussels–Bruges loop.

In Antwerp, real examples of beer days often center around:

• De Koninck Brewery: A modern visitor center with interactive exhibits and plenty of tasting opportunities. It’s a polished introduction to Antwerp’s beer heritage.
• Bars like Kulminator (when open; hours can be unpredictable), long considered one of the world’s great aging-cellar beer bars.
• Newer craft players and bottle shops scattered through the city’s neighborhoods.

Leuven is home to AB InBev’s headquarters, but it also has a vibrant beer bar scene and small producers. Many examples of tours here are less about brewery visits and more about curated bar-hopping, using the student-heavy city as your base.

These side trips show that real examples of craft beer tours in Belgium don’t have to be limited to the same three postcard cities everyone talks about.

Trappist routes: Orval, Westvleteren, and the monastic side of “craft”

If you want a story you’ll tell for years, build your itinerary around the Trappists. While some purists argue these aren’t “craft” in the American sense, any honest list of the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium has to include them.

A classic example of a Trappist-focused route might look like this:

You rent a car for a day or two and head toward Orval Abbey in the south. You can’t tour the production brewery itself, but you can visit the ruins, the grounds, and nearby cafés pouring Orval at various ages. Tasting a fresh bottle next to a one-year-old version is a mini masterclass in how Brettanomyces transforms a beer.

On another day, you aim for Westvleteren, where the monks of Saint Sixtus brew what many still call one of the world’s best beers. You reserve a crate pickup in advance (if you’re lucky) or visit the In de Vrede café next to the abbey. This is a prime example of how scarcity and mystique shape beer tourism.

Other Trappist stops, like Chimay and Rochefort, can be added if you have time. These abbey visits are slower, more reflective examples of craft beer tours in Belgium – less about ticking off as many taps as possible, more about connecting beer to place and tradition.

Organized craft beer tours in Belgium: guided, small-group examples

Not everyone wants to juggle timetables and reservations. If you’d rather hand the keys to someone else, there are plenty of organized examples of craft beer tours in Belgium that run in 2024–2025.

Typical guided options include:

• Brussels walking beer tours: Half-day or evening tours that combine 3–5 bars, a handful of classic Belgian styles, and a guide who explains the difference between a dubbel and a tripel without sounding like a textbook.
• Multi-day small-group tours: These often start in Brussels and swing through Bruges, Ghent, and at least one Trappist abbey or lambic brewery. Real examples include curated visits where the group meets brewers, explores barrel rooms, and pairs beer with local dishes like carbonnade flamande or moules-frites.
• Lambic-focused day trips: Some operators now offer dedicated lambic routes, visiting producers in the Pajottenland region outside Brussels. These are some of the best examples of highly specialized craft beer tours in Belgium, built for people who already know what spontaneous fermentation is and want to go deeper.

If you’re unsure whether a specific tour is right for you, look for recent reviews that mention small group sizes, time with brewers, and a mix of traditional and modern stops. Those details usually separate the thoughtful examples from the generic pub crawls.

How 2024–2025 trends are reshaping Belgian craft beer tours

Belgium isn’t frozen in time, no matter how many cobblestone streets you walk. The most interesting 2024–2025 examples of craft beer tours in Belgium reflect a few clear trends:

More low-ABV options. Travelers are increasingly mindful of pacing themselves, especially on multi-day trips. Many breweries now highlight lighter table beers, grisettes, and session-strength IPAs. If you’re curious about healthy alcohol use while traveling, U.S. resources like the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offer evidence-based guidance.

Rise of modern styles. Hazy IPAs, kettle sours, and pastry stouts aren’t replacing tripels and dubbels, but they’re joining the party. Breweries like Brussels Beer Project and Dok Brewing are strong examples of this shift.

Food pairings and beer dinners. More tours now include sit-down meals where each course is paired with a different Belgian beer style. This trend mirrors broader U.S. interest in mindful eating and drinking, which organizations like Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health discuss in the context of overall dietary patterns.

Sustainability and local sourcing. Some newer breweries highlight local grains, hops, and lower-energy brewing practices. While this isn’t always front-and-center in marketing, it’s increasingly part of the story guides tell on tours.

These trends mean that the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium today look more varied than they did even five years ago. You can still chase a perfect Westvleteren, but you might also find yourself sipping a low-ABV grisette brewed with local spelt at a hip urban taproom.

Building your own example of a 3-day Belgian craft beer itinerary

To make this concrete, here’s how travelers often stitch these pieces together into a realistic, repeatable itinerary – a real-world example of how to turn all these ideas into an actual trip.

Day 1: Brussels
Arrive, drop bags, and head straight to Cantillon. Spend late afternoon at Brasserie de la Senne, then dinner and a long, slow evening at Moeder Lambic or a classic café near the Grand Place.

Day 2: Ghent or Bruges
Take a morning train. In Ghent, hit Gruut and Dok Brewing, then canal-side bars into the evening. In Bruges, tour De Halve Maan, then Bourgogne des Flandres, De Garre, and Cafe Rose Red.

Day 3: Lambic or Trappist focus
Either join a lambic day tour into the Pajottenland or rent a car and head toward Orval or Westvleteren. Wrap up back in Brussels for a final nightcap.

This is one of the best examples of craft beer tours in Belgium for first-timers: three days, three distinct flavors of the country’s beer culture, and enough structure that you’re not winging it, but enough freedom to follow your nose when a local points you to “just one more bar.”

If you’re concerned about staying hydrated and pacing yourself, remember basic travel health advice: alternate alcoholic drinks with water, eat regularly, and pay attention to how you feel. U.S. sources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer practical tips on staying healthy while traveling abroad.

FAQ: examples of real questions travelers ask about Belgian beer tours

What are some classic examples of craft beer tours in Belgium for first-time visitors?
Common real examples include a one-day Brussels walking tour (Cantillon, de la Senne, a modern taproom, and a classic bar), a Bruges day with De Halve Maan plus a couple of legendary cafés, and a guided lambic or Trappist day trip. Put together, these create a strong 3–4 day itinerary.

Can you give an example of a good balance between traditional and modern breweries?
A good example of balance would be starting at Cantillon or a Trappist abbey, then spending the evening at a place like Brussels Beer Project or Dok Brewing. You get the depth of heritage plus the energy of newer styles.

Are there examples of tours that focus on lower-alcohol beers?
Yes. Many guides now customize tastings toward lighter table beers, grisettes, and session-strength ales if you ask. These examples of tours are especially popular with travelers who want multi-day beer trips without burning out.

Do I need to book brewery tours in advance?
For popular spots like De Halve Maan or guided lambic and Trappist tours, advance booking is smart, especially on weekends and in peak season. Bars and most taprooms are usually walk-in friendly, but the best examples of well-planned itineraries always include at least a couple of pre-booked anchor experiences.

Are there examples of non-beer activities that pair well with these tours?
Absolutely. Canal cruises in Bruges or Ghent, art museums in Brussels and Antwerp, and abbey visits on Trappist routes all fit naturally between tastings. Many travelers build their days as alternating blocks: culture, then beer, then food, repeat.

If you treat these real examples of craft beer tours in Belgium as templates rather than rigid checklists, you’ll end up with something better than any pre-packaged itinerary: a trip that fits your taste buds, your pace, and your idea of a good night out.