4th & final stop yesterday was to have been Indie Rabble, who'd a big imperial stout I wanted (£6 a third). Pitched up at bar, chap said it's comedy night or some such & he can't serve me till I pay £12 for a ticket! Told him I just wanted a third (of the most expensive beer) but no joy, so no beer!

3rd stop yesterday = Two Flints, Windsor. Second visit in as many days, just a quick one this time for a third of this excellent NZ double IPA.

2nd stop = @elusivebrewing.com taproom, again my second visit. Research included cask vs keg versions of Oregon Trail. Both great but cask won, of course - simply sensational. What a treat.

1st stop today = Siren taproom, Finchampstead. Been once before, really enjoyed this 2nd visit. 10% ABV Mavka imperial stout nearly blew my socks off, what a fantastic beer! 🍻

4th stop in Windsor = Two Flints taproom, immediately next door to Indie Rabble. No flights but thirds of helles, NZ pilsner & more west coast IPA. Love the beers here, wish the taproom was a wee bit warmer (like next door!)...

3rd stop in Windsor = Indie Rabble taproom. Four beer flight: pils, märzen, west coast IPA, stout. All good but pils & märzen both excellent. That said, the west coast IPA also very good & perhaps needs further research tomorrow.

2nd stop in Windsor = A Hoppy Place. First time here, bottle shop bar with excellent range. Really enjoyed our visit. Photo = cask bitter brewed in Stardust Brewery, Maidenhead!

Very strange being back in Blighty - had to correct myself when saying 'dankjewel' to the barman! Anyway, 1st stop in Windsor = The Corner House, previously a Big Smoke pub & still sort of connected. Three halves of 3 different cask beers. Best of the 3 = cask Bass! 🍻

On an otherwise murky day, some dramatic light over the Burg & Belfort on the way home.

Meanwhile, at 't Brugs Beertje the last keg (for now) of Avec Les Bons Vœux is now on the bar. Might be a while till it's back so it was great to have a couple more glasses of this exceptional beer from this current batch.

Quick visit to De Garre earlier. Still business as usual for current owners as they await completion of the sale to Brouwerij Van Steenberge. Might be another few weeks...

Lovely obituary by @rogerprotz.bsky.social. Very sad.

As promised, here’s the first part of the three part ‘mini-documentary’ I captured during a two-day visit to Thornbridge last October. Soon to be followed by a podcast and write up, also.

New Antwerp Guide entry: De Vagant. A central Antwerp institution better known for its genevers, it nevertheless has a decent beer list as well: www.beerguideantwerp.com/pubs.63

New Antwerp Guide entry: Het Souke, a gorgeous brown cafe just round the corner from De Ware Jacob & another classic of this genre. A very good beer list too, as it happens: www.beerguideantwerp.com/pubs.62

Updated Antwerp Guide entry: Station 1280 - a modern bottle shop bar with a range of Belgian beers + a good selection from other countries: www.beerguideantwerp.com/pubs.34

Very sad to learn the news about Des de Moor's passing. It's impossible to over-estimate the impact Des had on the UK beer scene. He was one of London's beer heroes- kind, generous, tireless- & we truly valued his friendship & support. We will miss him (& our doorstep chats) greatly. Go well, sir x

Blimey, that last 19km into the wind from Esen to Lichtervelde was tough, but we made it in time for our train. Really glad I only had the one beer at De Dolle Brouwers 😂

In today's least surprising turn of events, the train having terminated at Diksmuide we're having a quick one at De Dolle Brouwers taproom in Esen. Raising a glass of Arabier in memory of Des de Moor seemed appropriate. RIP Des.

The Guide is saddened to hear of the passing of beer writer Des de Moor. He was generous in sharing his extensive knowledge of the London beer scene and it was always a pleasure to cross paths and compare notes. RIP Des, the next beer is for you 🍻

I’m very saddened to hear about the death of Des de Moor. I think a lot about the pints we had one night in South London where he held court, sang songs and was so warm to everyone

IN BRUGES was released 18 years ago today. Acclaimed as one of the great black comedies of the century and the film that kick started the McDonagh/Farrell/Gleeson triumvirate, the making of story is as beautiful as the city it’s set in… 1/34

My brother's here, said he wanted to go cycling. Took him to Breskens (NL) on Fri (72km). Today it's the French border - 77km to here, but we're getting kicked off the train at Diksmuide (wonder if there's anything to do near there? 🤔) so we've another 19km Diksmuide to Lichtervelde later! 🚴‍♀️ 🇧🇪 🇫🇷

Tartiflette met Orvalkaas at Den Toogoloog, Middelkerke, was absolutely outstanding. That said, the whole place is outstanding - beer range especially. Such a brilliant bar. Just look at that draft Abt 😊

After the cyclocross, the main event: Den Toogoloog, Middelkerke. Outstanding as always, this time I'd two fantastic beers from Hugel/Zeven Zonden, then found out they're stopping 😥. Such excellent beers, if you see them, try them now....

I'm spending the afternoon in a muddy field on the Belgian coast, my first time at the cyclocross🚴‍♂️ 🇧🇪

Happy weekend everyone! 🍻

In Oud Arsenaal tonight we met a local man (born in '48) who, until today, was 77 years old. His daughter (born in '77) is 48. He was quite upset that his 78th birthday (today) messed up the symmetry of these numbers once & for all 🤣

7th & final stop in Antwerp = classic Oud Arsenaal. Helped clear their Xmas beers: Père Noël magnificent, of course. One PN & two x Winterbinkske = just €11.20 - so cheap we checked it wasn't a mistake. It wasn't! 😊

6th stop in Antwerp = Station 1280. Modern beer bar w/excellent list of 8 drafts & c.80 bottles/cans - modern Belgians & overseas beers. Enjoyed beers from Keesmann, Uncharted Brew Co (neighbours to Station 1280) & SE10/Speciale Belge. Top place with a great beer list.

5th stop in Antwerp = Cafe Clodette, also on Hoogstraat. It's what used to be Den Billekletser, but new incarnation is nowhere near as beery - c.27 beers on an ok list. It's in the tick book, but unusually for the book they don't offer a freebie 😮

4th stop in Antwerp = Het Souke, a gorgeous brown cafe on Hoogstraat. Obviously been around a while but I've no idea how long they've had such a good beer list - c.75 beers including many local & other beers of interest. Definitely going in the Guide, this one. Fantastic pub.

3rd stop in Antwerp = De Vagant. Known as a classic jenever bar but with c.55 beers it's going into the Antwerp Guide. Bolleke on fine form - so good I was happy to have two, including the tick book freebie.

2nd stop in Antwerp = Fiskebar, Marnixplaats. €32 lunch menu, 2 courses + coffee. Monkfish cheeks then coalfish w/creamed potatoes & various greens. Also found a small but half decent beer list including a saison from Heilig Hart. All delicious.

1st stop in Antwerp = KMSKA, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, for the Magritte exhibition, covering the various artistic stages of his life. Excellent stuff, & once again free admission with the amazing value Belgian Museum Pass.

5th & final stop = Het Foederhuis, the Rodenbach brewery tap. Been before but for a busy event, so it was great to visit when quiet. Freebie was, guess what, Rodenbach classic. I'd that first, then finished on draft Rodenbach Vintage. It was sublime.

Innovative cycle parking, perhaps not totally accessible.

4th stop = Cafe Moustache, Grote Markt, Roeselare. Not massively beery but nice enough all the same. Boon's excellent Duivelsbier was my choice, with the freebie (inevitably for the location) again being a draft Rodenbach. Just as well it's a good beer 😂. Shout out for the classy, minimalist stempel

I've cycled just over 43km to get to this 3rd stop, on the southern side of Roeselare. Quite pleased it's just 1.4km to stop 4, then 1.5km to the final stop, which is less than 1km from the station. Looking forward to letting the train take the strain for the journey home!

3rd stop = 't Motje, Roeselare. Excellent pub, not sure about the 395 beers claimed in book but they certainly have an extensive list. I went for Dochter v/d Korenaar Bravoure - smoky & delicious. Freebie = draft Rodenbach. Croque madame = stonking!

2nd stop = Djings, Beveren, a Roeselare suburb. Thankfully open - his 1st day back after hols, so a very close call! Excellent bar, great beer list & super friendly owner, but just a coffee for me here. I only wanted my stamp but he insisted on giving me a free bottle of beer to take away! Amazing.

1st stop on today's cycling tour of some tick book cafes = Bie Mariette, somewhere vaguely near Koolskamp (a few miles N of Roeselare). Anyway it was closed 😂. Can't say I was surprised - for opening hours it refers you to FB, which is silent on the matter! Shame though as it looks characterful...

On arrival back in Brugge last night we wound up proceedings with a completely unnecessary visit to 't Brugs Beertje. The second & third draft Bons Vœuxs were perhaps also unnecessary but they were extremely enjoyable!

6th & final stop in Gent = first visit to Stroom taproom. I've tried their beers before but nothing like going to source. Mondello blood orange IPA - wow! Amazing throw back to best of times at Beavertown, closest I can recall to classic Bloody 'Ell. This is a great beer. Cheers!

5th stop in Gent = Trappistenhuis. First time here since 'the before times', so it's been a while. Warm, cosy & atmospheric, we really enjoyed our visit. Draft Chimay Blue completed the experience.

4th stop in Gent = Bier Central. Not a fan of this chain, but went cos of tick book, & 'research'. Pleasantly surprised, enjoyed it more than BXL branch. Also might be 1st person ever to successfully negotiate upgrade of freebie - normally St Hubertus Blond, now Westmalle Dubbel. Result! 😊

3rd stop in Gent = De Abt, the only Orval restaurant in Flanders. List = fresh & aged Orval + c.20 other beers. Menu has many dishes prepared with Orval. Really good place, doubly good to be here with @tania-nexust.bsky.social & Dave, who made the effort to come here despite a *very* busy day!

2nd stop in Gent = Stadsbrouwerij Artevelde, to get my stempel in the tick book. Took a leaf out of @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social's beer negotiating manual & had the freebie De Leute first, followed by the rather good draft Grand Cru. Enjoyed both - beers more impressive than on last visit.

1st stop in Gent = another visit to MSK, the excellent gallery by the Citadelpark. No exhibitions atm so a great opportunity to check out the permanent collection, full of stuff like this classic Ensor painting.