"Time and tide wait for no man" so after a couple of weeks stopping in, avoiding the crowds & focusing on cycling, an early start departing the real Times Sq (Longton) for a couple of pints in the superb Burmantofts exterior Templar Hotel, Leeds (approached via The Grand Arcade & it's Potts Clock)

How on earth did cyclists manage along the cut before lights improved so much? The on/off comparison is incredible. Also I need to fork out on decent winter gloves 🥶 That mileage seemed much harder than it should have been.

Here we go @seanking61.bsky.social www.podgebeer.co.uk/city-bar-gui....

Remember when HS2 to Leeds was cancelled by the NIC's shitty maths and fundamental lack of expertise, and Leeds was thrown the bone of "you'll get trams" and I said those would never be delivered? Yeah, as I was saying...

A kusttram (direction de Panne) for the 30 minute journey from Blankenberge to Ostend. Café Botteltje/ Hotel Marion has Lupulus Hibernatus available on draft. Warming dark fruits and coffee. A favourite brewery. Draft Guinness also on the menu.

Ten journey ticket purchased for 21€ (it's not worth a daily tram pass today). Then off to Terminus in Blankenberge to recreate the ambience of what Knutsford and Keele M6 services must've felt like in the 1970's. Orval at a touch over 5€ and excellent

Enough time to sneak in a Chouffe N'Ice at De Garre before the train to Blankenberge. A dark brown beer with orange notes, subtle sweetness but not cloying

I need to raise my game. Not first in the queue at De Garre, Brugge. Busy within 5 minutes of opening. A mandatory Van Steenberge house tripel. Superb Vicaris Winter was available but they only had one cask and it's (understandably) sold out

Well there was an inevitability about ending up at 't Bruges Beertje when De Ranke Père Noël and De Dolle Stille Nacht are on the beer board

Excellent. Straffe Hendrik X-Mas Blend available at De Halve Maan Brewery, Brugge. A blend of young and older barrel aged quadrupel. Hints of raisins and balanced sweetness.

Back into Antwerp for Avec Les Bons Voeux in De Ware Jacob. Superb beer in a classic brown Café

How to improve rail infrastructure: Antwerp Centraal - A triumph of engineering. A terminus that was excavated & converted to a through station. Luckily they didn't face the insurmountable challenges HS2 did like moving 5 holes at Whittington Golf course & spoiling the view of Fradley logistics park

Sunday (Day 2) at Essen Kerstbier festival is just as busy as Day 1. 200+ Christmas beers of which most are still available. Vicaris Winter absolutely sublime. If you're in CAMRA they even extend the courtesy of a free token. Book a hotel in Antwerp 40mins away and enjoy great bars like Beerlovers

Unmissable. Day one at Essen kerstbier festival has been excellent. So many good beers to choose from a list of 200+ but the classics are always the best. De Glazen Toren Canaster Scotch Ale is quality. As a courtesy to visitors the beer programme is also available in a translated English version

Sixth (final) stop Hasselt. De Hop Hemel, Bampslaan. Less than five minutes walk to the station for a direct service back to Antwerp. Adelheid Oaked Calvados Barley Wine perfect final beer before the train home

Fifth stop Hasselt. Kaffee Ierse de egel pub (The Hedgehog). Gordon's Christmas on draft. Drink 3 & you get a 🎄 decoration. In a classic case of transactional anticipatory self defence they forewarned me cash only (so similar to Burley in Wharfedale then) . The bottle crown toucan is a work of art

Fourth stop Hasselt. Stout beer shop (take away + you can drink here) Thank you Gemma & Marc @kingkonghasselt.bsky.social because it wasn't on my to do list. The Eylenbosch Shaarbeekse was excellent. Dry, ascetic with a hint of almonds

Third stop in Hasselt is Brew Mine. V sad to see a business closed down when people have invested so much financially & personally. It happens every trip, hopefully my remaining bars will be ok

Second stop in Hasselt at cafe bierpunt and things are definitely on the up. An Ellezelloise Hercule Stout. One of the best Belgian stouts. A touch under €5 which is an absolute bargain. No bar service (it's screened off) so table service but v friendly & despite this it manages to retain ambiance

First stop in Hasselt is Hemelrijk. V friendly, although I recall the beer list containing much more interest. An Ommegang tripel on draught. Perfectly ok & serviceable. V friendly but hopefully things will get a little more interesting beerwise

Long overdue a visit to Hasselt and first stop is for coffee and to see Marc & Gemma at King Kong Koffee. A caffenation outlet. "One drug, one nation, one caffenation" superb espresso with a few bags to take home

Always a good bet for a late arriving traveller - Paters Vaetje for a classic beer - Rochefort 10. A few more weeks until Antwerp Cathedral's nativity scene gets its VIP

Excellent. Managed to catch Café Pardaf before closing (9.00pm) for a first beer in Antwerp - De Ranke Pere Noel. No lack of Christmas activities alongside the river Scheldt outside

A metaphor for the UK. The train arrives in time to watch the bus leave (& in the 60's you could have stayed on the train to Bakewell). Nonetheless, always a pleasure to visit our Derbyshire neighbours. The Thornbridge/ Fullers ESB was excellent, quite malty but balanced. At the superb brewery tap

Old expensive not too expensive tbh in The Burton Bridge Inn and excellent. Classic strong ale.

Cold and wet outside but the interior of Tower Brewery, Burton on Trent is much more inviting (inside Thomas Salt's brewery defunct water tower). This pint of Ale to The King with it's toffee notes is perfect for the weather

"There's a Parkers Place for You" A ride out to The Mainwareing Arms, Whitmore, Staffs for a comparative photo with my 1930's Parkers Brewery (Burslem) Pub Guide. Not much has changed externally in circa 100 yrs.

The final beer of the evening in Ghent is Troubadour Aura. Excellent and probably the closest good bar to Ghent St Pieter's before the train home Also, imagine being able to get a train after 10.00pm for € equivalent of £8.00.

It can be frenetic at times but Dulle Griet, Ghent is (relatively) quiet this evening. A convenient location on the Vrijdagmarkt. Enough time for a Westmalle Double. It breaks up the walk to Trollekelder too

Easy train journey from Ostend to Gent for my next stop. Bierhuis aan de waterkant, Ghent for a Het Anker Carolus Christmas. Busy but fast, friendly service & a classic beer.

One day I'll visit Ostend in season, when the weather's better and there's more daylight. Superb Cafe Botteltje is almost guaranteed to have Strubbe beers on draft and their triple is very enjoyable. The hotel marion makes for a great base if you're exploring the coast using the kusttram

Got my timing right for De Garre and a classic van Steenberge house tripel before the train. Expect it to fill up quickly

Excellent. ØL in Ypres is open. Great choice of beers. I opted for St Bernardus Tokyo as I rarely see it. Service v friendly and I'd definitely visit again. The exposed brickwork is a nice touch

Not a huge fan of bistro style bars but I've not had a Poperinge Hommelbier this trip and it's on draft in Markt 22. Just under 8€ but it is tourist central virtually next door to The Cloth Hall

Always have a plan B in Belgium on Mondays and to be fair plan B wasn't far (next door in fact) while I plan to revisit Øl later. Ypra has Ypres hoppy blond on which is very acceptable and has subtle marmalade notes. Beautiful Flemish architecture

Ah! The quintessential Belgian experience. I was wondering when it would happen. Open from 3.00 apart from when it isn't open at 3.00

Closed bars are an occupational hazard on Mondays but St Arnoldus, Ypres is open and has St Bernardus Extra 4 on draft. A perfect first beer

Fancy bumping into Dave Atkins in Belgium! 👇 Great to have a catch up with him

Draft Stille Nacht is now otb at De Dolle Brouwers. Ho Ho Ho! VIP's have made the journey from The North Pole to Esen, W Flanders for the official launch

Today's visit to the coast has been postponed in favour of a revisit to De Dolle Brouwers. This Arabier is superb. Quiet at opening time but now the place is heaving

It's time for the annual delivery of Titanic stout to Esen's De Dolle Brouwers. Highly regarded as a classic British stout by brewer Kris. I may have a beer while I'm here (just to make the trip worthwhile......)

Kapittel Blond at Terrastje Bar, Brugge. I rarely see it on draft so I'm not going to forgo the opportunity. What a beautiful exterior even by Belgium's high standards

Well I think I timed that perfectly (for a change) as every bar seat was occupied within 20 mins. Cafe Rose Red, Bruges for a Vicaris Lino, blond, refreshing, subtle sweetness & brewed with flax (so it definitely has impeccable 'craft' credentials)

Early arrival at brown Café Den Engel means a prime seat at the bar for a Bolleke of De Koninck. An amber beer synonymous with Antwerp. Good views across the Grote Market towards the cathedral

Stop 5 Antwerp. Paters Vaetje for a classic. De Ranke Noir de Dottignies. Superb complex, dry and roasted. A stones throw from the Cathedral

Stop 4 Antwerp. The Northerner for a refreshing and dependable Saison Dupont.

Stop 3 Antwerp. Somewhere under that camouflage canopy is the historic Antwerp Bar Quintin Matsijs. First Orval of the trip 👌

Antwerp stop 2 via The Grote Market to Coaching Inn Café 't Waagstuk. Those days of draft Schelderbrouwerij Hopruiter and Zeezuiper are over I'm afraid but The Chimay Bruin is perfectly acceptable for a taste of nostalgia

Sensible arrival time at beautiful Antwerp Centraal means time for a superb Brasserie Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux at classic brown bar de Ware Jacob

Stop 5 Chester and perfectly located before the train home - The Olde Cottage for a pint of Wye Valley HPA. About as good as you can get cask beer. I'm not sure the fire needed to be lit but it certainly added to the atmosphere