On our recent
two day trip to Antwerp all we did was hide from the rain,
eat good food and try the local Belgian Beer. A popular amongst the Antwerpists (?), de Koninck is a great Belgian Beer. The website reads ‘De Koninck. A taste of Antwerp’. Very much their own local beer which I can certify, they absolutely love (in Antwerp). And a great beer it is too. Very refreshing, very clean.
The
De Koninck Brewery brews only three beers: the brown, the blonde and the winter de Koninck. So if ever in Antwerp make sue to try some out. You won’t be disappointed. And if you really want to impress, then you'll ask for a 'bolleke' which means the shape of the glass in Flemish but has become synomymous with the de Koninck beer ... so everyone will understand you.
And something of a tradition, I didn’t repeat since
Belgian Beer no. 56, the usual recipe to go with the beer.
Chicken liver in sour-sweet de Koninck (serves 4) 500gr chicken liver
1/2dl red wine vinegar
1dl boiled down de Koninck blond
20gr chives
50gr wild rice
50gr honey
2dl demi glace
40gr butter
50gr rice
Salt and pepper
Allow the honey to caramelize slightly, extinguish with red wine vinegar.
Add demi glace and the beer.
Prepare the sauce for use with butter.
Boil the wild rice separately from the white rice; after sufficient boiling time, add a bit of pepper, salt and olive oil.
Cut up the chives very fine.
Fry the chicken liver rosé and flavor with salt and pepper.
Press the rice into a timbale and pour it down onto a hot plate, coat underneath the sauce and arrange the degreased chicken liver, sprinkle the whole with chives.
If you will ever make it to Brussels, finally past the Belgian Beer bars, then you might pay a visit to the Belgian Beer Museum. The beers they serve are very much your 'standard' beers. The idea behind these beers is to take you through the different types of Belgian Beers.
I already mentioned the brewery visit. Besides the (known) Witkap series – the Stimulo, the Dubbele and the Tripel, we discovered some more beers … but no, didn’t try them all out. There is a limit, even in Belgium.
Passendale. Another Belgian Beer to add to the list. 
Remember Belgian Beer no.54, Witkap Tripel? Well if not you can always check it out again. The interesting thing though is that whilst writing about it, I came across their ‘Open Day’ announcement. So guess where we spent the 13 August? At the Slaghmuylder Brewery. A family affair, the brewery is usually not open for visits … but then they have the Open Days.
On our recent two day trip to Antwerp all we did was hide from the rain, eat good food and try the local Belgian Beer. A popular amongst the Antwerpists (?), de Koninck is a great Belgian Beer. The website reads ‘De Koninck. A taste of Antwerp’. Very much their own local beer which I can certify, they absolutely love (in Antwerp). And a great beer it is too. Very refreshing, very clean.
A typical brown beer, malty and with hints of burned toast ( ?). Brewed by the De Bocq Brewery, just like the following ones: Applebocq (as the name says it an apple beer. I got to try this one out at the last Belgian Beer Festival and it was great. Will try it again this year and write about it as well). 
This is one of those beers you have to try, but I doubt you’ll like it. I didn’t. A cross between wine and beer, the Grand Cru Bruocsella is a lambic beer. This means a different process, the beer being kept in oak barrels for 3 years. Almost like wine, but not wine. And trust me you can taste this difference. 
