Amsterdam Antwerp Brugge Brussels

We begin in Amsterdam, a city which embodies Holland's 17th-century Golden Age when it was the richest, most cosmopolitan city in the world. From clandestine 16th-century Catholic churches to the Red Light District, canalside mansion museums to flower markets, this is truly a fascinating city. We'll visit Maximilian Cafe, Amsterdam's first brewpub, as well as the famous brown cafes, so named for their tobacco stained ceilings. The tour is timed to coincide with the Bokbier Festival held in Amsterdam. Sponsored by the Dutch beer organization, PINT, this is the largest beer fest in the Netherlands! We'll explore the lovely Dutch countryside and some smaller cities and towns with lesser-known breweries as we wend our way to Belgium.



In Belgium, we'll visit Antwerp, one of Europe's lesser visited gems, full of unusual beer cafes, and Ghent, known for its wonderful Hop Devil beer cafe and 12th-century moated Castle of the Counts. Other highlights include Brugge, perhaps Europe's best preserved medieval city, whose mood is best met on foot. Small and compact, Brugge is full of enchanting beer cafes and enticing chocolate shops offering homemade pralines. We also venture to the village of Esen, home to the "Mad Brewers," one of the most enjoyable brewery stops on our tour. A tour of Belgium wouldn't be complete without a stop in Poperinge, capital of Belgium's hop growing region. Then it's off to explore the southern reaches of the country en route to Brussels. We'll journey to Orval, deep in the Belgian Ardennes, the site of one of the last five surviving trappist breweries in the world. In Brussels, we'll tour the magnificent Grand Place, the Beer Guild and Museum and experience the Bier Circus, where over 100 different beers are served.



A definite highlight of our stay here is the day dedicated to lambic brewing. Among other lambic breweries, we visit the Cantillon Brewery, a private family-owned brewery where lambic, faro, gueuze and kriek are household names, and where a museum has been established to protect the cultural, historical and scientific heritage of the Cantillon Brewery. This unique opportunity to be a part of the "miracle" of lambic brewing only comes around twice a year at their "open brew day." Our tour concludes with a farewell evening in Brussels before the next morning's ride back to Amsterdam for international connections.


Itinerary at a glance:

Tour Dates - November 4-13, 2000



Your Guides on this tour will be:

* Dick Cantwell, Elysian Brewing Co, Seattle, WA
Dick Cantwell is Head Brewer and one of the principal partners of Elysian Brewing Company, a Seattle brewery and beerhall. Prior to opening Elysian, Dick was head brewer at Big Time Brewing and was a brewer at Pike Place Brewery. He has traveled extensively in Europe, and has lived in Germany and Spain. Before becoming a brewer he wrote fiction, and now is a nationally syndicated beer writer, primarily with the magazine American Brewer. He also co-authored the Brewers Publications style book on Barley Wine.

Local Guides
Native guides are an invaluable source of information. They will provide you with an insightful introduction to the wealth of culture, history and age-old customs of their countries.

MIR Corporation, Specialty Tour Operator, Seattle, WA For the past fourteen years MIR Corporation has been creating unique, specialty travel programs for people who share a common interest and passion, and want to explore the world through those eyes. Each of our tours is designed to give participants an in-depth experience of the cultural and educational aspects of each country. European Brewery Adventures were created in 1993 and are part of MIR's "Off the Beaten Path" tour series.

* Specific tour hosts subject to change.