Last week I visited the open brewery days at WestmalleTrappist. It was a well organised event with a parcourse throughout the whole place. Lots of info on the history, but also on the brewing method and the ingredients. For instance:
Did you know their beers are brewed with the whole hopflower and not with pellets?
The Art Deco copper brewing system from the twenties was amazing to see, as well as the huge new brewing room.
I also spotted some barrels of fresh yeast, ready to be picked up by the Trappist brothers of West-Vleteren. Did you know they pick up fresh yeast at Westmalle before every brew?
It was great to look around and see how it all works for them. At the end there was an enjoyable tasting with their homemade cheeses. Yum!
Heritage days /Journées du Patrimoine/ Open Monumentendagen
20 & 21 SEPT. 2025
Exciting news! Hoppiness Brussels will participate in the Heritage Days this year!
ART DECO, Roaring Twenties, Crash Years
For this 37th edition, Urban will show this artistic movement from a new perspective, as part of the 2025 Art Deco Year. We will not only delve into the movement’s well-known aesthetics and luxury, but also explore its urban, architectural, sociological, and human dimensions.
Under the theme ART DECO – Roaring Twenties, Crash Years, the event will highlight a wide spectrum of heritage: from buildings, façades, and interiors to furniture, collections, intangible heritage, and public spaces.
Hoppiness Brussels and Hoppyz have together worked out a workshop and presentation that will be hosted in both our tasting rooms. Hoppiness in Jette (NL / ENG) en Hoppyz in Forest (FR/ENG).
The subject will be:
How the Interwar Period Shaped Belgian Beer Culture
The events of the period between the two world wars had a big influence on daily life and on the Belgian Beer culture. From the roaring twenties to the popular World Exhibitions, from the American prohibition to the Great Depression: breweries were impacted immensely and had to adjust. Local beer experts Helene and Carien will be your hosts during these special workshops at their tasting rooms and take the participants through the changes of this time and the impact on Belgian beer culture. You will learn about a few beer styles that were popular then and see what happened to those styles and to the Belgian of those times.
Beer Idiots came to visit my tasting room and asked a lot questions about me & my business Hoppiness Brussels Thanks so much for coming Ahmed! And sorry about being a little camera shy; I can talk about beer for hours, but when there is a camera in my face it suddenly seems harder to find my words 🙂
Last week I was in Mainz for the Women’s International Trophy. The Women’s International Trophy is a unique event in Germany and a top-level tasting: wines, beers, and spirits from all over the world are tasted by an international jury made up entirely of women. All the tasters, sommeliers, oenologists, etc. are experts in the field. It was great to be part of this event again and taste so many excellent beers!
Did you know that the Bourse building in the centre of Brussels (the former stock exchange) is built on top of the remains of a 13th century convent? The bourse building was recently completely restored and inside you can find a beautiful walk way, a café, restaurant and Belgian Beer World, an interactive museum experience about beer.
A ticket to Belgian Beer World will also include entry to Bruxella 1238, the museum underneath the building. Inside is allegedly the tomb of Duke John 1st of Brabant, known as Gambrinus, the legendary king of beer. We have a collaboration with the museum and you will get 10% discount on tickets bought online using the code: HOPPINESS10
It’s also possible to hire me as a guide for your visit of Belgian Beer World. (ENG/NL). You can contact me directly by email for this or contact BBW for a package deal and ask for me.
I had a great time in Lyon last week. Two days of judging beers for Concours International de Lyon and meeting so many beer friends (again) and discussing beer together. It was an interesting and well organised event and it was lovely to discover the beautiful city of Lyon as well. Definitely an experience to remember!
We are extremely proud to be nominated for the Brussels Treasure Award at the Visit Brussels Awards 2025.
Brussels’ roots are the essence of this award. The winning project tells an authentic Brussels story.
Our introduction on Visit Brussels: Hoppiness Brussels, led by sommelier Carien Touwen, offers immersive experiences that explore the richness of Belgian and Brussels beer culture. In the cozy ambiance of a traditional Belgian café, every tasting session combines storytelling about the history of beer, discovery of local brews and gourmet pairings tailored to participants’ expectations. Since 2024, these tastings have also been offered in corporate settings, transforming offices into convivial spaces for initiations into beer culture. It’s an original and enriching way to share Belgian beer heritage, ideal for employees and (inter)national visitors alike.
And when you vote, don’t forget to vote for CoHop in the category Co-Creation. We are big fans of this Brewery! CoHop is an innovative cooperative brewery that brings together four Brussels microbreweries at the heart of the Etterbeek Arsenal.
