Food & Beer Culture

In Antwerp, a Kopstootje is the classic order to go with a Bolleke. It's a glass of Genever, Flemish juniper spirit, served alongside the beer. Tradition has it that this is how people used to drink in the café: the beer as a thirst-quencher, the spirit as the little 'head-butt.'

Cooking around Antwerp uses beer too. Vlaams stoofvlees is a beef stew braised with onions and dark beer, served with fries or bread and mustard. The beer adds acidity, sweetness and depth, while the onions turn soft and sweet.

Mechelen is home to the Mechelse Koekoek, a chicken breed known for its tender meat. The meat is mild, making it a good match for a low-hop, fruit-forward beer.

Antwerpse Handjes are pastries and chocolates shaped like a hand. They trace back to the legend of the soldier Silvius Brabo, who is said to have cut off the hand of the giant Antigoon and thrown it into the Scheldt. They pair well with Dubbel, since its roasted notes and caramel complement the sweetness of the pastry.

Around Westmalle Abbey, the monks' own cheese is part of the picture. Strong cheeses pair well with Tripel, since the carbonation cuts through the fat and the spicy character of the yeast picks up the cheese's flavor.

Bolleke comes in a small glass; downing large quantities at once isn't the done thing in the cafés — you simply order another. The abbey beers, at 7 to 10 percent alcohol, are sipped more slowly, alongside a piece of cheese or bread. Unlike in Bavaria, beer in Belgium is usually served at the table like a glass of wine, not poured from a jug.