Food & Beer Culture

Ghent's signature dish is called Gentse Waterzooi: a stew in a pale, creamy broth with leek, carrot, and potato, traditionally made with fish but often with chicken today. A light, low-bitterness beer suits it well. A Gruut Wit or Blond, with its herbal notes, pairs nicely with the creamy broth, since no sharp hop bitterness disrupts the mildness.

Oud Bruin pairs well with hearty braised meat, since its acidity cuts through the fat and the malt sweetness picks up the meat's roasted notes. In Flanders, people traditionally cook "stoverij," a braised dish, adding a splash of brown beer to the sauce. Strongly flavored cheese also works well with that mild interplay of acidity.

Strong beers like Delirium Tremens or Kwak are too heavy for a highly spiced meal. They pair better with cheese or dessert. Kwak is traditionally served in 33 cl portions—the emphasis is on the glass, not the quantity.

In July, Ghent celebrates its "Gentse Feesten," a ten-day city festival with music and street stages, where beer served from the tap and the bottle is simply part of the scene. Oudenaarde, meanwhile, is a finish point on the Tour of Flanders cycling race, and the café serving the brown beer there is part of local cycling culture.

The picture that emerges: East Flanders drinks at an easy pace. A beer lingers on the table, the food is hearty, and breweries like Liefmans or Roman feel like neighbors rather than brands from far away. Taste the brown beer here, and you're tasting a piece of Oudenaarde's own history.