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Purchased this Imperial Stout last summer from the guys themselves at Birra del Bracco (Moneglia) when the heat was turned up during our Italian vacation... so now I’m enjoying the year’s first snowy winter’s evening here in Belgium, and it’s treating me quite all right. Cheers! #birradelbracco #imperialstout #italianbeer #birraitaliana #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKHlGaeF-4s/?igshid=10m4qpvb4kqyu

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Do you like chocolate, roasted caramel and decent dose of anise? Then this puppy - no, I mean kitty - Aristide is for you. Just be careful and slow with your pouring or she’ll jump out and scratch you foaming at the mouth! Don’t worry though, she does calm down treat you well. A collaboration brew from Bryggja Brouwerij with Thuisbrouwerij De Vierkante Meter. Cheers! #aristide #bryggjabrewery #devierkantemeter #stoutbeer #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKHMb1kFOVL/?igshid=uwwoj4i3qa67

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Yes! A sunny Sunday and a couple birding/nature friends over for a terrace tasting of a couple beers waiting for such company - I Shot the Cherry from Dok Brewing Co, and Kerel Rye High from VBDCK - both perfect for such a lovely sunny winter’s day - the one nice and refreshing in the face of the sun, the other soothing and warming in the shadows. Cheers! #ishotthecherry #dokbrewingcompany #pastrysour #kerelryehigh #vbdckbrewery #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ39Ze4F39F/?igshid=10fkvfpv7avs7

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It’s now 2021, I just purchased Brasserie Minne’s 3 new 2020 versions, so ow I’m simply enjoying this Ardenne Wood 2019 My Chipie. Cheers! (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ1MjpKFwvQ/?igshid=1a8c8u4gw0jra

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All this talk and worry about taking vaccines - after taking this Vaccin 1.0, made and distributed by Brouwerij Alvinne, I didn’t experience any negative side effects at all. Actually its refreshing fruity lactic dry-hopped character left me feeling quite fine & dandy. I’m now looking forward to getting another one in 3 weeks. Cheers! #vaccin1 #brouwerijalvinne #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJlvhrsFXpV/?igshid=13o1iu7urkas6

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Going nice and cereal grain, then bitter European noble Saaz hoppy, with this (Dortmunder) Export from Brouwerij De Poes. With repeating - cheers! PS Also with repeating: this homemade lemoncello from B&B Bellevista (Paggi, Italy). Cheers! #depoesexport #brouwerijdepoes #exportdortmunderlager #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer #bbbellavista #lemoncello (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJjGVOolQkS/?igshid=o6nm8j483ro6

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A nice, refreshing & relaxed way to begin 2021: thx La Source Beer Co for this Orvet, a sour session IPA. Cheers! #orvet #lasourcebeerco #soursessionipa #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJgcOj7FTWO/?igshid=1u5paxw6sljdn

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Happy New Year! 🍾🎉🍺 COVID-19 measures: its quite calm here in Balen, Belgium! I’ll be honest, my gut feelings, expectations & hopes for 2021 are quite mixed. That’s why I pulled out this 16.3% Mélange No 3 2017 Edition from The Bruery (Placemtia, Orange County, California), a delicious heavy duty Bourbon Barrel Aged beauty blend of 3 Bruery beers (see photo), guaranteed to make it all come out right. Ok, 2021, let’s do it. Cheers! 🍻 #mélangeno3 #thebruery #californiabeer #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJejAUxlnhH/?igshid=l7hbakhv1i57

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Such an overcast & drab couple of holiday weeks we’ve had here in Belgium, so I just had to break out something colorful, fresh and alive! Thx Brussels Beer Project (and ‘T Hoppecruyt) for this Farm Fresh dry-hopped (DH) with Sorachi Ace. Also fitting & refreshing was Brasserie Atrium’s Garoa (garoa = drizzle in Portugese; don’t ask me why...). Cheers! #farmfresh #brusselsbeerproject #hoppecruyt #freshhops #garoa #brasserieatrium #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJeD_QOFGYu/?igshid=kcyfs31yph4y

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So, did I buy and just enjoy the base 13.5% Mac InMemries 2018 Bourbon Vanilla Whisky Malt Number #4, or was it barrel aged (with one of the Scottish whiskys I just searched online), Brouwerij De Feniks? A strong boozy beer with a balanced sweet burnt caramel sugary peated (cinnamon, cloves, tobacco, ...) vanilla woody bitter tannin character. Cheers! #macinmemries #macinmemries2018 #brouwerijdefeniks #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJbcwD7l_zE/?igshid=1w19hpqw94tg7

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This Chocolate Duchesse Cherry was an aromatic mix of cherry & chocolate (as one might guess) draped like a thick mist over and descending into the base Duchesse with its sharp acetic/lactic vinous tartness, sweet toasted caramels, and bitter dusty woody tannins. Delicious, and great paired with some artisanal Belgian pralines, but I can’t help - I prefer a simple Duchesse. Cheers! #chocolateduchessecherry #brasserieverhaeghe #flemishred #vlaamsroodbruin #cherrychocolate #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJY3eu6lthz/?igshid=nhfz8dogi8c4

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...been a long time since I rock and rolled... with a ‘fresh’ Oerbier Special Reserva. Brewed in 2017 and bottled in 2017; nice & balanced acetic acidity, roasted caramel, some dark fruits and mild spice, dry dusty oak woody tannins, ... - yum. Cheers! #oerbierspecialreserva #oerbierspecialreserva2017 #dedollebrouwers #barrelagedbeer #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJWSZC0F2B5/?igshid=1wlqzs0t90nfj

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Tonight my thoughts went back to my family & friends in California (+ other states), to another holiday season miles away from home, and to those wonderful memories that trick my mind into feeling as if I’m closer to home than I actually am. Purchased while visiting CA 3 years ago, a day trip to the Mad River Brewing Company (Blue Lake, CA), this formidable & tasty 12.2% John Barleycorn 2017 Bourbon Barrel. Cheers! #johnbarleycorn2017 #johnbarleycornbourbon #madriverbrewing #californiabeer #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJUJYiAFcQj/?igshid=1wiz1c5wwx4ex

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A third king, Melchior, past through Balen today. He didn’t seem to be in much of a hurry, as if he was just enjoying the sweet caramel fruity buzz of life, this while also being a bit amber toasted. Cheers! Brewed at Brouwerij Pirlot for/by Brouwerij Alvinne. #melchior #brouwerijalvinne #christmasbeer #kerstbier #bieredenoel #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJRD2skFlIj/?igshid=15w6cf8rl3sn

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Shhhh, everybody... oh, wait, too late, I just woke up Barrel Aged Baby Jesus. No worries though, Brouwerij ‘T Verzet, no crying, just happy (later to be giddy) smiles here in Balen, Belgium. Baby Jesus ripened 6 months on Gouden Carolus Single Malt Whisky barrel. Merry Christmas everybody; Happy Holidays! Cheers! #barrelagedbabyjesus #babyjesusbarrelaged #babyjesus #barrelagedbeer #xmasbeer #christmasbeer #kerstbier #bieredenoel #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJOpbeylVD0/?igshid=fbveu92y6goa

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Port wine barrel + Imperial Stout = to die for. Just luvin’ this AÚN MÁS A JESÚS from Evil Twin Brewing. Cheers! #aunmasajesus #eviltwinbrewing #barrelagedstout #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJMnK6NlHdL/?igshid=c16ii1unqhxd

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Today two kings journeyed through Balen, of all places. First to wander by was a solid bitter Old World fruity Gaspar, and then about an hour later a dark & holiday spicy Balthazar happened by. Both very nice; they say all good things come in 3’s, but I guess I can’t complain and need to be patient. Anyway, all this walking royalty makes me wonder what’s going on... Jupiter & Saturn did look impressive this evening. Cheers! Brewed at Brouwerij Pirlot for/by Brouwerij Alvinne. #gaspar #balthazar #3kings #brouwerijalvinne #christmasbeer #kerstbier #bieredenoel #belgium #belgië #belgie #belgique #belgian #belgianbeer #belgischbier #bièrebelge #bierebelge #beer #bier #bière #biere #instabeer #beerphoto #beerlover #beerstagram #craftbeer #beertasting #BeTheBelgianBeer (at Balen, Antwerpen, Belgium) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJMZx58lFW6/?igshid=ljefb9gcz3s9