Visit the Lys Valley Brewery Days

Sample the beers while enjoying the music at Klondiker. (photo: Toerisme Leiestreek vzw) Brewery Rodenbach in Roeselare offers visits. (photo: AF-Fotografie)

21 BREWERIES IN THE LYS VALLEY THROW OPEN THEIR DOORS

Visit the Lys Valley Brewery Days

For the autumn calendar, Toerisme Leiestreek organises the Lys Valley Brewery Days, with 21 participating breweries. Each weekend between 14 October and 27 November will see selected breweries throw open their doors to visitors, along with special beer events. No need to panic about choices: there’s time to visit them all!

Each weekend between 14 October and 27 November, you have the opportunity to meet a selection of brewers from the Lys Valley. Learn all about their creative brews in the course of brewery visits, tastings, tours, workshops and more at the Lys Valley Brewery Days. Visit www.toerisme-leiestreeke.be/ brouwerijdagen to see the full schedule and plan out your visits. Will you pick out your favourite breweries? Or will you be tempted to a fun experience at a brewery you hadn’t heard of before? Perhaps both? In the Lys Valley, it’s up to you. Here are a few highlights:

Beer & Food workshop with a tour of Brewery

Rodenbach: Try out two ‘abeeritifs’, a visit to the cellars, and autumn bites. Packed with delicious explanations. Beer & Music at Klondiker Brewery: Brewer Dirk will guide you around the brewery and you can try the beers while enjoying snatches of live music.

Story trail “From Castle Verhaeghe to Brewery

Verhaeghe”: Storyteller Pol Ostyn will be your guide. After the walk, you’ll get a tour of the brewery’s cask room and a chance to try four different beers.

Brewery tour, tasting and Perfect Serve OMER.

session at Brewery Omer Vander Ghinste: Learn to pull a perfect pint, with tips for getting that glass of OMER. just right. 

Visit www.toerisme-leiestreek.be/brouwerijdagen for full details. Some of the events have compulsory registration and limited places, so don’t wait too long! Plan a packed beer weekend with beer bars, a beer cycle tour or hike, and more! Take a look at our custom beer trips at www.toerisme-leiestreek/en/beer

Try a beer from De Circus Brewery (photo: Toerisme Leiestreek vzw) The welcoming terrace at Brewery/Brasserie ’t Gaverhopke. (photo: Toerisme Leiestreek vzw)

Boats, breweries and bars: bike the Lys Valley canal trail

Waregem station is the start point for a fantastic beer & bike trail through the southwest of the Lys Valley. Pause en route at local breweries and stop to chat with the local bar managers.

Between junctions 72 and 94, we’ll pause at Brewery/ Brasserie ’t Gaverhopke. This is a historic farmhouse with a beautiful terrace where you can try the homemade beers and enjoy the brasserie cuisine. We’ll then ride towards Deerlijk. Between junctions 94 and 14, we might make a small detour to visit gastro pub ’t Kruiske with its selection of some 170 beers. Next, we’ll find the Flanders red ale Duchesse de Bourgogne, brewed at Brewery Verhaeghe (Vichte). The brewery is located close to junction 14. At Vichteplaats, we can pop into the traditional pub Den Hert to sample a selection of Verhaeghe beers. Between junctions 13 and 31, we’ll be delighting in the dreamy landscape as we ride along the BossuitKortrijk canal. Our route now takes us towards Zwevegem. Between junctions 31 and 95, we’ll find the young acrobats from De Circus Brewery behind their brew kettles. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays you can try their beers in their tasting room. We carry on through Ingooigem, the village where Stijn Streuvels lived. In d’Halve Maan (between junctions 25 and 20) why not stop for a pick-me-up with their suggestion of the week, or cake of the day in the afternoon. Their menu also boasts a fine selection of West Flanders beers. Around junction 8, we’ll cycle past the delightful Sint-Arnolduspark, also known as the woods of Tiegembos. Our route takes us over bridges, by ponds and fountains. If you fancy something local for lunch, try the practical picnic basket. You’ll need to book it in advance from www.picknickkast.be. We cycle through Anzegem and towards Waregem. A small detour at junction 6 brings us to Brewery ’t Verzet and its maverick young brewers. We’re getting close to the end of the ride now, but there’s time for a stop at ’t Labierint (between junctions 21 and 47) to try their huge selection of speciality and Trappist beers, perhaps paired with a homemade hamburger.

THE ROUTE Distance: 48 km Start: Waregem station

Follow junctions:

67  47  92  72  94  14  65  64  3  13  31  95  58  90  96  25  20  8  53  13  6  35  34  4  24  21  47  67

Find more beer trails for foot or bike (with or without guide) in the Lys Valley: www.toerisme-leiestreek.be/ en/beer

Café The Mash at Brewery D’Oude Maalderij. (photo: Toerisme Leiestreek vzw) Trying Triporteur beers in the BOMBrewery. (photo: Toerisme Leiestreek vzw)

Meet beer buffs and master brewers on a unique cycle tour

Following this beery cycle trail in the Lys Valley, you’ll meet enthusiastic master brewers, beer geeks and beer lovers from Roeselare, Meulebeke, Ingelmunster and Izegem. The route starts at Roeselare station.

As we reach junction 22, we’ll find Brewery Rodenbach. You can book in advance for a brewery tour and view the imposing foeder room with its 294 oak barrels. After the tour, try one (or more) of Rodenbach’s fresh beers. From Roeselare, we’ll carry on towards Meulebeke, past the young Rhodesgoed woodland, which shelters a brasserie. In Meulebeke, you’ll find home brewery Klondiker. Visit the tasting room on Saturday after 5pm or Sunday after 3pm to try out the brews in the cosy atmosphere. We’ll take the new bridge over the Roeselare-Lys Canal to reach De Fagot, a traditional music pub (near junction 68). We’ll then ride on towards Izegem, passing the impressive Bierkasteel Vanhonsebrouck at junction 83. Individual brewery tours are on offer three times a day, Tuesday to Saturday, and include a tasting session and a 75cl gift bottle of speciality beer. Michelle’s Pub & Brasserie has some fantastic beer cuisine options and speciality beers. Refreshed, we’ll keep going to junction 12, where we’ll make a small detour to call in at Brewery D’Oude Maalderij and The Mash Café. The Mash – beer meets nostalgia – has repeatedly been designated best brewpub in Belgium. As we ride through Izegem and between junctions 20 and 21, we’ll spot Oude Sint-Pieter. This traditional Belgian pub & café will catapult you back into days of yore as you sample from a selection of 85 local beers. We’ll continue through the Wallemote-Wolvenhof park back to Roeselare – but with one more brewery to pass: BOMBrewery between junctions 95 and 40. On Fridays and Saturdays you can try their Triporteur beer. 

THE ROUTE Distance: 42,6 km Start: Roeselare station

Follow junctions:

32  22  26  78  24  53  27  64  74  68  83  12  21  20  50  95  40  92  94  22  32

Find more beer trails for foot or bike (with or without guide) in the Lys Valley: www.toerisme-leiestreek.be/ en/beer