http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12723
There are roughly 80 regular beers on the menu as well as monthly specials, some of them unusual (for example, Het Anker's Gouden Carolus Triple on tap - what a night that was!).

Service is efficient and friendly.

Poechenellkelder means "mannekin cellar" in the local Brussels dialect and you'll find that your bill is also in that dialect, which is similar to Dutch.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12723 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1785 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1785 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1760
You'll meet beer-lovers from all over the world at this event which has out-grown two venues since it was first organised in 1999. It is now held on the Groenplaats in the heart of the city. It IS a commercially-organised event, so there are some beers from the mass-produced, not-very-interesting end of the market, but even so there are more craft-brewed beers than any one person can sample in a weekend.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1760 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1557
The reason for the hand is a legend that a giant called Druoon Antigoon lived on the banks of the River Schelde on the site of what's now Antwerpen and he used to extract a toll, punishing anybody who refused to pay by cutting off one of their hands. He was finally defeated by a Roman soldier, Silvius Brabo (often claimed to be a nephew of Julius Caesar) who symbolically cut off Antigoon's hand and threw it into the river. Thus, according to the legend, the city was named after Brabo's throwing of Antigoon's hand into the Schelde, from the Dutch hand (as in English) and werpen (English: throw).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1557 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1424
Every two years, HORAL, the trade organisation for the producers of this beer, organises the Toer de Gueuze. On one sunday in April, virtually every producer opens its doors to visitors so they can see how this wonderful beer is made. You can make your own way around the producers or you can take a seat on one of a number of coaches that tour around (each coach visiting a different selection of brewers and blenders).

You can sample the beer at every producer and many of them also put on food and entertainment. The day isn't well-publicised outside Belgium, but judging from the number of people I saw when I went on it this year (2005) it's pretty well-known in Belgium. Guided tours round the various producers are only in Dutch, since there isn't really time for multi-lingual commentaries. However, even if you don't understand the language, you'll find the whole experience fascinating (and you'll love the beer.)]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1424 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1374 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1374 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1167
You can tell it's a rough part of town when you go into the Metro station and there's a continuous message in several languages telling you to watch out for pick-pockets. A shame, because the best views of the Monmartre cathedral are to be had from this part of town.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1167 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1165 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1165 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1113 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1113 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1110 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1110 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1108 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1108 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1103 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1103 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1101 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1101 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1089 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1089 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1087 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1087 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1081 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1081 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1080 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1080 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1076 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1076 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2353 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2353