The Bottle Shop

The Bottle ShopThe Bottle Shop
The Bottle ShopThe Bottle Shop
Store

Wollestraat 13
Brugge, 8000
Belgium

+32 50 34 99 80 | map
thebottleshop.be
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.32
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
52
pDev:
8.8%
View: Place Reviews
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Photo of Beerasaurus
Reviewed by Beerasaurus from Virginia

4.66/5  rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Located right off the main square the shop is large by local standards. The selection of beers, sours and glassware was impressive, with some gin and mixers as well. The shop is very well organized and clean. If you visit on a weekday in the off season it is not busy at all. Weekends are another story, packed. Had all 3 Westvleterens available, a little pricey at 10 and 12 Euros per bottle. The rest of the beers were reasonably priced in my mind. Now if you ask the local guy at t' Bruges Beertje, he thinks its expensive. It really depends on your perspective or desire to grab some hard-to-find beers. If you want a great selection of beer and glassware, it's worth a stop. I will say if you're looking for De Struise beers, their shop around the corner has a better selection--with a caveat of limited hours.
Apr 02, 2020
 
Rated: 3.83 by BdM from Netherlands

May 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.34 by vfgccp from New York

May 10, 2019
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

4.45/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.75
Not a huge store compared to what we have in America, but the selection of mainstream and limited Belgian beer was great. Good selection of glasses as well. Prices on some of the limited stuff was high, but not much alternative if you want to pick up bottles of Westvleteren (10 Euro for the 12) or special releases from De Struise.
Dec 14, 2018
 
Rated: 4.22 by REVZEB from Illinois

Aug 25, 2018
 
Rated: 4.26 by ckeegan04 from Texas

May 22, 2018
Photo of JamFuel
Reviewed by JamFuel from Sweden

4.57/5  rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
The Bottle Shop is a large store just off the main square in Bruges.

Vibe is pretty calm and laidback, and the store is very clean and organized. Proper glassware is availble for many of the beers, and the glasses sit next to the appropriate bottles. The selection is huge, from all the staples to some more obscure and some highly vaunted beer. They had six or seven different versions of Black Damnation, and a lot of stuff I've never heard of. A few Cantillons were available, and some 3F as well, including Hommage.

The service was excellent as we chatted for a while with one of the people working there about beer and a dessert wine they had just gotten in. He offered us a sample, and we ended up buying a bottle. We went in the next day and talked to another of the workers, and she was just delightful, funny and knowledgeable.

Overall, a great store. Prices were fair, and the selection huge. Definitely worth a visit or two.
Sep 19, 2017
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.53/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75
Great shop with a ton of beer. Had glasses for most of the beer. Prices were reasonable, and they had a few Cantillon and 3F. Westvleteren was also reasonably priced - better than Brussels.
Sep 02, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by tobelerone from New Jersey

May 16, 2017
 
Rated: 4.24 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania

Oct 12, 2016
 
Rated: 4.36 by Charvey02

Apr 17, 2016
 
Rated: 4.58 by DanielCseklye from Belgium

Feb 28, 2016
 
Rated: 4 by Highbury09 from North Carolina

Feb 12, 2016
Photo of Jwale73
Reviewed by Jwale73 from Rhode Island

4.23/5  rDev -2.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25
This place was a stone's throw (literally) from our hotel and right off the square. I walked by it multiple times because it was in the heart of the tourist district, but I was very happy I walked in. In my opinion, The Bottle Shop killed De Biertempel. The place is huge, clean and well-organized and the glassware selection is unparalleled - unfortunately, they did not have the one glass I was looking for (Drie Fonteinen Stem). That said the sheer amount of bottles was amazing. They had a few hard to find beers from Struise (i.e. some of the screen Black Damnations, as well as some of their ice beers). Lambic/gueuze selection was solid, but no wales - standard Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen lin-up, as well as some of the Horals mega-blends, De Cam, etc.. I found the prices pretty reasonable and the mark-up on Cantillon wasn't that much more (maybe a couple euros) than what I paid at Cantillon. They also had Westy 12's & 8's which were on-par with pricing in the rest of the city. What was also cool was they had the a nice Het Anker boxed set featuring their beers and whiskey - too big and heavy due to my other purchases, but I definitely thought about it. A very cool place and worth a stop. I'd be shocked if you don't find at least something that tickles your fancy.
Nov 26, 2015
 
Rated: 3.86 by McMegaRad from Colorado

Sep 15, 2015
 
Rated: 4.4 by halo3one from Georgia

Sep 07, 2015
 
Rated: 4.36 by troypepito from Italy

Jul 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.22 by HopBelT from Belgium

May 18, 2015
Photo of Rifugium
Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

4/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Just another of many good shops in Bruges with a lot to offer. Selection and prices are about on par with everywhere else, and while there's not necessarily anything different here, it's still worth checking out.
May 05, 2015
Photo of captaincoffee
Reviewed by captaincoffee from Virginia

4.15/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5
First visit to Bruges and this store was the first thing standing in front of me where I was dropped off. I'd already seen the reviews, so I marched right in. Pretty much has most of what you want. Prices on common more stuff is definitely higher than the big supermarkets (where I stocked up on Rochefort, Westmalle, St Bernadus, etc). But, there is lots more here. Prices on the harder (not rare) stuff seems pretty fair. I couldn't find any of the rarer stuff I was looking for. They only had the most common Cantillon stuff and I couldn't find a single bottle of any 3F offerings. Almost no saisons. They did have Westy, but I'm going there in person to pick up anyway. Overall, a great store.
Mar 31, 2015
 
Rated: 4.42 by hotsudge from Canada (ON)

Dec 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.04 by simoen from Belgium

Dec 28, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by JackNip from Delaware

Oct 24, 2014
Photo of BMMillsy
Reviewed by BMMillsy from Florida

3.99/5  rDev -7.6%
Can’t complain here as I walked out with a bunch of Westvleteren. Apparently these are shelf beers in Belgium. Anyway c OK selection with some Black Damnation 750s but not much limited stuff. Already out of Cantillon. Tourists I’m sure go nuts for stuff they don’t realize they can just get at home. Good service, OK prices. All good beer. Definitely worth a stop in if for nothing else than some Westvleteren variants.
Sep 01, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by cmrillo from North Carolina

Aug 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by millelacsmark from Minnesota

Aug 07, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by atrocity from Virginia

Jul 21, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by RobertH50 from Texas

Jul 16, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by Kikat2680 from Texas

Jun 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Nolen12 from Kentucky

Mar 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by CBHird from Florida

Jan 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by jkball01 from Kentucky

Dec 02, 2013
Photo of dirtylou
Reviewed by dirtylou from Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Easy to spot and one of the larger, by square footage, stores in all of Brugge.

The selection was strong - some Cantillon and 3F stuff I didn't see elsewhere in Brugge. Large shelves full of all the classics and trappists at a slightly higher price point than you may find at some of the shops a little further from the center.

Definitely worthy of inclusion in your Brugge beerhunting itinerary.
Aug 31, 2013
Photo of nonpo
Reviewed by nonpo from Germany

4.8/5  rDev +11.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
I was hesitant about visiting this shop after reading a previous review. But decided to give it a shot anyway.... GLAD I DID!!! The owner Sylvia was very helpful in assisting us in finding our selections and even recommended some things we had not tried based on what we liked. She was and is spot on!!!

I noticed a previous post that I have to believe was complete bunk regarding taking photos in the shop.. we not only took photos, but took then with Sylvia!!! Not sure why someone would post something like that, but ask about it when you go in and share a laugh...honestly it is one of the more ludicrous posts I have come across and so far from what I experienced.

Atmosphere---The store is very clean and organized with a good selection of beers you might expect and some you might not. Accompanying each beer is appropriate glassware.... very cool indeed! Only thing that would make it better is having someplace to sit and enjoy a beverage... that would make it perfect :O)

Quality--Due to location and amount of customers, beers rotate naturally and the replacements are stored downstairs in appropriate darkness and temp... in other words unlike some other shops I have visited, there are not bottles that appear to have been exposed to too much light :O)

Service --- Another thing they do very well is package all of your purchases... individually wrapped and ready for transport to your hotel or luggage! Sylvia even recommended some beers based on "what we liked" and she was/is spot on!!!! It is nice when the owner knows her products!!!

The store can get a bit busy at times (we have returned at least 3 times since our initial visit)
If this bothers you and you are in the area, just ask when a slower time is and stop in then... you will be amazed at how nice the staff is!!

Selections-- We also scored some harder to find St Sixtus Abdy wooden crates... that was a cool find! There are some selections that are not on display but are available... just ask!

It is a bottle shop in a touristy area... but unless you are going to pay high cab costs and hunt out a "locals shop" this a great place to grab some beer. Highly recommend going when you can spend some time with the staff or owner and talk beer... very good people!!!!
Aug 07, 2013
Photo of BeerTampa
Reviewed by BeerTampa from Florida

4.6/5  rDev +6.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
Absolutely loved this bottle shop.

- great organization- krieks were together, oud bruins were together, all the rarer stuff was together.

- prices were completely reasonable. They were cheaper than all of the tourist shops and had a much better selection.

- staff was super friendly and seemed knowledgeable. Only one woman working. I asked her where the Flanders styles were and she pointed the shelf where they were. Also, I picked up a de Ranke Kriek but wasn't sure if it was a Lindeman's type Kriek or a Cantillon type Kriek. I asked her if it was sweet and she replied definitively "no, no sweet at all." Wrapped up all my purchases individually and asked if I was flying home and gave me bubble wrap.

- Westy- I was just talking to her as she rang me up about how we can get most of the popular beer back in the US. she asked about Westy and I told her about the Gift 6-pack release. I asked if she had any and she did: $9 for the blond, $10 for the tripel, and $11 for the quad. She was out of the tripel but I took the other two. There was a tourist shop selling for $17 down the street.
Jun 06, 2013
Photo of geedub11
Reviewed by geedub11 from England

3.86/5  rDev -10.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4.25
In the heart of Brugges, so one would expect a little bit higher price per bottle. The bottle selection is pretty good if you are visiting Belgium and would like to take a variety of the common Belgium beer styles home.

I actually like to buy most of my beer from the Carrefour supermarket chain because the price per bottle for the more common stuff is about €1 cheaper.
May 18, 2013
Photo of adamlr23
Reviewed by adamlr23 from Belgium

2.75/5  rDev -36.3%
vibe: 1 | quality: 3 | service: 1 | selection: 5
I shopped in several local beer stores on my trip and the attitude here is is the worst!! The only bad encounter I had in Bruges at all was in this shop! Other than that the people are delightful and they have a great city.

This store was the second place I visited, and being that I intended to buy several beers and make a large purchase I asked for some advice. The woman rude to begin with, which I was going to let pass (I just came from Paris). However when I asked about the Westvleteren 12 she had displayed (with a very reasonable price) she refused to sell it to me and said it was for display only. I picked it up and showed her there was a price on all of the bottles and she literally snatched it from my hand and put it back (and muttered something dirty about Americans under her breath). Needless to say I was totally dumbfounded by this put down the basket I had collected and left. If she doesn't want the business of Americans, I say don't give it to her! The Bier Temple down the block was very friendly and sold me the exact same beer, no fuss. What that woman's deal is I will never know, but there are too many good beer stores in the area with great selections for me to recommend a fellow American shop here where we are obviously not wanted. and it's too bad, looked like a cool store, and easily could have been. But if your American do me and yourself a favor and go somewhere else.
Apr 21, 2013
Photo of willseph
Reviewed by willseph from Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +11.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
One of my main destinations for my weekend in Brugge, this place was the best bottle shop I visited in my three weeks touring Belgium. The ladies who worked there were more than willing to walk me through the shop and answer all of the dumb questions I had as well as make recommendations on what I should buy to drink now vs. age. They were also able to help me find the de Garre pub, which was a huge help as it's not easy to find. Prices are comparable to the Beer Temple and other shops in the area.
Dec 12, 2011
Photo of ccorbett0
Reviewed by ccorbett0 from Maryland

5/5  rDev +15.7%
We recently took a Eurotrip over the Thanksgiving holiday. A welcome change eating mussels and fries vs. the traditional turkey and mashed potatoes. Anyways, the main purpose of going to Belgium was to enjoy their wonderful brews (every other country we went to also had great selections of Belgium brew). We went to every bottle shop in Brugge and the very last one we went to, the Bottle Shop, had exactly what we were looking for, Westy 12. I was very excited as all the other stores told us we could only get it from the brewery/monastery itself. Bought one bottle for 10 euros and they packaged it ready to be packed and brought back to the US. The guy behind the counter also made a good suggestion for a nice saison. Overall, this is the place to go to get some nice Belgium brew when in Brugge. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!
Jan 04, 2011
The Bottle Shop in Brugge, Belgium
Place rating: 4.32 out of 5 with 52 ratings