Brasserie Cantillon

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

5/5  rDev +9.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $

A dream come true. I made it to Brasserie Cantillon.

Upon entering, I discover a few open lambics nestled in their baskets atop upright barrels. Behind the lambic pouring station is a chalk menu of available beers listed three or even four times lower than U.S. prices (assuming you are fortunate enough to find Cantillon here in the U.S.). Fou' Foune, Vigneronne, Lou Pepe Kriek, Mamouche, Saint-Gilloise, Classic Gueuze, Rosé de Gambrinus, and more. What a list!

For six euros, you can take a tour of the brewery / museum. Barrels upon barrels, brewing equipment, crates, kegs, etc. Bottles that look as though they are from a different era, caked with a thick, dense layer of dust and cobwebs. This is where it all happens.

Service was simply outstanding. After taking a self-paced, self-guided tour, I was able to enjoy a few glasses of lambic with Jean. We chatted at length about beer, which was awesome and surreal. After approximately a half hour of various Cantillon related topics, Jean disappeared to get "something very special". He reappeared with a sample of an experimental 9.7% unblended 30 month lambic. Truly a once in a lifetime experience and opportunity right there.

I only spent two days in Brussels, but I made sure to spend a fair portion of each day at Brasserie Cantillon. I'm so glad I did. The best brewery in the world.

11-04-2012 04:00:51 | More by Huhzubendah

Compton25

Texas

4.93/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | $$

Visited 4/13/13

Showed up in the afternoon to a packed tasting room. We were able to jump on an English speaking tour with 30 minutes. Afterwards we wandered through the brewery on our on, taking our time and pictures. Loved seeing the vintage bottles lined along the walls.

We sampled Zwanze 2012, LP Kriek, Classic, and St. Lam. Indulged on 2 extra bottles of Zwanze to have in the tasting room. The prices on the bottles to go were outstanding, much cheaper than some of Brussels' well known beer shops. Picked up some nice glassware for a few euros also.

Really enjoyed our time at Cantillon, it seems a world away from downtown Brussels. We spent roughly 3 hours visiting and drinking, only leaving when the closed the doors. Definitely a must do anytime in Brussels.

On a side note, I found it much easier to spend a few euros on a cab than walking from the city square... especially on the way back!

05-10-2013 23:02:55 | More by Compton25

backbaybrewer

Massachusetts

4.73/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited 4/23/2013

Mecca for lovers of sour beer. Took a day trip from London to Brussels for the sole purpose of visiting this gem.

A fantastic brewery with a self guided tour. The really let you go deep into the brewery and poke around. They only ask that you don't touch. Wish I could have gone during the brewing season (late September to late April). We just missed it. Otherwise a fantastic experience.

Sampled the standard tour samples: the straight lambic and the kriek. Then we just started buying bottles. A bottle of fou fone, zwanzee, rose de gambrinus, and Lou peep kriek later and we were in heaven. Prior to coming here I had oly ever had the gueze.

Then things really got interesting. This is when I busted out my suitcase and loaded it up with four and a half cases of 750ml bottles to pack out. Got a few funny looks when I started packing the bottles with my daughter's diapers. But I think the staff enjoyed watching. All told I brought back 26 bottles. 6 st lam, 6 iris, 6 rose de gambrinus, 4 50nx4e, 2 grand cru and 2 vigneronne. Had to break it into two suitcases because of the airline baggage restrictions, but for those considering a similar move, it can be done.

Anyway. I don't regret going all the way to Brussels and seeing basically nothing but cantillon. That's how great this place is, if you are a fan that is.

05-01-2013 02:01:32 | More by backbaybrewer

khwheel

South Carolina

5/5  rDev +9.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Visited 4/20/13

Self guided tour around premises. Free samples. Exceptionally priced bottles in tasting room. Happy people in abundance.

Sampled bottles of:
Gueuze
Kriek
Rose de Gambrinus
Vigneronne
Iris
Lou Pepe
Grand Cru Bruocsella
Cuvee Saint- Gilloise

04-27-2013 13:44:05 | More by khwheel

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4.83/5  rDev +5.5%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.75 | $$

Visited the brewery on 4/8/2013 - first in the door at 9am. By far, the highlight of my trip to Belgium. The self-guided tour was amazing. I felt like I was going back in time the further I went through the brewery, from the coolship to the to the oak barrels to the racks of aging bottles scattered throughout. The vibe of the tasting room was wonderful - very rustic with a wood fueled stove and pendant lights made out of vintage Cantillon bottles. I purchased a Zwanze 2012 and my friend and I were served by the lovely Julie Van Roy who patiently answered our questions and generously offered us a second sample of gueuze as well as a pour of Cuvee St. Gilloise. Just a wonderful and memorable experience.

04-19-2013 23:51:56 | More by Jwale73

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.93/5  rDev +7.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.75 | selection: 5 | $$

Visited there last spring while touring Brussels. They do a great tour of the brewery and then leave you in a tasting area. The tour is one of the best I've had. Walking in from city center is a bit of a hike, but stepping into the brewery is like stepping back in time. There are dusty bottles all over the place, aging and waiting to be labeled. The staff is friendly, service is great.

It's a must-see for beer lovers in Belgium.

02-16-2013 13:50:28 | More by Beerstorian

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.73/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

This place is a MUST VISIT for anyone who fancies themselves a fan of sour beers--especially gueuze and authentic lambic beers. They still do everything here the same way they did it in 1900 when they were founded, and if you are lucky enough to visit on one of two Public Brewing Session days they do each year, you'll get to see it first-hand.

I was lucky enough to be in Brussels when they did a Public Brewing Session in March and it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of my entire trip to Europe. On the Public day, tours are part of the experience, but you have to make the effort to schedule a private tour otherwise. Two things stood out to me during my visit: 1) the fabulous aromas of the various types of lambic, kriek, gueuze that fill the brewery, and 2) the charm of the old-world process, especially the way in which Brussels' location in the middle of a valley (and the resulting microfauna) imparts the unique characteristics to their beer. At Cantillon, they use an enormous copper resting pan in a room that has slatted windows that allow the valley air into the room.

I know they do an Open Brewing Session every year in early March. I've been told they do a second one, but I don't know when that one takes place. It's worth the effort to make the trek.

01-02-2013 03:34:30 | More by LambicPentameter

SStein

North Carolina

4.73/5  rDev +3.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $

My wife, daughter and I stopped through here while wandering around Brussels on New Year's Eve. We stopped by about 1300, and it was semi-crowded. There was a mix of younger people and older people. After browsing the take home beers and waiting for the crowd to die at the "bar" area, I bought a bottle of Lou Pepe Kriek for my wife and I to split, which we both enjoyed immensely. Inside was extremely laid back. The mixed crowd all seemed to be enjoying the place, and the wood stove kept it quite warm. The crowds started to pick up about an hour later as we leaving, having a cranky baby to attend and a meeting later that day with another BA. On our way out we picked up a few bottles and glasses to go. They were out of stock of stuff for take home as it was out of season, however many of those beers they had on hand to sample within the brewery. They were very well priced, and one was nearly half the price at one the beer shops near Le Grande Place. I can't wait to go back and pick up more beer and to actually take the tour.

01-01-2013 13:37:19 | More by SStein

Radome

Spain

4.43/5  rDev -3.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $

Review is based on my second visit, which was in mid-Oct 2012. I visited here about 5 years ago but did not submit a BA review.

Brewery is a little difficult to find, but there is a useful brochure available at the Tourist Info Center in the Grand Place that helps. Easy walk from Gar du Midi train station (you can almost see the station when standing at the brewery door). Look up high to see the brewery name in large letters on the outside wall. It is easy to miss if you have your eyes at street level.

This is an incredible value. For 6 Euros you get a self-guided tour and keepsake "program", along with two cask beer tastings from a typical 4 to 5 choices. If two tastes are not enough, you can buy additional tastings at 2 - 3 Euros each. If a beer lover goes to Brussels and does not pay a visit, they are just screwing up!

I can't say anything about this brewery that hasn't already been written. It is a true world classic and deserves to be recognized as a working museum by anyone who is interested in the history of beer and/or industrialization. I regret that both times I've been there were at times of the year when there was no active brewing or fermentation going on. However, just looking at the open fermentation "cooling tun", where the wild yeast magic happens, is enough to give an average beer lover goose bumps. Traditional Lambic brewing is fascinating and no brewery is more authentic and dedicated to the craft than this one. I have met the third and fourth generations of this family-run establishments on my visits and they are definitely in it for the love of the art of brewing.

Put this brewery/museum on your bucket list and then go see it!

10-19-2012 23:04:20 | More by Radome

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev -1.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $

Stopped by on a recent trip to Brussels. Its in a bit of a strange neighborhood, but easy to get to. You really step back in time walking in to the brewery. Its a very hands-on kind of place. You are free (encouraged) to tour the place on your own, take pictures, as questions whatever you want. Afterwards, you choose a few of their Geuze or lambics and just chill. Its something like 6 euro for the tour and tasting. You can also purchase additional tastings. You can buy any bottle for sale, at a great price - like 3euro for an 11oz bottle, t-shirts, glasswear, posters..etc. Super friendly service, super chill, very reasonable prices, considering how expensive they can be in the states, and just all around very unique and fun. Like most of belgium, they really take pride in what they make and it shows in the product and atmosphere. Do not leave brussels without having been here!

09-14-2012 20:37:20 | More by DrinkSlurm