De Bier Tempel

lawrence76

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +3.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

While I didnt buy much beer in grocery stores I cannot comment on the relative value (or lack thereof) of this place, but I can only add that it was here, 2 days after visiting the abbey @ saint sixtus only to find that I would NOT be taking any westvleteran home with me, that I finally was able to grap a few bottles of #8 & #12 to bring home. Spoke to the owner and it turns out he had just been there before us and grabbed a case before they sold out completely.

Originally, the store in Brugge is where we made this score, but also on coming back to Brussels and finding this place, we decided to grab a few more to bring home!

03-22-2006 18:59:20 | More by lawrence76

Radome

Spain

4.23/5  rDev -2.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | $$

I've been to Brussels several times on business and have visited this shop every time because of its convenient location near the Grand Place and other tourist destinations. The shop has expanded since my last visit and now seems to have grown to include twice the floor space. Despite this, it was fairly crowded when I visited on a Monday afternoon. The aisles are pretty narrow if more than one person is browsing in a given area, but that was done to squeeze in a bigger beer selection, so I can't complain too much. The shop is well lit, modern and clean.

The selection is pretty good. I'd estimate it has several hundred types, but most are fairly common in Belgium. It's not the place for truly rare or special edition beers. Still, with a little browsing a Belgian beer lover like me can easily find a few things to make them happy. I have seen Westvleteren 8 and 12 in stock, but they go fast. I once passed over the 12 because I had a lot of walking to do that day. When I came back to buy it, it was sold out--buy it if you see it! Their selection of beer glassware is truly impressive and they also have a few gift packs, gift baskets, etc.

The prices are average for Brussels, which is to say a little on the expensive side, but not if you consider the location and cost-of-living for the center of a major European city like that. When you consider how rare it is outside of Belgium to find a bottle selection like this, you won't mind the prices.

The staff is pretty helpful, especially after they realize you are not an average beer-clueless American tourist. They wrap the bottles and glassware very well for carrying or traveling. They can be a little overwhelmed by the numbers of customers at some times.

Overall, I'm happy with this shop. The location is great. The beer selection is very good even for Belgium and the prices are average. The staff is good and overall the experience is very good.

01-27-2013 22:33:21 | More by Radome

ThaCreep

Belgium

2.39/5  rDev -44.8%
vibe: 2 | quality: 1.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5 | $$$$

The real tourist grabs. Nothing more, nothing less. So yes, there is the choice, be it beer (Belgium only if I do not talk nonsense) or goodies but beyond that, wow, as overly expensive. The last time I go, I found a set of 4 with glass Orval ad hoc proposed more than 30 euros. So you can find it in a simple Delhaize and Carrefour for less than 10 euros. It's just outrageous marketing.

Okay, when you're a Japanese tourist or even a Yankee redneck on vacation in Belgium and want a souvenir of Brussels, with Marcolini chocolates or Newhaus, why not after all. But if you're some kind of geek, so forget this scam on legs and proceed to a random store, you will have a choice may not be as great but still a result and especially you will have decent prices.

In addition, in many cases, the beers lying around in this shop are rarely updated and often they get that beer with outdated expiration dates are still sold. After all, stupid tourists will not see it. In short, all that to say that the Bier Tempel is clearly a catch-jerk for foreign tourists. In short, you will not see a belgian fan of beers to put his feets.

10-04-2011 10:45:43 | More by ThaCreep

LambicKing

Virginia

4/5  rDev -7.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

Everytime I go to the Bruxelles Grand Place with my buddy, I always stop in to see if they have anything new or harder-to-find, since he always wants to get sushi down the street.

Today we were in the Grand Place to partake in the Belgian beer festival (which was insanely packed and overpriced IMO, but still fun). Of course, on our way for sushi, we stopped in.

I've never purchased beer from this shop...it's pretty pricey and I never have a good way of getting it back to Mons since parking in this area is a nightmare and I'd have to mule it up the hill to the train station (our usual mode of transportation to the center of town). So, instead, I've probably dropped €300 in about 4 trips here in glassware (they have a great selection which usually includes Kwak, Westy and some of the other popular glasses...but no Mea Culpa) and other breweriana.

The staff there is extremely helpful, especially if you know what you are buying. The lady behind the counter is always courteous, helpful and does a bang-up job packing glassware. As was stated by another BA, there are usually TONS of gawking tourists who don't really know what they are there for, what they want to buy or even if they will buy...which is completely understandable if you've never been there before or even to Belgium before. I just don't like store crowds with little to no agenda. So if you don't want to deal with crowds, go on an "off night" or an off time of day (we went today at 630pm and there were only 5 of us in the shop).

The selection won't blow you away, especially if you've been to other stores in the area. Truthfully, you can find a much better selection of beer elsewhere (Beer Mania, BVS Drinkcenter and Dranken Geers), but if you are in Brussels for only a short period of time, stopping in is worth your time. It's right around the corner from Beer Planet and Delirium, so a 3-fer is definitely doable.

09-04-2011 20:16:47 | More by LambicKing

sfprint

Germany

3.86/5  rDev -10.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Went there yesterday for my third time. Picked up all three westies (8,9 and 11 euros each), a Cantillion, a 3 brouwerig fonteinen Oude Geuze, as well as a Saison 1900. They have several hundred beers, but after my third time being there, the selection hasn't really changed and they're lacking many things I'm looking for. They do have tons of beers from breweries I've never heard of. Prices are pretty good, especially for the location, but for the common trappists, a grocery store would be about half these prices. Lots of gimmicky large bottles with ridiculous prices as sold everywhere in Belgium. Glassware, gift packs, Delirium Tremens stuffed pink elephants... They also have these foam protectors for the bottles that you sometimes see on apples for all the beers you buy. Staff is generally friendly.

08-23-2011 18:34:47 | More by sfprint

kiki3drt292

California

3.55/5  rDev -18%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4 | $$

Not a bad little shop, right in the heart of the tourist downtown. They have a great selection of Belgian beers, but not too many from outside the country. I was happy to pick up a Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella Lambic Bio, and a Westy blond, as well.

They have an entire wall dedicated to glassware, which is great.

One problem with this place is that it is filled with dingbot tourists that don't buy anything, making it a bit frustrating to navigate around. Also, the woman that worked the counter, was a complete joke. When asked about vintage Cantillon, she laughed as if such a thing did not exist. She was generally unhelpful, was extremely rude, and didn't seem to know a damn thing about beer.

Overall, this was a good place to scope, but Beer Planet was where the good stuff was tucked away.

08-17-2011 01:00:19 | More by kiki3drt292

crossovert

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

Really nice place with lots of glassware and a nice selection of beers. They had every thing form Trappist beers to fruit lambics, to pale lagers, to gueze. They also have a lot of other souvenirs. I t was useful for me in that case, and they also take credit card.

I only got 3 beers, a Decca bier (forget the name), Bockor Geuze, and a Westy Blonde. It is a bit pricey, but it is convenient and a nice shop.

I drank my geuze in front of the cathedral which is close by, it was sick.

The service is also really friendly though the hours reflect that it seems like only 1 person ever works there and owns it.
Overall a nice stop for beer near the city center.

08-03-2011 08:13:20 | More by crossovert

Squelch

United Kingdom (England)

4.28/5  rDev -1.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$$

My family and I visited this place on a recent trip to Brussels. They have a good selection of rare Belgian beers and an awesome selection of beer glasses. They had Westvleteren blonde and 8 for sale as well but no glasses. The staff was very friendly and helped with selection. Packaging was very good compared to the other shops in the area. This was my favorite of the 3 main stores in brussels. I would definitely go back if I were to visit again, mainly for the availability of Westy's in the store.

08-01-2011 20:09:06 | More by Squelch

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.46/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | $$$

Thee store is in a convenient location not far from Le Grand Place. Everything is clean and well kept and it is sometimes quite busy.

The beers available here include many of the best that Belgium has to offer. I'd gone because of that reputation and because prior reviews had indicated that you might be able to find a Westvleteren beer in stock. Thus I was pleasntly surprised to discvoer that on the shelf they had an ample supply of the Westvleteren 12, the 8, and the Blond. So naturally one of each went into my shopping basket first.

The clerk at checkout carefully packaged each of the 6 beers I selected on my first visit with a protective web of foam so that the bottles did not bump against each other. This was very helpful as I was on foot and had a good 20-25 min. walk back to the hotel.

I thought the prices were about what I expected from a bottle shop in a major tourist area but did see a few prices that were lower than some I'd spotted in other shops.

The selection of beers on offer was very very good and on each of my 3 visits I was easily able to find some things that either don't make it across the Atlantic or that are relatively hard to find in PA. They also had a very large selection of glassware in stock so if you want to buy a special glass this might be the place to find it.

If you are able to visit only one place during your visit, this is one of the ones to put on your short list to pick from. Its relatively easy to find and as I indicated above, the staff take good care to be sure your bottles are well protected from each other so they can travel safely. (Which also means that if you want to take a few bottles back on the plane in your checked bag you won't need bubble wrap because they provide you with a wrapping that is pretty much just as good.)

04-22-2011 20:48:43 | More by drtth

ef88

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev -2.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Visited the store 3 times during my trip to Europe (September-December, 2010).

A: Nice looking store, from the inviting sign out front to the warm showroom. Located about a block or so from the Grand Place, the store is in the middle of a major tourist street, which lends to a typically bustling environment in the store (the one problem with this is that it can get a little cramped inside).

Q: Like I said, warm and inviting.

S: During my three visits to the store, I was offered help only once. Any sort of language barrier was not noticable. Also, when I asked about Westvletern once, the employee took much more interest in me...

S: Good selection of beers in a variety of sizes, some of which you can only get in Europe. Nice looking glassware behind the counter with some designs I've never seen. Also, if you ask about Westys, they may or may not show you if they do or do not carry them...

F: Can't remember if there was any food, but my gut (no pun intended) says there wasn't.

V: Prices weren't too outrageous for what you can get.

03-06-2011 20:15:23 | More by ef88