There´s a certain reason why Bruges is called the chocolate capitol of Europe. Where else are 52 chocolateries in one area?
Not only the brown gold (chocolate), also the liquid gold (beer) is strongly represented. You will find hundreds of varieties of beer in Bruges but there is only one active brewery in the city anymore.
We decided to spend the morning with the beer brewing process plus tasting and getting to know Bruges better by taking a chocolate tour in the afternoon (the perfect day for him & her 😉 ).
Bruges for Beer Lovers: It´s beer o´clock
With the booklet: The Beer Walk Bruges we walk through the old town of Bruges.
The proposed route would take 1 1/2 hours. We take a short cut.
Walking along medieval buildings and bridges we arrive at the brewery De Halve Maan soon. The tour takes about 40 minutes and brings us from the cellar to the roof of the brewery. Up there we have a great vista.
It´s pretty warm inside the brewery. Besides, brewing was a hard job. During the tour we learn, how brewing worked in the past and now.
Afterwards we enjoy a Brugse Zot (it is included) in the restaurant and bar area. We get comfortable in the old leather chairs, clink glasses and take a look at the channel outside. Boats are passing now and then.
Bruges and Chocolate :Happiness and tons of calories
In the afternoon we meet Anne. She takes us on a tour along the old town of Bruges. Meanwhile she tells us how chocolate is produced and shows us some of the more than 50 chocolateries in Bruges. Inside it´s pleasantly cool. The chocolates should melt in our mouth not in the store.
We are particularly impressed by BbyB Chocolates.
The sales room resembles more like a luxury boutique instead of a chocolate shop.
The chocolates are separated by color and placed into a line. Special in this chocolaterie is that the chocolates have numbers instead of a name.
Our favorite: #58
Also known as Babelutte. Chocolate with caramel and seasalt. Delicious!
“Life is like a box of chocolate – you never know what you´re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump
This quote could fit to Dominique Personnes Chocolaterie The Chocolate Line as well. The former chef creates unique chocolates with surprising fillings. Be it the Miss Piggy wit bacon flavor or the chocolate pills. He even invented a snuffing machine only for chocolate powder.
We are amazed by the products and have a hard time stopping to taste the different chocolates.
We even find chocolate lipstick and chocolate paint. Bought!
Our favorite: chocolate skull (crispy, raspberry flavor, deadly delicious)
Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate
At the traditional chocolaterie Sukerbuyc everything is literally made of chocolate. The chocolates are in a box made out of chocolate.
Our favorite: Brugse Swaentjes
The Chocolatiers in Bruges are innovative and creative. That´s for sure.
But they are conscious of tradition too. The Brugse Swaentjes are the famous chocolates of Bruges. They are chosen because of Bruges symbol – the swans – and filled with traditional ingredients and spices. A must while staying in Bruges.
The grand finale: the brown and liquid gold unite.
More about Bruges and Ghent: here
Thanks to City Bruges for the invitation. The opinions are ours.
zuletzt aktualisiert am May 21, 2020
i need no convincing where chocolate and beer is concerned! Awesome post!
Guess there are only few people how need to be convinced. 😀
Oh, jetzt hätte ich gerne etwas Schokoladiges! Da läuft einem ja das Wasser im Munde zusammen! Übrigens: Die Brauerei heißt “De Halve Maan” (Halbmond) 🙂
Danke. Schon ausgebessert. Das kommt davon, wenn man vor lauter Schokolade und Bier so begeistert ist (und geblendet), dass man Wörter falsch schreibt. 🙂
Ja, manche Biersorte hat es in sich : )
Stimmt. Bier mit 11% Alkoholgehalt ist schon ein bisschen heftig. 🙂
As a chocoholic I enjoyed your post and wished I was there. Some great tips for what to do in Bruges.
Thank you Bente. Hope you will make it to Bruges some day. It´s worth it.
I’d definitely go for the chocolate, the chocolate and maybe also for the chocolate. 😀
😀
Oh yes, us Belgians are mad about chocolate and beer 🙂 I like de Halve Maan brewery. And I only recently heard about the chocolate sniffing by an American traveller who told me about it!
I know the original sniffing machines but never heard about the chocolate one before. Kind of weird putting chocolate powder into your nose. But who knows. Maybe it´s a great feeling.
Beer with chocolate is always a good idea 😀
True. 🙂
All those chocolates look delicious! I’d like to take them to that old chair by the window and indulge.
That´s an awesome idea. 😀
I’m just trying to work out how long it would take me to get round each of the 52 chocolateries! I could look at photos of chocolate all day – until I had to leave to replenish my actual chocolate supply. Great post!
It would be really interesting how long it takes to see all the 52 chocolateries. It might take a while and after half of it I´m sure someone has to roll us along the streets. 😀
Seeing this on your Facebook page gave me a serious longing for some Belgian beer and this post drove me crazy! I would love to spend an afternoon in one of those comfy leather chairs sipping a couple of the house brews.
But beware of the malt liquor. 😉
Beer o’clock is my favorite time of day!
..and chocolate o`clock (if this word exists). 😀
Belgian chocolates are amazing, but I have to say that as a Europhile, every time I end up in Belgium, it’s EU-related. Few know this, but there is a large, well-established immigrant community from former Belgian African colonies in Brussels, and they have some incredible restaurants, definitely something to consider on a longer stay.
Great tip, Milosz. Thanks for sharing.
That chocolate box is so cool!!!! 🙂
The design on the chocolate boxes is beautiful. They have some with old medieval houses on them, flowers,… Great idea to get one as a present.
Oddly, I’ve never heard Bruges referred to as Europe’s chocolate capital. Maybe I’ll have to go see for myself. As for the beer, well that is open to less of a debte. 🙂
I didn´t made that up about the chocolate capital. 😀 But I never saw another place before having so many chocolateries. So it´s appropriate. 🙂
Wow, look at all of that chocolate! Delicious!!!
Bruges is chocolate heaven. 😉
Drinking beer and eating chocolate sounds like a great way to spend a day!
And not to forget: the unique medieval flair while drinking beer and tasting chocolate. 😉
Beer and chocolate sounds like a fabulous way to spend the day!
Beer and chocolates already sounds like an awesome combo. Add to that the beautiful architecture (loved the view from the roof of the brewery). Would love to visit one day.
As a lover of chocolate I can’t believe I haven’t visited yet…! This is the second time I have seen a post on Bruges – I am taking it as a sign…I need no convincing!
Sounds amazing! Bear and Chocolate? What’s not to like 🙂 I’m heading to Bruges in December so I’m looking forward to experiencing it for myself 🙂 nice read!
Have fun in Bruges. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.