Belgium can be considered as the Mecca for many beer-lovers. Not only they have variety of beers available, but they also have numerous beer festivals that you can visit all-year round.
Zythos Beer Festival (Late April) (http://www.zbf.be/en/index.htm)
Run by the country’s largest beer consumers’ group, the Zythos Beer Festival is a major festival that attracts about 50 big and small brewers selling about 150 different beers each year. When first entering the fest, you pay 3 Euro deposit for a glass, and you can exchange your travel money to buy jablons (tokens) for 1.20 Euro each. In addition to beer tasting, the festival includes food vendors, beer sales for off-premises consumption, and a supervised children’s area.
Bruxellensis Festival (Early September) (http://www.festivalbruxellensis.be/)
Annually held on the second weekend in September in Les Glacieres de Saint-Gilles in Brussels, the Bruxellensis festival is dedicated specifically to showcasing brews that do not adhere to the standard Belgian trend toward sweet and fruity beers, thereby offering guests a chance to sample a wider variety of beer flavors. Aside from Belgian beers, the festival also offers unique and tasty beers from Finland, France, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.
Belgium Beer Weekend (Early September) http://www.weekenddelabiere.be)
Featuring more than 200 regional and national beers, the Belgium Beer Weekend is a major festival held in the Grand Place in Brussels on the first weekend of September. Organized by the Belgian Brewers and the Knighthood of the Brewers’ Mashstaff in collaboration with the City of Brussels. Entry is free and beer tokens are sold at a rate of 3 Euro for 4 tokens. Beers are served for a charge of 2, 3 or 4 tokens, depending on the beer. In addition to beer, it includes live music, a display of historical beer carts and a parade.
Kerst Beer Festival (Christmas) (http://www.kerstbierfestival.be.)
More known as the Christmas Beer Festival, it is annually held on the third weekend of December in the town of Essen which is about 20 miles north of Antwerp right on the Dutch border. A small cozy event, this festival is dedicated solely to Belgian winter and holiday beers. Organized and presented by the O.B.E.R. (Objective Beer Tasters of Essen Region), this festival is non-smoking, and includes food and a supervised children’s area.
Must-visit Beer Festivals in Belgium Travel Tips 365 - Travel Advice Every Day of the Year
