FirstBelgiumTrip »  Viewing rochefort_4     [Image 18 of 25]  :: $text.jump-to  
  First slide Previous slide      No EXIF Info $text.index-page Start/Stop the slide show      Next slide Last slide  
Talk about cloistered! No one was around, so we went into town to buy some #10 and #8. $1.10 per bottle... how much can we carry? Not enough!
tast1 * At the end of the tour there was only one arduous task remaining... * 56 x 78 * (3KB)

C_tasting_comp * There was a tasting in progress and we sampled a week old red. The amount of hops taste was surprising! One of the WA guys commented that it reminded him of a northwest IPA. * 1781 x 1181 * (200KB)

C_the Abbaye * On leaving the brewery, we stopped at the main entrance for a look inside the Abbaye. The grounds and the courtyard are really beautiful. * 1781 x 1106 * (289KB)

C_courtyard * Being cloistered, the only monks we saw were standing at prayer in the hallways. The folks at Chimay made our trip much more enjoyable than we could have hoped for. We thanked them for their hospitality and moved on. * 1772 x 1171 * (336KB)

C_Rochfort * But our beer day wasn't over. We continued on to Rochfort to see how our luck would work at Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy near Rochefort. * 1209 x 1753 * (219KB)
Next slide
 
Nome * 76 x 70 * (2KB)

chouffe_lable * Arriving around 6:30pm, I found Christian Bauweraerts getting ready to go home. While he was finding beer labels for my daughter Becky, my dad joined us. On seeing my dad's diamond soaring badge, he told us his glider stories. Before they had a name, they used artwork from a jacket patch from the '83 world championship in York, England. * 1581 x 1081 * (547KB)

C_houff * He not only gave my dad the original patch, but also a copy of the first beer label. And, if that wasn't enough, found us a hotel in town and joined us in the morning for coffee. Hospitality is spelled LaChouffe! * 1781 x 1181 * (198KB)

Hotel * At the Hotel du Commerce in Houffalize, we were fortunate to meet Sebastien who helped me with my beer glass collection. By the end of the night, I'd had another 6 Belgian beers and thought... How lucky can you get? * 1200 x 1518 * (631KB)

Houff_monument * As a historical note, Houffalize was an important site during the Battle of the Bulge. American troops were pinned down until the weather broke and re-enforcement's arrived. Keep in mind; were it not for those who died here, we wouldn't be lucky enough to enjoy this fine Belgian beer... and maybe we'd be missing a lot more. * 366 x 581 * (53KB)