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The Ultimate VIP Belgian Beer Tour: A Day of Breweries, Barrels & Lifelong Connections

  • Writer: Yves
    Yves
  • Jan 21
  • 4 min read

If you’re searching for the ultimate Belgian Beer Tour, a VIP private tour in Belgium, or a truly bespoke private guide experience, let me take you behind the scenes of a day I’ll never forget - and show you just how much you -my guests- mean to me.


Beer brewing kettles of Brewery Bosteels

When Brewers Become Friends: The Ultimate Custom Beer Tour

In 2024, I had the privilege of guiding two Australian buddies - both professional brewers and distillers - on a one-of-a-kind, full-day brewery adventure. Their request? A deep dive into Belgium’s brewing culture, history, and, of course, its legendary beers. We bonded instantly, sharing stories about our love for quality brews and the quirks of homebrewing (plus a few ADHD-fueled entrepreneurial tales!).

What made their tour special wasn’t just the itinerary, but the spirit of curiosity and connection. They were the first guests to ask for a full-day, multi-brewery road trip: a real stress test for my guiding chops, especially since my beer knowledge comes from years of homebrewing and self-study. Challenge accepted!


Highlights from Our Bespoke Belgian Brewery Tour

  • Brewery Bosteels (Buggenhout) We kicked off with a private visit to the home of Tripel Karmeliet, Kwak, and Deus. Bosteels produces about 30 million litres (that’s nearly 8 million gallons!) each year: hard to imagine when you see how it's embedded into a small traditional village. It was amazing to share the traditional roots of a brewery now part of global giant ABinbev.

    Tripel karmeliet Belgian beer tour
    Tasting the difference between Tripel Karmeliet from keg and bottle, trying Brut beer Deus, and the (lost) beer of Monte Christo.


  • ’t Kroontje, Denderbelle Next, we met Dimitri, the creative force behind this microbrewery. Never would they have thought to end up in such a small village, far away from the main sights: but to find the most creative and inventive spots, you have to dig deep. My Aussie customers were blown away by his use of Australian hops and inventive setup: proof that Belgian beer culture is alive and evolving.



    Beer tasting at Belgian brewery 't Kroontje during Beer tour
    Beer tasting in the garden of 't Kroontje - a chance to talk in depth with brewer Dimitri.


  • In De Vrede at Saint Sixtus Abbey A long drive ensued to our next stop, which was a great opportunity to talk about the differences in our daily lives. Philosophy, politics, weird habits our countries shared - or not. And then we arrived at the heavenly gates of the Trappist Abbey! Over lunch -local cheeses and cured meats- we savored the legendary Westvleteren, often called the world’s best beer. My guests were thrilled to buy some bottles at local prices - a rare treat.

In De Vrede, Westvleteren Trappist beer tasting, Private Belgium Beer Tour
Enjoying a lunch and tasting of the Westvleteren beers.

  • Roadside Stories – And on the road we went once more. Along the way, we swapped tales of medieval Belgium, family history, and the wild ride of running a small business. It’s these moments of real conversation that make every tour unique. We even talked about the ancestor of one of the customers - who had fought in Western Europe during the first world war!


  • Rodenbach Brewery, Roeselare - Standing among the towering wooden barrels, we marveled at the living tradition of Flemish red ales. Thanks to a friendly bartender, I could sneak in and translate and add extra insights for my guests.


Visit Belgian brewery Rodenbach during private beer tour, old traditional oak barrels
Just look at that happy face! Who wouldn't be, when surrounded by delicious aging beer?


  • De Oude Maalderij - On its final leg of the trip, we got a private peek at Jeff’s self-made brewery and tasted some rare vintages. It happened to be the final day this brewery was open; one final chance to try the beers of what was in my mind one of the finest breweries of the country. The sense of community between these brewers was real - Dimitri (from the second brewery stop) even messaged asking if we could bring back some last bottles for him!

  • A Gift and a Friendship - We ended in Bruges, where I was gifted homemade rum and mead. Today, Justin and I still play chess and chat about beer, history, and life. He also offers me great business advice when I get lost between the winds of tourism and family life.





Why My Guests Matter Most

What truly made this tour unforgettable wasn’t just the breweries or the beers, but the people. Every itinerary I design is unique, built around your interests, background, and dreams for your Belgian adventure. My goal? To make you feel like a friend, not just a customer.

As Justin, one of the guests, put it:

“Yves clearly spent many hours planning our crazy impossible day. His knowledge, flexibility, and passion brought hidden doors and rare treats. I will NEVER forget this day - truly an experience of a lifetime!”

Ready for Your Own VIP Belgian Beer Adventure?

If you want a VIP private tour in Belgium or a bespoke brewery tour crafted just for you, I’d love to make it happen. Book your unforgettable Belgian Beer Tour today — and if you can’t make it for a full trip, I can also help you get tickets to the Belgian Beer World in Brussels, the perfect condensed experience for beer lovers.


Book your tour now and let’s create your own legendary story!


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