Toer De Gueze - 2015

Reads 4135 • Replies 30 • Started Tuesday, February 3, 2015 7:02:55 PM CT

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Message OldStyleCubFan beers 77 º places 15 º 19:02 Tue 2/3/2015 It looks like bus tickets go onsale Thursday. Although I’ve been to Belgium a few times, this is a top my beer bucket list. Has anyone done the HORAL buses in the past? Any suggestions on the best way to approach the day? I was also looking at a car hire service to rent a driver for the day as well.
Message Travlr beers 33887 º places 4583 º 19:49 Tue 2/3/2015 We rented a van with driver from Avis one year. We carefully explained the concept of a designated driver, and made it clear we would visit breweries. Avis’ designated driver limited himself to just two beers at each brewery and was shitfaced by brewery #3, at which point I bailed.
Message Scopey P beers 24184 º places 727 º 02:28 Wed 2/4/2015 I got the bus in 2013 and thought it was very well organised (and a bargain). Takes the hassle out of the tour, but you are of course limited to the total number of places you can visit. We opted for the Tilquin-Boon-De Cam-3F-Timmermans route and really enjoyed it.
Message sebletitje beers 11868 º places 491 º 02:53 Wed 2/4/2015 Make sure you make a special stop on May2nd,the day before Toer de Geuze, for the Tilquin English Beerfest.

Message OldStyleCubFan beers 77 º places 15 º 05:13 Wed 2/4/2015 Originally posted by sebletitje Make sure you make a special stop on May2nd,the day before Toer de Geuze, for the Tilquin English Beerfest. That looks like a great Saturday. Now I just need to figure out how to get to Tilquin without driving and back to pickup an HORAL bus on Sunday AM. Any suggestions for getting to Tilquin as well?
Message Beersiveknown P beers 5380 º places 180 º 05:20 Wed 2/4/2015 I’d love to do this one year, but as I have a Belgium trip in August it’ll have to wait until next time. Des De Moor did a good write up a few years ago: http://desdemoor.co.uk/toer-de-geuze-2011/
Message Scopey P beers 24184 º places 727 º 05:28 Wed 2/4/2015 Originally posted by OldStyleCubFan Originally posted by sebletitje Make sure you make a special stop on May2nd,the day before Toer de Geuze, for the Tilquin English Beerfest. That looks like a great Saturday. Now I just need to figure out how to get to Tilquin without driving and back to pickup an HORAL bus on Sunday AM. Any suggestions for getting to Tilquin as well? There will be a regular Shuttle between ENGHIEN station and BIERGHES (where Tilquin are located).
Message bartlebier beers 4526 º places 177 º 06:11 Wed 2/4/2015 Originally posted by OldStyleCubFan It looks like bus tickets go onsale Thursday. Although I’ve been to Belgium a few times, this is a top my beer bucket list. Has anyone done the HORAL buses in the past? Any suggestions on the best way to approach the day? I was also looking at a car hire service to rent a driver for the day as well. HORAL buses are well organised and usually a good opportunity to get in contact with other geuze lovers in between the individual crowded stops. The 1hr stops at each brewery are a bit limited, forcing you to choose between a turbo tour or sampling a few glasses (especially at Tilquin, Boon was ample time). On the other hand if we’d be on our own on bikes or in a van, I’m sure we would have gotten lazy and stuck at the 2nd or 3rd brewery. They are all pretty close apart and seeing that bus navigate in little inroads on the Flemish countryside where US humvees would have trouble passing is a feat in itself. Another thing is you get to experience long-lasting immaterial geuze memorabilia on those buses like an Italian geuzehead getting a lambic seizure, his girlfriend going into sanguine hysteria and emergency services pulling up near the geuze mobile.

Message Tiim beers 1 º 08:56 Thu 2/19/2015 Agreed, HORAL buses are very well organised. I went with them on the 2009 and 2011 tours, but indeed the 1 hour stops are a bit short, plus there was the hassle of first getting to the pick up point and then going back home with a backpack full of bottles. So, for the 2013 edition, me and a few friends (we co-manage the website www.beerawards.be) organised our own bus tour, and we had about 70 people joining us. We’re doing it again this year, so if anyone is interested in joining our tour, check the page at http://www.beerawards.be/toer-de-geuze-2/, or just send me a message.
Message Beersiveknown P beers 5380 º places 180 º 13:20 Thu 2/19/2015 Originally posted by Tiim Agreed, HORAL buses are very well organised. I went with them on the 2009 and 2011 tours, but indeed the 1 hour stops are a bit short, plus there was the hassle of first getting to the pick up point and then going back home with a backpack full of bottles. So, for the 2013 edition, me and a few friends (we co-manage the website www.beerawards.be) organised our own bus tour, and we had about 70 people joining us. We’re doing it again this year, so if anyone is interested in joining our tour, check the page at http://www.beerawards.be/toer-de-geuze-2/, or just send me a message. sounds cool tiim, maybe join you in 2017!
Message bartlebier beers 4526 º places 177 º 14:12 Thu 2/19/2015 Btw, does anyone know if just like in 2013, Grote Dorst will have their own buses starting in Eizeringen and coming back that evening for the barbecue? Asked the Geuze Society, but still have to receive a reply. HORAL buses are good, but most routes are nearly booked out and we prefer to end the day in Eizeringen.