A dream come true. I was beside myself as I walked the self-guided tour. Really hard to believe that this is the actually brewery for all of those wonderful lambics and geuze they put out... it had a charm to it like a preserved frontier cabin, even felt like it was set up and somewhat of a facade, but man, it’s the real brewery. Had to get a shirt and a few bottles while I was there... arrived at around 9am to do the tour and tried some good (although young) samples of their standard fare: geuze, kriek, iris, as well as a small sample of the kriekenlambik which was to be offered at the Weekend of Spontaneous Fermentation the next day. My hopes were high to get some rare bottles, but the only thing found was Cuvee des Championes. Still, a wonderful visit, a place to bring folks to visit with you when over again.

The center of the geuze universe. Best to visit during the brewing season, which runs from November to March. Open brewing days at the beginning and end of the season are also interesting, but they get very crowded. The tour includes one beer (often a draught lambic), but you can sample many more if you like, and purchase bottles for consumption on premises or take away. Jean Van Roy really knows what he’s doing.addendum: with an apparent new policy of not offering beers like the Zwanze (for fear that it will end up on e-bay,unquestionably an evil act), I’ll have to downgrade my rating of this previously pleasant place to drink.

Iffy neighbourhood, I thought, but the place is fascinating. Dirty, ugly lambic brewery with ragged cats and dust everywhere. Lots of fun, great beer to taste...it's on a lot of tourist brochures and everything so I guess the place has widespread appeal, for but those familiar with classic lambic, it holds a special significance.

Visiting this authentic, perhaps the most traditional lambic brewer is a must for anyone who enjoys the sour brews that they put out, especially when it’s a 2-minute walk from the Brussels metro. Inside, between 5 and 10 beers should be available for consumption on premises or take-out. Unless you’re well-known, I would not expect to be able to take out anything very rare. We were able to drink a bottled Zwanze, interestingly different from the tap, but it was not to be taken out. I had a great chat with Jean who was very available, interesting and interested. The visit is fun, the old equipment being lighted by natural sources of light through well-spotted windows that made for beautiful light for photography. The woody smell as you step in is also one that you remember forever and adds immensely to the experience. A very fine brewery to visit.

What can you say about this place that hasn’t been said before? Surprisingly busy when I was in, with two or three tour groups making the rounds while I was in. Great tour and a chance to pick up Cantillon for about half the price it is in North America. You won’t find any of the rarer stuff, but be sure to try the Cantillon Faro.

Visited early in the morning just after opening and was welcomed with that beautiful and unique Cantillon character. It was nice to wander the brewery without needing a personal guide and to soak up the historic atmosphere. At the end you can sample of a few of the wares in bottles, and also the lambik and faro from the barrel. There is also merchandise that can be purchased from the counter. Lovely family. A truly remarkable experience.

Back to an earlier day. They do have electricity, but the human effort seems quite intense. Amazing that the ale is available so widely, when the brewery seems so small. Walking in made me think about how long they must have been operating in their caves. It’s not far from Midi/Zuid, so it’s a must walk if you get off there.

Sort of the mecca of lambic, for me, anyway. In a pretty crappy neighborhood, but once inside, it’s a bit of a sanctuary. The self guided tour is worth it just to see how small the brewery really is and how antiquated a lot of the equipment is. The beers at the bar depend on the season, but gueuze, kriek, Rose de Gambrinus, lambik, and faro are always available. Pours are pretty cheap (just a couple of euro each). Tons of bottles and merchandise available to go, too. Friendly service and a great atmosphere.

Certainly one of the world’s ’must-visit’ beer locations. The tour is quite unique in that after an introduction to the brewery by one of the staff you are on your own to wander around the brewery by yourself. The cafe is simple with a range of five or so Cantillon beers in bottle. On our visit we had the classic gueuze, the framboise and the Zwanze 2011. You can buy a nice range of bottles to take away (pretty much the entire normal Cantillon range plus a few specials), and the prices are likely the best you will ever find for Cantillon. The brewery is only a short (appx. 5-10 minute) walk from the Midi Station, so there is really no excuse to not come here if you are visiting Brussels.

Wonderful place; feels worlds away although it’s just a short walk from Brussels Zuid/Midi railway station and 20-30 minutes from the Grand Place. The Cantillon Brewery is a mecca for gueuze and lambic lovers. It’s close to the centre of Brussels in a rather seedy area but step inside and you’re transported back in time to an authentic, old fashioned brewery where not much has changed in a hundred years. For a small fee you can have a self-guided tour, with a tasting included at the end. You get a little booklet packed with information and there are numbered stops around the brewery where you can read all about it. Alternatively, you can just sit in the bar area - a wood panelled alcove with a small pot bellied stove and pendant lampshades ingeniously fashioned out of old bottles - and enjoy a bottle or two served in a wicker basket. There’s also a desk set up like a stall at a country fair where you can buy bottles of beer and souvenirs such as t-shirts and the like. The staff are always very welcoming and friendly and the prices are usually lower than anywhere else. Last time we were there it was shortly after Zwanze Day 2011 so, naturally, we had the Zwanze, made from pinot grapes from the Loire this year and more expensive than the usual bottles but still a snip at E14. (Last visited 27 September 2011).