Belgian Beer Weekend: An Amazing Event!
Last weekend my wife and I attended the annual Belgian Beer Weekend! I can’t believe that it took me so long to find this event. At the Belgian Beer Weekend, there are about 75 different beers to choose from in 14 different categories. It is simply unbelievable! I have never been to Belgium, but after attending the Belgian Beer Weekend, I feel that I have at least tasted Belgium. The Belgian Beer Weekend is a 3 day event that takes place all over Japan. There are two more being held this year in Roppongi, (Sept. 12th-15th) and Shinjuku, (Dec. 11th-15th), so you still have a chance to attend one this year, if you want to go!
The selection of beer is mind-boggling! The only drawback is the expense of a glass of beer. The organizers of the event are smart because they use a token system for buying each glass of beer and the food available at the event. It makes it easy to spend a lot of money because you are using tokens instead of cash. The whole event is cashless, so be prepared with either a credit card or some kind of debit card to pay for tokens (go to link for more specific information). Most of the beer ranges between 3 and 5 tokens, which doesn’t sound bad on the surface. Each guest is required to buy a starter kit, which includes a commemorative Belgian Beer Weekend glass, 10 tokens, and a bookmark for around ¥3,500, ($22.39US). You can buy extra tokens, 4 tokens for ¥1,100, ($7.04US) and you can also buy individual tokens if necessary.
This is the starter kit. A commemorative glass, 10 tokens, and a cool bookmark! It reads: “This beer tastes like, ‘I’m not going to work tomorrow.’” Hahahaha! I love the quote BTW!
Over the course of the night, I drank 6 different beers. I wish that I had had the money and liver to try more, who am I kidding, mostly I wish that I had the money to try more! But the 6 that I tried were some of the best beer that I have ever tasted!
The first beer I tried was the Val-Dieu Cuvee 800. It was an incredible beer with a rich fruity flavor, but light on the palate.
The second beer I had was the Boudelo Blonde. It was hazy, fruity, and light for a 5.8% beer. It was amazingly smooth and extremely delicious!
The third beer was the best bargain of the night! It was the amazing Chimay White 8.0% beer! It only cost 3 tokens but was an amazingly fruity, smooth, and rich beer! I could drink a whole case of this beer! For an 8.0% beer, it was smoother than I ever expected. Most of the time when you order a high percentage beer, you can taste the alcohol, not with this beer.
Best value of the night!
The fourth beer that I tried was the Herkenrode Cister, a 2023 award-winning beer! Absolutely amazing beer! Smooth, slightly fruity, and extremely drinkable at 6.5%!
Beer number five was the Malheur 10! An unbelievably smooth and rich 10.0% beer that tastes smoother than you can imagine! A somewhat dangerous beer because it is so smooth that you wouldn’t know it is 10.0% by taste alone, making it extremely drinkable.
While my wife and I were enjoying the event, we met a couple from Holland who were in Osaka on vacation. They were a wonderful couple who were so fun and kind, that they ended up buying me my sixth beer, which was their recommendation as their favorite Belgian beer. The amazing Tripel Lefort! It was a robust, fruity, and smooth 8.8% beer! An absolute stunner! If you ever get a chance to try this beer, do yourself a favor and get it! It’s amazing!
The site of the Belgian Beer Weekend was gorgeous, especially at night. They also had food, if you ever wanted a snack while you drank.
Whether you like beer or not, there was something for everyone at this event! A beautiful night, with beautiful beer and amazing people!
Cheers everyone!
