Strong stuff for visitors

I woke up in a church, and as the dawn trickled through the stained glass window I tried to make sense of the last 24 hours.

I recalled the gentle hum and slight swaying of a big ship and after that being driven for miles along motorways made even more anonymous by a clinging mist.

Then a huge, bright room, clinically clean and full of stainless steel vessels. The hi-tech drone of big industry was broken by the panicked flapping of a pigeon.

A few open windows were doing little to ease the temperature but were sufficient to let the bird in; now it was struggling to get out.

Later still came the darkness of rooms thick with dust, festooned with cobwebs. Steep stone steps took us up, to a flat roof bathed in sunshine and to a cityscape view of spires and towers.

A clanking spiral staircase led us back down. Just follow the big man, Erik, but watch through the gloom for steps, trailing cables and more random hazards along a rarely-used route.

As night fell someone said the moon was on fire. There were rooms packed with people and thick with smoke.

Time to leave in search of air, water and sleep.

Now, beyond the shimmering colours projected on to the floor, I could see a cupboard which would maybe hold clues. Better than that, it held Stella Artois, but first – the bottle of mineral water. Then, from a nearby table, the notebook and camera to put some flesh on the bones of these fuzzy Belgian brewery trip recollections.

Comparisons take us very quickly into chalk and cheese territory. AB InBev is brewing on an international, industrial scale and bosses the UK market through its Stella brand.

Years ago it used to be said that the Hull Cheese pub sold more of the stuff than anywhere else in Europe, not a claim I'm about to dispute as a former regular of that establishment but nor one InBev are likely to uphold.

That it remains my favourite was nothing to shout about at the Domus Brewery, also in Leuven, where dark and golden brews are piped straight into the adjacent bar and restaurant: "We don't mess about with barrels and stuff," said our guide.

Less than 50 kilometres away in Mechelen lies a real gem. The Anker Brewery holds some treasures of the Belgian brewing industry and is something of a museum in progress, although elements of the current display are likely to drive a health and safety inspector to drink. Tasting took afternoon into evening as big Erik and our hosts served four different brews each accompanied by a morsel of food and a simple explanation of ingredients and procedures.

And storytelling. Anker's Carolus Hopsinjoor owes its name to a ceremony from the Middle Ages which involved drunks being punished for any acts of aggression to their families by being dragged away by their neighbours and tossed in a tarpaulin.

The same brewery's Maneblusser marks the 16th century episode in which a Mechelen man, while wandering home after a few too many, looked up at the giant tower of St Rombout's Cathedral, at 97-metres, half as high again as York Minster. As the moon rose in a hazy pink sky the man became convinced the tower was ablaze and mobilised his fellow citizens to form a bucket chain up more than 500 steps to put out the fire. And so Mechelen folk became known as Moon Extinguishers, or Maneblussers.

We tried some, although the beer was less memorable than the bar. Den Stillen Genieter claims to offer 400 beers. Its two rooms were packed with young, Saturday-night revellers, drinking beers of eight, nine and 10 per cent yet the only objectionable aspect of the place was the absence of a ban on smoking indoors.

Strolling through the nearby fish market area with its riverside bars and restaurants the thought persisted that Belgians routinely drink much stronger beer than Stella, yet we encountered no aggression, obscenities or pavement pizzas.

Away from the tourism hot-spot of Bruges we found our Belgians to be welcoming, creative, working hard to look after the relatively few visitors they attract. You can have mussels and chips if you want but the restaurants at Domus and the Anker, the converted convent at De Margriet and the more modern Grand Caf Lamot lift the lid on sumptuous and varied Belgian cuisine.

As ever, the architecture is elegant and stylish, with both Leuven and Mechelen as careful with their construction of modern buildings as they are with their preservation of historic treasures.

The Martin's Patershof stands out as a new hotel experience. The company prides itself on its ability to renovate former buildings of distinction and has excelled with this 150-year old church and monastery.

Many of the rooms feature some of the stained glass that decorates the main walls, inside which the developers constructed a new steel frame to house the hotel without compromising the fabric of the original. At the end of the dining room is the altar and high on the walls great golden discs – the moon again.

Present yourself for breakfast before 9am to receive a complimentary glass of champagne, so just leave the Stella and the water in the mini-bar. Mental note: must go to church more often.

How to get there and what to see

Phil Ascough was a guest of P&O Ferries, prices to Zeebrugge from 149 each way for a car and two passengers, including a standard cabin. Mini cruise return fares to Bruges from 72 per foot passenger and, before December 31 2010, when one person pays another travels free. 08716 64 64 64 or see www.poferries.com

Tourism Flanders-Brussels 0207 307 7738 Monday to Friday or visit www.visitflanders.co.uk

From Zeebrugge allow about 90 minutes to drive to Leuven or Mechelen. Or take the P&O coach to Bruges station where direct services to Leuven take about 90 minutes. For Mechelen allow up to two hours and change in Ghent or Brussels. See www.b-europe.com

Prices for the Martins Patershof Hotel in Mechelen from e99 per night based on double room occupancy and inclusive of breakfast: www.martinshotels.com

www.hetanker.be

www.domusleuven.be

YP MAG 6/11/10