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Den Babbelaer	't Kastanjehof

The above photos were taken in Aalst, in March, 2006, by John White. The one on the left is of the exterior of a marvellous bar called Den Babbelaer, which is covered below. The photo on its right features the amazing interior of a wonderful locals' bar (with a very good selection of Belgian Beer), 't Kastanjehof. As can be seen from the lettering on the top of the mirror, in the bottom, right of the photo, its alternative name is "Bij Yvette & Winnie". Click here to see its entry on this web page covering the Speciality/Specialty/Craft Beer scene in Aalst.

   

Aalst (Alost in French, post code 9300) (www.aalst.be) is on the River Dender, in the Belgian Province of East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen). It has a population of just under 77,000. It is between Brussels (twenty-nine kilometres (eighteen miles) away) and Ghent (thirty-three kilometres (twenty-one miles) away). Ghent (Gent, Gand) is the Capital of East Flanders. At one time, Aalst was a major Malt and Hop town, and was awash with breweries, but sadly none are left.

After Water, the main ingredient of beer is Malt; Hops, although important in the vast majority of beers, because of the aroma and bitterness that they impart, as well as acting as a natural preservative, are a low percentage constituent of beer; Hops are still grown around Aalst, although Belgium's main Hop area is centred around Poperinge, in West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen) (www.poperinge.be).

It is the Starch in Malt which is converted into Sugar during the mashing phase of brewing, which is then converted into Alcohol and Carbon Dioxide, CO₂, during the fermentation phase of the process. Speciality Beers require Speciality Malts, and De Wolf-Cosyns, in Aalst, was a major supplier.

The conversion of grains of Barley into Malt, was carried out in Aalst, until 2002, by De Wolf-Cosyns, the last remaining Maltings in the town. They were a major supplier to the smaller Belgian brewers, i.e. the ones that, in general, produce the most characterful beer. However, Interbrew (now InBev), immediately after taking over the place, shamefully shut it down; this was clearly an attempt to inconvenience these small brewers, with the aim of closing one or more of them down; when it comes to dirty tricks, Interbrew and now that load of bankers, InBev, take some beating. OBP, Belgium's premier Beer Consumers' organisation, held a demonstration against the closure, in Aalst, in May, 2002; their protest was, unfortunately, in vain. Belgium's premier beer consumers' organisation, Zythos (www.zythos.be) took over from OBP, in February, 2003, after OBP was wound up a few months earlier. There is a White Beer Travels Web page giving more information on Zythos and the annual beer festival that it runs in Sint-Niklaas, another town in East Flanders. Information on the local branch of Zythos, which, of course, was very much involved in the De Wolf-Cosyns closure protest, is covered below.

Speciality/Specialty/Craft Beer Bars in Aalst

Despite no longer having any breweries, Aalst is very well-endowed with bars - there are over 200 of them, many of which are listed on the Aalst Horeca website, www.horeca-aalst.com - and has no fewer than five full entries in Tim Webb's 2005 Good Beer Guide Belgium (www.booksaboutbeer.com); Click here for more details of Tim's don't-enter-Belgium-without Guide, including how to get your hands on a copy. The following list of bars starts off with Tim's current entries (from page 192) (along with an excellent interloper that is close to one of them, 't Half Maantje) the first three being closest to the centre of the town. A number of the others are recommendations from fellow Beer Hunt organiser, Chris (Podge) Pollard; Click here for Podge's contact details. Click here for a White Beer Travels map of Aalst, which positions the places featured in this Web page.

No fewer than eight pubs in Aalst display the "Ambassadeur d'Orval" plaque, out of the 334 in the 2006 list; this essentially means that they serve the Trappist Beer Orval (www.orval.be, White Beer Travels Web page), in the right glass and at the right temperature; click here to see the full list. Orval wholesalers nominate candidates that are then checked by members of "La Confrérie Des Sossons d'Orvaulx". Being an Orval Ambassador is generally an indication of a good bar, that will also have other interesting beers. four of the first five places detailed below (i.e. other than 't Half Maantje) are Orval Ambassadors, along with: Café Safir, Grote Markt 22, www.cafesafir.be (closed Sunday, open on other days from 9.30am (9am Saturday) to Midnight (late on Friday and Saturday)); Café Soleil, Korte Zoutstraat 43 (shut on Mondays, opens from 3pm on other days); In de Zevende Hemel, Pontstraat 23 (closed Sunday); and Den Osbroek (a bar in a nature reserve, Het Osbroek), Frans Blankaertdreef (South off the Parklaan (N9) part of the ring road, in the suburb of Erembodegem) (closed on Mondays) (it is not that far from the town centre, near main entry, The Fox Pub).

Beer prices quoted, which are generally very low, are for 33cl bottles and 25cl measures of draught/tap beer, unless indicated otherwise. Quite a number of places in Aalst have excellent beers from De Glazen Toren (www.glazentoren.be), in Erpe-Mere, near Aalst, see below, Being very close to the Payottenland, in Aalst, it is also easy to find examples of authentic Lambic derivatives such as Gueuze and Kriek. Many bars in Aalst are badged Safir. There was a Safir (Dendria) Brewery, in Aalst (Kalfstraat 3), which was founded in 1816, but it was taken over and then closed by, guess who, Interbrew, in 1988. These bars have a Pils available in them called Safir, but apart from it being very moderate, no one who is a supporter of Belgian Beer should let it pass their lips, as it is manufactured by that load of Bankers, InBev, in their factory in Leuven, see above.

These notes are largely based, on a weekend visit, in March, 2006, when events outside Aalst were also attended. All the places singled out were on a target list prepared for the visit, but it was not possible to get to them all. Therefore, if a place's entry is sparse and/or has no photo, it can by no means be inferred that it is a lesser place than one that has a lengthier description.

Estaminet Den Babbelaer, Klapstraat 3, tel 053 77 58 96
www.denbabbelaer.be

Click here to go to the top of this page to see a photo of Den Babbelaer's exterior.

This atmospheric and popular place is an essential visit for the Speciality/Craft Beer fan, when in Aalst, indeed, it is worth making a special visit to the town for this bar. It has around sixty different beers, with much of interest. Example bottled beers include (prices from the place's website, in March, 2006): Achel Blond (8%) and Brune (8%), both at €3.50; Rochefort 10^o at €4.50; Orval at €2.90; Drie Fonteinen Geuze (Oude Gueuze) and Hanssens Oude Kriek, both at €4 (37.5cl); De Glazen Toren's Saison d'Erpe-Mere at €6.30 (75cl), Ondinneke Oilsjtersen Tripel at €7.80 (75cl), Canaster Winterscotch at €7.30 (75cl), and Jan De Lichte at €7.30 (75cl). The latter is a 7.5% Wheat Beer. Draught Bel Pils is €1.60, and there is a Vatenbier van de maand (Draught Beer of the Month) and a Flessenbier van de maand (Bottled Beer of the Month) detailed on a blackboard. There is a wide selection of Cold (Koude), Hot (Warme) and Fried (Gefruite) Tapas and Cheese (Kazen) available, which are listed in the menu in Spanish and in Dutch. Examples of the Cold Tapas include: Ansjovis in pikante saus (Anchovies in a Spicy Sauce) at €4; Paprikaworst (Chorizo, Paprika Sausage) at €3.80; and Bierschotel Babbelaer (a selection of the Cold Tapas) at €6.60 (klein, small)/€8.30 (groot, big). Hot and Fried Tapas include: Gehaktballetjes in tomatensaus met paprika's (Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce with Peppers) and Kipblokjes in Baskische saus (Chicken Pieces in Basque Sauce), both at €4; and Gefruite uiringen (Fried Onions) at €3.80. Wines by the glass, carafe and bottle are all Spanish.

Den Babbelaer has a lovely interior; there is an eclectic mix of religious and secular artifacts, along with paintings on the walls. The background music will not suit everyone.

Den Babbelaer is closed on Sunday and Monday (apart from Parkconcerten and Kerstconcerten Mondays) and on National Holidays. On other days, it is open from 4pm (11.30am on Friday) until late.

't Half Maantje, Pontstraat 10, tel 053 77 57 22

't Half Maantje (The [Little] Half Moon), is very close to the previous don't-miss entry (Klapstraat being off Pontstraat), but is very much worth visiting in its own right. The exterior photo, to the left, was taken by Joyce White, in March, 2006. The Half Moon has a rustic interior, with little seating. The beer list is not large, but there is usually something of interest available. The Half Moon is not open on Tuesday evening and all day on Wednesday. On other days, it opens from Noon until late.

Café Bergenhof, Stationsplein 4 (Statieplein 4), tel 053 41 70 84

The Bergenhof is a very friendly bar, with welcoming staff, for which a visit should be scheduled; it is one of the Aalst must-visit places. As you can see from the photo to the left, which was taken by John White, in March, 2006, it is badged Safir, the "local" Pils manufactured by InBev, see above. As an antidote to this, it has an otherwise excellent beer list, which includes some unusual Local Beers, a very good selection of Lambics and Trappist Beers, including Orval of different years.

Inside and out, they display their pride in being Orval Ambassadors, see above: note the Orval banner above the place's name, in the above photo. Indeed, the place has an "Orvalclub", which organises Orval events, including drinking it and eating Orval Cheese, in the Bergenhof itself, as well as actually visiting the Orval Brewery and its tap, L'Ange Gardien. These events are detailed on the place's Orval Club Blog, which has the title "Orvalclub Frater Orvalitis Aalst", www.bloggen.be/orvalclub. On the Blog's Home page, the club is described as "de eerste Orvalclub in België" (The First Orval Club in Belgium).

Examples of the bottled beers available (March, 2006 prices) include: Helleketelbier at €2.60; Saison Dupont at €5.25 (75cl); Avec les Bons Voeux de la Brasserie Dupont at €6.50 (75cl); Boon Oude Geuze at €2.80/5.50 (37.5/75cl); Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait at €3.60 (37.5cl); Hanssens Gueuze at €3/5.50 (37.5/75cl); Boon Kriek at €3.20 (37.5cl); Hanssens Oude Kriek at €3.80 (37.5cl); Orval at €2.60; Orval (2-3 years old) at €3.50; Rochefort 10^o at €4; Westvleteren Blond/8^o/12^o, at €6/6/7; and Slaapmutske Tripel at €2.50.

Food is Snack orientated, examples including (March, 2006 prices): Verse Soep (Home Made Soup) (available from October to April) at €2; Croque Monsieur at €3.20 (€3.70 with Garnituur); Gemmarineerde Kipsateetjes (Marinated Chicken Saté) at €4.30 (eight) and €8 (fifteen); Pizza at €6.50; and Mini Pizza at €4.30 (four pieces) and €8 (eight pieces).

As its address ([Railway] Station Square) would suggest, the Bergenhof is close to Aalst railway station (it is, in fact, straight across from it), from where there are frequent trains to Brussels and Ghent and to Liedekerke and Iddergem, the last two stations both serving a world-class pub not far from Aalst, De Heeren van Liedekercke (www.come.to/heerenvanliedekercke, White Beer Travels Web page), in Denderleeuw, East Flanders. This has the biggest selection of Lambic-based beers in Belgium, which are part of a superlative list covering all Belgian Beer styles; it also has excellent food.

The Café Bergenhof is open on Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 11pm. On Sunday, it opens from 10am to 1pm, and from 5pm to 11pm. It does not open on Mondays.

't Capucientje, Capucienenlaan 99 (N9), tel 053 70 06 36

This locals' bar has over 100 beers; interesting, Regional Beers from all over Belgium are to be found in its beer list. Food is limited to Snacks and Tarts and there are not many of these.

't Capucientje is on the N9 National Road, which essentially forms the Southern half of the town's ring road, the northern half having a "proper" ring road designation of R41.

't Capucientje is open on Tuesday to Saturday from 11am. On Sunday, it opens from 9am to 1pm and from 5pm. It does not open on Mondays.

The Fox Pub, Parklaan 60 (N9), tel 053 77 43 46

This place is sometimes referred to as The New Fox, and sometimes as The Old Fox. It has around eighty beers. As you may guess, this is an English-style pub. Unfortunately, like the beams, the handpumps do not serve Real Ale as they are fake. The draught McEwans Scotch Ale is served in old McEwans Pewter Tankards. Its Spag Bol gets regular recommendations, as does its food, in general, which includes the usual snacks such as Croque Monsieur.

The Fox is very close to the large roundabout to the South of the town centre, quickly reached from junction 19 of the E40 (A10) Brussels-Ghent (and beyond) motorway, and where the N45 and N405 National Roads, coming from Ninove, join the N9 part of the ring road, see the previous entry.

The Fox is open on Monday to Friday from 11am to 2am. It is open on Saturdays from 4pm, and on Sundays from 2pm.

't Kastanjehof (Bij Yvette & Winnie),
Keizersplein 12 (Keizerlijk Plein 12), tel 053 78 59 80

This is a must-visit locals' bar, with a very good selection of Specialty Beers. Winnie and Yvette, of its alternative name, have been running the place since 1981. They have accumulated an amazing amount of stuff that is tucked here or there, such as Pewter Mugs on shelves, and Oil Lamps hanging from the ceiling, see the photo at the top of this page.

There were three draught beers and sixty in bottle on my March, 2006 visit. The bottles included: Orval at €2.30; the two Kasteelbieren at €2.60; Kriel Boon at €3 (37.5cl); Pee Klak at €1.50 (25cl); Rochefort ? at €2.60; Westmalle "Donker" (Dark, i.e. Dubbel) and Tripel, both at €2.30; and Boerken/Boerinneken, both at at €2.70. The latter beers are brewed by De "Proef" Brouwerij (BVBA Andelot (www.proefbrouwerij.com), in Lochristi-Hijfte, near Ghent. They are commissioned by a company that makes advocaat, an egg-based liqueur, in Sint-Niklaas, in East Flanders, called Den ouden advocaat (www.denoudenadvokaat.com). These are both 9.5% beers, that come in impressive flip-top bottles. I normally like De Proef's beers, but these are not to my taste; I found them quite cloying.

On the food front, there are only small snacks: Bierworstje (Beer Sausage) and Droge Worst (Dry Sausage), both at €1.40; and Suikerwafel (Sugar Waffle) and Vanillewafel. both at €1.30. There is very nice, piped music, which I was tempted to song along to, which is very rare for me!

't Kastanjehof is not open on Sundays and on National Holidays. On other days, it is open from 8am (6.30am on Saturday).

De Refuge, Houtmarkt 10, tel 053 41 03 64

This "Wood Market" restaurant has a very good reputation for its Vietnamese, Thai and Belgian food. However, it also has a small, but interesting beer list, which includes beers from De Glazen Toren, and the full range from Bavik, including the superb Petrus Aged Pale, which is normally only available at the brewery and in the USA (click here for more information on this rare beer).

The Refuge is open on Monday to Thursday from 11.15am to 3pm, and from 5pm until 9.30pm. It is open on Saturdays from 6pm until 10pm, and on Sundays from Noon until 9.30pm. It does not open on Fridays.

De Graaf van Egmont, Grote Markt 1 (corner Kattestraat), tel 053 77 56 74

De Graaf van Egmont (The Count of Egmont) is the building on the right, in the photo to the left, which was taken by John White, in March, 2006. The tall, spectacular building in the middle is the town's 15th Century Belfry, which is covered below. The building on the right is also most impressive. This is the Borse van Amsterdam (Amsterdam Exchange), Grote Markt 26, which was once a trading post on the trade route between Lille (Rijsel), in France, and Amsterdam, in The Netherlands. Today, it houses a very nice bar/restaurant (tel 053 22 25 81), which only has a handful of decent beers (Westmalle Dubbel/Tripel at €2.65/3.25; Orval at €3.15; Duvel at €3.20; and Rodenbach at €2.85 (25cl) (March, 2006 prices); there is Safir badging.

De Graaf van Egmont is one of two outlets in Aalst for an unusual beer: Dogabier (6.5%). It is a dry-hopped, hoppy Blond Beer, brewed by the Huisbrouwerei Sint Canarus (St Canarus Brew Pub) (www.sintcanarus.be), Polderweg 2, Gottem-Deinze, in East Flanders (GPS: 50.964073^o N, 3.463863^o E). The DOGA Bier, a "Harmoniebier" (Beer with Music in it), is brewed for an Aalst-based brass/drum band, called K.H. DOGA (Koninklijke Harmonie De Oude Garde Aalst) (Royal Harmony The Aalst Old Guard) (www.doga.be). In each bottle of Dogabier, there is a Hop Flower (Goldings or Saaz, depending on the batch), as befits Belgium's second Hop Town. This was tried by Van den Bossche (www.paterlieven.be), in Sint-Lievens-Esse, in East Flanders, with their Pater Lieven Blond, in 1999. The Dogabier is also available in unlabelled bottles in Sint Canarus's bar, where it is actually called De Maagd van Gottem (The Gottem Virgin), since it is hard to find. After opening the bottle, one taps on the side and the Hop Flower usually rises out of the bottle. Click here for a White Beer Travels Web page providing further information on Sint Canarus. Marleen Geerts, the president of KH DOGA, recommends the Caffee Cognac, Grote Markt 21, tel 053 77 59 71, www.caffeecognac.be. This is an atmospheric place, which can accommodate huge crowds at live events, but I understand that it has little or no beers of interest.

De Graaf van Egmont has four draught beers, including a Bier van de Maand (Beer of the Month). Apart from Dogabier, there are around thirty other bottled beers, which include (March, 2006) prices: Van den Bossche's Lamoral Degmont, of course (Lamoral was the first name of the Count of Egmont, see below), at €2.80; Westmalle Dubbel/Tripel, both at €3; Orval at €2.80; Witkap Tripel at €3; Pee Klak at €2 (25cl); and Rodenbach at €2 (25cl).

The food includes Salads and Woksuggesties (Wok (Stir Fried) Dishes), such as (March, 2006 prices): Scampi's met Wokgroenten (Stir-Fried Vegetables) at €12; and Wok van Konijn met Porto en Rozijnen en Aardappelen (Stir-Fried Rabbit, in Port, with Raisins and Potatoes) at €14.

For reasons which I have not checked out, De Graaf van Egmont is badged on the outside as a Museumcafé. If I had to guess, I would think that it is something to do with Lamoral (also written Lamoraal), the Count of Egmont (1512-68), who was executed in the main square in Brussels by the evil psychopath, the Duke of Alva (Alba) (1508-82), on the orders of Philip II (1527-98), in 1568. The Duke of Alva's actions had a major impact on the shaping of the borders of today's Belgium, however, it always amazes me that there are pubs named after this thoroughly bad person, in the present-day Low Countries, and that there is even a drink bearing his name: Gran Duque d'Alba Spanish Brandy, which has his portrait on the label. Lamoral Egmont is buried in the East Flanders town of Zottegem, which is known as the Egmontstede (Egmont Town), hence the name of the branch of Zythos, which is based in Zottegem: BLES (Bierliefhebbers van de Egmontstede, Beer Lovers from the Egmont Town) (www.bles.be). Note that Aalst is covered by a different local branch of Zythos, details of which are to be found below.

De Graaf van Egmont is open every day of the week; it closes on Mondays at 6pm.

Dirk Martens Taverne, Lange Zoutstraat 30, tel 053 21 62 02

This is Aalst's second outlet for Dogabier, see the previous entry. It is on a pedestrianised part of Lange Zoutstraat. It is named after Dirk Martens (1446-1534), a humanist and pioneer printer who was born and died in Aalst. The above photos were taken by John White, in March, 2006. The one on the right is a statue of Dirk Martens in the town's main square, the Grote Markt, on which the previous entry stands. In the background, in the statue photo, is the Borse van Amsterdam, which is covered in the previous entry.

There are less than twenty beers available, and none, apart from the the Dogabier are unusual ones. Example bottle prices (March, 2006), include: Westmalle Tripel, Orval, and Duvel, all at €2.80; and Rodenbach at €1.90 (25cl).

Snacks and hot and cold meals are available, examples including (March, 2006 prices): Dagsoep (Soup of the Day) at €3; Tapas à la Valencia at €6.20; Croque Monsieur hapjes (Fried) at €4; Sla van kip curry met appel (Chicken Curry Salad, with Apple) at €11.40; Spag Bol at €6.20; Spaghetti vegetarisch at €6.40; Zeetong (Sole) "Meunière" at €20; Varkensbrochette (Pork Kebab) at €13.90; and Rundssteak (Beef Steak) at €14.90.

Note that there is another bar called Dirk Martens, in Aalst, at Molenstraat 54. Lange Zoutstraat and Molenstraat would run into each other, if the Grote Markt was not in the way.

The Lange Zoutstraat Dirk Martens is closed on Sundays.

The Dutch Inn, Stationsplein 7 (Statieplein 7), tel 053 21 33 35

This has a typical Dutch interior, with the classic carpets on the tables. In a forty or so strong list, it has Oude Gueuzes listed, no doubt because of the proximity to the Pajottenland, as does the already covered Café Bergenhof, its fellow "[Railway] Station Square" bar. When coming out of the Aalst Railway Station, The Dutch Inn, is in the block on the right side of the "Station Square". The photo of the place, to the left, was taken by John White, in March, 2006. The Dutch Inn is open every day of the week, except Sunday. It opens at 10am until late (7pm on Thursday and Saturday).

Den Heiligen Gheest, Kerkstraat 22, tel 053 70 33 30
www.denheiligengheest.be

"The Holy Ghost" was a try-also in Tim's 2002 guide, see the next entry. De Witte Leeuw, Korte Zoetstraat 60, was another, but now has much less of an interest for the Beer Hunter, and De Hoed, at Korte Nieuwstraat 6, was an interesting-sounding singing café, that is unfortunately no more; it is now called Que Pasa, which does not sound like the kind of place for the hardened Beer Hunter. Den Heiligen Gheest, which is very close to the church with the Rubens in, see below, is open "as a Praatcafee (Talking Bar)" from 3pm, every day except Tuesday. "As a Danscafee", it is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9pm.

't Verdiep, De Ridderstraat 36, tel 0496 26 57 98
www.t-verdiep.be

This entry is here as a warning. It was in the previous edition (2002) of Tim Webb's guide, but reports suggested that its beer list was diminishing, as more emphasis was being placed on food, so it was not included in the 2005 edition. In March, 2006, Its website declared sixty-six bottled beers and six on draught, but on a visit at this time, there were less than twenty on the beer list in the place itself, and they did not have the first two beers that I ordered, these including the easy-to-find Orval, and when I finally got a beer (Witkap Stimulo at €2.40), it was served in the wrong glass; clearly, it is no longer a place for the Speciality Beer enthusiast. It is an interesting place visually (waterfall going down the three levels of the place), and the food is acceptable, but if mindless background music is not to your taste ...

Example dishes include (March, 2006 prices): Scampi's met curry at €15.80; Vispannetje (Fish Platter) at €14.80; Ribbetjes (Spare Ribs) at €13.40; Brochet verdiep (House Brochette (Kebab)) at €15.40; Lamsfilet volgens het humeur (Lamb Fillet as the mood takes us) at €16; and various Steaks in the range €14 to €15.40.

't Verdiep is open every day from 5pm.

Aalst's Beer Consumers' Organisation: OPA
www.opa-aalst.be

This is the branch of Zythos that is based in Aalst. Many of the Zythos branches had names which were derived from Zythos's predecessor OBP, this standing for OBP (Objectieve BierProevers - Objective Beer Tasters). For example, the branch based in Essen, Antwerp Province (click here for more details), was called O.B.E.R. when it was an OBP branch, and remains so as a Zythos branch, it meaning "Objectieve Bierproevers Essense Regio" (Essen Area Objective Beer Tasters). What does the Aalst-based branch's OPA mean? Well, on their website, it is declared to mean "Objectieve ProefAjuinen". I looked up "Ajuinen" in a comprehensive Dutch dictionary, which stated that it is a word used in Belgium to mean Onions (singular Ajuin), the "proper" Dutch word being Uien (singular Ui). On enquiring I was told that people from Aalst are called Onions and thus, "Objectieve ProefAjuinen" means "People from Aalst who are Objective Tasters [of Beer].

As can be seen, OPA's logo is based on a person's head that looks like an Onion! The local football team's nickname is "De Uien" (The Onions), and the town is famous for its Aalst Onion Soup (Aalsterse Ajuinsoep or Uiensoep), which also contains Potato and Garlic), which is apparently recommended as a hangover cure. Other Aalst Onion Specialities are Aalsterse Ajuintaartjes (Onion Tarts) and Aalsterse Ajuintjes (Aalst Little Onions, which are, in fact, Onion-shaped Chocolates, containing no Onions). Why the association of Aalst with Onions? Well, in addition to its association with Malt and Hops, the area is renowned for the growing of Onions, and the nickname of "The Onions" for the people of Aalst is the preferred alternative to others for them: Ajuinboeren (Onion Farmers); and, Ajuinpelders (Onion Peelers). Aalst's renowned three day carnival (Aalst Carnaval, www.aalst.be/carnaval), which end on Shrove Tuesday, features Onions. Another speciality in Restaurants, in March and April, is Hopscheuten (Hop Shoots).

Interestingly, I enquired about the meaning of OPA on Filip Geert's message board, the Belgian Beer Board (groups.yahoo.com/group/belgianbeer), and most replies backed up the Onion theory, but there was one dissenter, who declared that Ajuin was nothing to do with Onions but that it (or "A, jaon") was Aalsters Patois for"Well, yes, he is".

OPA organises a number of activities each year, the most well-known being the Geuzetocht (Gueuze Trip) each August. This is an organised tour round selected breweries/Gueuze Blending Facilities, in the Payottenland, just across the Provincial border in Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant). Details are to be found on OPA's website. There is also usually a brewery visit to the Kleinbrouwerij (Small Brewery) De Glazen Toren (The Glass Tower), in Erpe-Mere (Glazentorenweg 11, tel 053 83 68 17), which is only 5½ kilometres (3½ miles) from Aalst. This was opened in November, 2004, well, to be precise, at 11.11am on the 11th day of this, the 11th month of 2004, by Jef van den Steen. Jef has had a number of excellent beer books published, particularly on Trappist Beers and Abbey Beers (click here for more information), and is involved in the organisation of Zythos. De Glazen Toren's two brewers are graduates of the CTL Brewing School, in Ghent: Dirk De Pauw and Mark De Neef. As would be expected, there is much information on De Glazen Toren labels, well on the paper wrappers on the unlabelled bottles. Unscheduled visits are possible between 10am and Noon and from 2pm to 4pm on Saturdays. From Aalst, one can get a De Lijn bus (www.delijn.be) number 91 bus (final destination Zottegem), getting off at the stop named "Mere-Vijfhoek", from where, the De Lijn website states, it is a 532 metre (well under half a mile) walk to De Glazen Toren; the website provides a map. The De Lijn Dutch-language website is an invaluable aid, when travelling by public transport in the Flemish part of Belgium; there is a White Beer Travels page giving details of how to use it, which can be reached by clicking here.

Hotels in Aalst

A hotel worth considering in Aalst is the centrally situated and well-appointed Keizershof, at Korte Nieuwstraat 15, tel 053 77 44 11, www.keizershof-hotel.com. At weekends, it is usually possible to get a good deal on room rates, which include an above-average breakfast. Its street, "Short New Street", is, er, a short street between a square called Hopmarkt (Hop Market) and Keizersplein (Keizerlijk Plein), the latter having one of the pub entries above, 't Kastanjehof. The hotel's smart "De Drie Koningin" (The Three Kings) bar, has a few bottled beers of interest, such as (March, 2006 prices): Rodenbach at €2.80 (25cl); and Orval, Westmalle Dubbel/Tripel and Duvel, all at €4. Very soon after leaving the hotel and turning left for Hopmarkt and the town centre, there is a KBC cash machine on the left.

Keizersplein has another nice hotel, the Royal Astrid, Keizersplein 27, tel 053 66 66 06, www.royalastrid.be. There is an Ibis, beyond the N9, at Villalaan 1, tel 053 71 18 19. A budget hotel nearer the town centre, and right by the railway station, is the Lange Muur, Stationsplein 13 (Statieplein 13), tel 053 77 37 46. This is above a nice Chinese Restaurant of the same name.

Tourist Attractions in Aalst

Aalst has a number of interesting tourist attractions, including one with a beer link: a painting entitled "Sint Rochus wordt aangeduid als patroon van de pestlijders" (Christ Appoints St. Rochus Patron Saint of the Plague Sufferers), dating from circa 1624. The photo of the painting to the left, was taken by John White, in March, 2006. The painting is by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), and hangs in St.-Martinuskerk (St. Martin's Church), in St.-Martensplein. This painting was commissioned by the Hop and Grain Merchants' Guild of Aalst; it is to be found on the North side of the Southern Transept of the church. St. Roch features on the label of Rochus (4.7%), a Flemish Brown Ale, brewed by De Ryck (www.brouwerijderyck.be), in nearby Herzele.

Another notable building in the town is Het Oud-Schepenhuis (The Old Aldermen's House), the former Town Hall. This has an impressive 15th Century Belfry (Belfort van Aalst) rising above it, which has a fifty-two bell Beiaard (Carillon), see the photo, above. The Stedelijk (Municipal) Museum, Oude Vismarkt 13, has permanent exhibits and ever-changing exhibitions; it is closed on Mondays and on National Holidays. The town's official website, www.aalst.be, has further information. It is in Dutch only, but there are some good photographs. There is a detailed map of Aalst and its surrounding area, which can be seen at www.aalst.be/stadsplan. One can also download a printable map of the town centre, by clicking here.

The Tourist Office is at Grote Markt 3, tel 053 73 22 70. It is housed in the Gebiedshuisje (a historic, former administrative centre), below the Belfry. On Monday to Friday, it is open from 9.30am until 11.45am, and from 1.30pm until 5.45pm. In June, July, August and September, it also open at the weekend and on National Holidays, from 10am until 11.45am, and from 2pm until 4.45pm.

For chocolate, there is branch of the top class Daskalidès, at Kattestraat 52, tel 053 70 05 15, www.daskalides.be. Kattestraat leads North off the Grote Markt. Daskalidès chocolates are exclusively imported into the USA by Christine Celis, the daughter of Pierre Celis (1925-), the King of Belgian Wheat Beer; Pierre lives in his birthplace, Hoegaarden, in the Province of Flemish Brabant (Vlaams-Brabant). Click here for a White Beer Travels Web page featuring Pierre. Christine lives in Austin, Texas.