What do you get when you create a tour featuring world-class Belgian Golden Ales, Flemish Brown Ales, Special Belge Ales, Abbey Ales and innovative Dutch Craft beer? The Beers of Destiny Tour!

Family, quality and innovation are words that spring to mind whenever you think of the Duvel Moortgat family of world-class breweries and beers. On this grand tour, you’ll have the exceptional opportunity to visit four of their iconic breweries in Belgium, and one in the Netherlands. There, you’ll enjoy their beers fresh at the source. These breweries are Duvel, De Koninck, Liefmans, Achouffe and ‘t IJ.

If there ever was a brewery that does it right, top to bottom, it’s family-owned Duvel Moortgat. Many beer enthusiasts and fellow brewers recognize this and agree. Duvel is a benchmark in the brewing industry and if ever one group of breweries deserved to have a beer tour built around it, it is Duvel Moortgat.

For many people around the world, Duvel was one of the first great Belgian beers they experienced. Its accessibility, presentation, flavor, consistent quality, mesmerizing bubbles and head, instantly recognizable glass, and euphoric qualities have made it a favorite for beer enthusiasts. That first glass of Duvel was an inspiring moment for many of us. 

Since its humble beginning in 1871 Duvel has gone on to create a wide variety of styles and to build a portfolio of breweries to attempt to fulfill a wide range of consumer tastes. More than variety and innovation, the company has a history of uncompromising quality, preservation and vision for the future of beer and the planet.

David Walker of Firestone Walker Brewing (part of Duvel’s porfolio) in California sums up well Duvel Moortgat by saying it’s, “An independent family business, committed to beer culture and to creating an enduring legacy.” (Mar. 13, 2018 Marketwatch article).

To learn more about the fascinating history of Duvel Moortgat read the Duvel’s in the Details by Breandán Kearney of Belgian Smaak.

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On this tour, we will visit the following brewery locations:

• Duvel, Puurs

• De Koninck, Antwerp

• Liefmans, Oudenaarde

• Achouffe, Achouffe

• ‘t IJ in Amsterdam, Netherlands

We’ll also visit the scenic and historic Abbey of Maredsous, near Dinant, for which Duvel brews their famous abbey beers. You’ll enjoy lunch and a beer tasting at the Abbey in a monastic setting you will always remember. Mix in some history with visits to the Historium in Bruges and the WWII Bastogne War/Battle of the Bulge Museum and this is one powerful tour.

Overnights in Antwerp, Bruges, Bastogne & Amsterdam.

This tour will take you to Flanders in the north of Belgium and to the beautiful Ardennes Mountains of the Wallonia in the south. Then, on to the Netherlands for some Dutch hospitality, scenery and culture. It will give you a good overall feel for this area also known as the Lowlands.

For those who know these famous beers, it will be a pilgrimage to see from where these beers come, savor them, experience the terroir and to have some inspiring moments of your own. 

This tour takes you to the four corners of Belgium and ends in the metropolis of Amsterdam. The beauty of Amsterdam and beers of Brewery ‘t IJ are not to be missed. You may ask, “How do you pronounce this brewery?” Although Dutch dialects may vary, Brewery ‘t IJ can be pronounced “Het Eye.”

• Eight nights accommodations in nice, friendly, centrally-located hotels often in the old town section of the city and some in bucolic rural settings.

• All breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners with gratuities.

• Beer during brewery tours, taproom visits, festivals and company meals as listed on the itinerary.

• Ground transportation via private luxury coach with professional driver. Leave the driving to us!

• Professional and courteous BBM! guide services.

• All tours and admissions.

• An instant group of interesting and fun, beer-loving friends you haven’t met yet.

• Plenty of unstructured free time to relax, shop and explore on your own.

• Custom BBM! name badges.

• Souvenir BBM! luggage tags

• Flexibility in the event you need to transfer or cancel your tour.

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• Airfare

• Airport transfers.

• Some meals and beer on your own.

• Free-time sightseeing. Our guides are available to provide suggestions.

• Fine Print: You are responsible for the costs of your free-time sightseeing. Be sure to read our Terms & Conditions Agreement for important details.

• Gratuities, at your discretion, for brewery tour guides and coach drivers.

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Deadline to sign up is one month before departure. 

$3295/per person + Air, $575 single supplement*
* Prices based on double room occupancy.  If you are a solo traveler and would like to have a private room all to yourself there is a single supplement fee of $575 in addition to the base price of $3295 per person. We can also work with you to pair you with other single travelers to avoid the single supplement. Better yet, recruit a friend to come, too! Unless, of course, like Rick Steves says, you prefer to “snore alone.”

We require a minimum number of travelers for a tour to be confirmed to go, so it’s important to sign up ASAP, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Also, tours can fill suddenly, so signing up early guarantees your place and avoids disappointment.

Please share BBM! tours with your beer enthusiast friends and encourage them to join the fun!  

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Day One: Antwerp • The tour begins as we meet in the lobby of our hotel at 11 a.m. We’ll have a short walking tour of Antwerp to get your bearings and then set you free for lunch on your own. Afterward, we’ll catch a tram to Brewery de Koninck for a visit to the De Koninck Experience, where you’ll learn about this historic brewery and Antwerp in general. This will be followed by a tasting and visit to the well-provisioned De Koninck gift shop. We’ll have our welcome dinner at de Pelegrim, the taprooms for the brewery. Evening is free to explore the many beer cafes of Antwerp. (Dinner #1)

Day Two: Bruges • This morning we say farewell to Antwerp and make our way to romantic Bruges, where we’ll spend two nights. Our first stop today is Brewery Duvel for a tour and tasting. This is where it all started in 1871. We’ll also have special access to the new Duvel Pilot Brewery and Lab, which is not part of the regular tour. The Duvel Depot serves as the magnificent taproom of the brewery. Here you’ll be able to indulge in a wide variety of their fine beers and come to an even greater appreciation for them. A visit to the impressive Duvel shop for Duvel swag: Clothing, beer signs, bottle openers... and of course, beer. (Breakfast Lunch #1)

From there continue on to West Flanders and  Brewery Liefmans for a tour and tasting. This brewery has fabled history of which you’ll come to know and appreciate. Think Liefmans Goudenband, Oud Bruin and Kriek Brut.

Afterward, we’ll transfer to Bruges where we’ll get checked into our centrally-located hotel. Evening is free to explore the many cozy beer cafés of Bruges. Dinner is on your own.

Day Three: Bruges • This morning we’ll have a short walking tour to give you the lay of the land and introduce you to some points of interest. Lunch is on your own. Afterward you’ll enjoy a canal boat tour to learn more about this perfectly preserved Medieval city. Next we go back in time when we visit the Historium, where through a clever story and Disney-like journey you’ll experience 15th century Bruges. Then, just upstairs is the Duvelorium Grand Beer Cafe, the official taproom of Duvel in Bruges. From its second floor terrace you can enjoy a wide variety of Duvel beers and have a prime view of the Grote Markt (the main market square of Bruges). This vantage point will allow you to capture the best possible photo of the colorful Grote Markt. The rest of the day is free to explore, rent a bike, take a carriage ride, shop for some chocolate or just hold up on the terrace of a beer café and people watch. Dinner is on your own.

Day Four: Bastogne • This morning we tip our hat to Bruges and transfer to the Benedictine Abbey of Maredsous in the stunning Molignée River Valley for a company lunch at Le Maredsous cafe replete with a flight of their famous Extra, Blond, Bruin and Triple Maredsous Abbey Beer. We’ll also visit the new Maredsous Pilot Brewery at the St. Joseph Center, unveiled to the public in January of 2023. The pilot brewery will brew some seasonal beers and one-offs only available at the abbey. After lunch you’ll be able to visit the abbey grounds, chapel and gift shop. 2022 marked the 150th Jubilee Anniversary of Maredsous Abbey.

“The construction of the pilot brewery fits perfectly in extending our cooperation with the abbey for the next 20 years, and our commitment to continue promoting and developing the Maredsous abbey beer. For Duvel-Moortgat it is the second pilot brewery we are building, after the one on our site in Puurs. These pilot breweries are not only a way for our brewers to show their craftsmanship, we want to be able to respond quickly to the wishes and tastes of the consumer more than ever. The development of very specific beers in limited volumes fits perfectly with this philosophy."—Michel Moortgat, CEO Duvel Moortgat

Next, we continue on to Bastogne, where we’ll spend two nights. Dinner and the evening are on your own.  (Breakfast & lunch #2 )

Day Five: Bastogne • This morning you can sleep in a little, take a hike in the countryside or have a leisurely breakfast. At 9:30 we’ll depart to visit the impressive WWII Bastogne War Museum, where you’ll learn about the Battle of the Bulge, Hitler’s last offensive, in December of 1944. You’ll come to a better understanding of this fierce and bitterly cold battle, and the U.S. soldiers, who fought to defeat the Germans. The Americans are still known as the liberators in this part of Belgium and most every village has a U.S. memorial in the form of a tank or canon and a U.S. flag flying. They have not forgotten and are very appreciative and respectful of the American involvement in WWII. It is visceral and moving.

Lunch will be on your own in the delicious Bistro de la Paix, located in the museum. The Bistro features two special beers: Patton and Airborne, which has an amazing story behind it. Afterward, we’ll continue to the village of Achouffe and visit Malcom & Marcel, the gnomes of Achouffe, where you’ll have a photo opportunity with them. Back at our inn, you’ll have some time to freshen up before our tour and tasting at Brasserie d’Achouffe, home to La Chouffe, Mc Chouffe and some other fine beers. Our tasting will be held in the rustic and cozy hospitality room of the brewery, only open to those who take the tour. 

Weather and time permitting, there will be an optional short hike through the bucolic countryside (about 35 minutes) down the mountain to the brewery. After the tour, you’ll also be able to visit the alluring Chouffe Shop to stock up on all your gnome swag needs.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a company dinner at La Petite Fontaine, one of the taprooms of the brewery. It looks like the kind of place a gnome might stroll into any moment. (Breakfast & Dinner #3)

Day Six: Amsterdam • This morning we wave goodbye to the beautiful Ardennes Mountain and make our way to Amsterdam, where we’ll get checked into our hotel. Dinner and evening is on your own. A list and map of some suggested beer cafés will be provided. (Breakfast & lunch #3 tba)

Day Seven: Amsterdam • This morning, we’ll have a short walking tour to acquaint you with your new surroundings, then we’ll have a tour of Brewery ‘t IJ followed by lunch and a tasting. You’ll learn the story behind the name of this brewery and enjoy its fine beers. The rest of the day is free to explore Amsterdam. Dinner is on your own. 

Day Eight: Amsterdam • Up until now, we’ve been running a full schedule. This morning you may sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and recharge your battery. Or, hit the ground running, the choice is yours. This is, for the most part, a free day in Amsterdam to shop, explore museums, visit the Anne Frank House, rent a bike, visit the city’s many beer cafes, etc. There’s no lack of things to do in Amsterdam.

This evening, we’ll gather for our Farewell Dinner and show at Boom Chicago Improv and Sketch Comedy Theatre. You’ll enjoy this funny, fast-paced, English-language comedy group performing topical sketches, improvisation and songs. (Breakfast, Dinner #2 & Comedy Show).

Day Nine: Amsterdam • This grand tour concludes with breakfast. It’s a quick 20 minute ride to the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Trains depart Amsterdam Central railway station to most anywhere in Europe.

*This itinerary is subject to change. This tour was originally called the Duvel Inspiring Moments Tour, when it was first created in 2018.

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