Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan

2 Days in Bruges

"De Halve Maan Brewery offers specialties such as Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik and provides a tour option for visitors." - The MICHELIN Guide

18 Places That Celebrate Glorious Beer

"Running underneath the city streets of the medieval city of Bruges is a contemporary innovation: a pipeline for beer. The tube transports 1,000 gallons of beer per hour—the equivalent of 12,000 bottles—from one of the country’s oldest still-operational breweries, Halve Maan (“half moon”), to its bottling plant two miles away.  Brouwerij De Halve Maan opened in Bruges in 1856. A century and a half later, in 2016, a crowdsourcing campaign was launched to raise funds for the beer pipeline. The 500+ donors received a priceless thank you gift: free beer for life. Today, visitors can glimpse a section of the pipeline through a transparent manhole cover cut into the cobblestone street. There are other, older beer pipelines that set the precedent for this one in Bruges. In 1930, a 6,000-foot-long hose was discovered under the streets of Yonkers, New York, which is believed to have been a conduit for beer during Prohibition. There are also underground pipes between the breweries in Munich and Theresienwiese, where the Oktoberfest takes place." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

"Half Past at Half Moon I'll admit it, I'm a beer geek. But the words about to dance off this page won't be littered with grain, hop, malt and brewing techno-babble. My goal is boost your beer brain on the biology of Belgian beer from one of the oldest purveyors on the continent. The Half Moon has been doing beer since the dawn of man... Ok, maybe not quite that long but sometime around the 16th century they were doing home brewing here under "the moon" moniker until a family feud split the business creating the downsized "half moon." Brugge Zot is the only beer still being brewed onsite, and this blonde ale has a drinkable profile with a fruity finish. Much of the historical infrastructure and equipment are intact and make up the brewery tour which is worth the wait on your first visit. Being a veteran, I head straight for the bar and see what's on tap. There are seasonal selections celebrating flavors of the harvest and local customs. They usually have the "stong beer" Straffe Hendrik - a bitter tripel ale that packs a 9% alcohol rating. The one beer to have when you're having only one. The food is typical pub grub with cheese boards and sausage plates. The atmosphere is a mix of festive and beer centric, with tables of beer tasters lining up and comparing the offerings. Every beer has a different kind of glass so you need not worry about confusion, at least not during the first round. After that, all bets are off."

Northern Belgium Is Our New Favorite Food and Design Destination

"Then grab a blond Brugse Zot from De Halve Maan brewery."

Halve Maan Brewery Beer Pipeline – Bruges, Belgium - Gastro Obscura

"Running underneath the city streets of the medieval city of Bruges is a contemporary innovation: a pipeline for beer. The tube transports 1,000 gallons of beer per hour—the equivalent of 12,000 bottles—from one of the country’s oldest still-operational breweries, Halve Maan (“half moon”), to its bottling plant two miles away. Brouwerij De Halve Maan opened in Bruges in 1856. A century and a half later, in 2016, a crowdsourcing campaign was launched to raise funds for the beer pipeline. The 500+ donors received a priceless thank you gift: free beer for life. Today, visitors can glimpse a section of the pipeline through a transparent manhole cover cut into the cobblestone street. There are other, older beer pipelines that set the precedent for this one in Bruges. In 1930, a 6,000-foot-long hose was discovered under the streets of Yonkers, New York, which is believed to have been a conduit for beer during Prohibition. There are also underground pipes between the breweries in Munich and Theresienwiese, where the Oktoberfest takes place. Know Before You Go Please note that you cannot see the pipeline (it is buried under ground). The address given below is the one of the brewery in Bruges.Type in Google or Apple Maps: 51.202355, 3.224116." - Enzo RhodeHagen, rachellyon, randyfix2, stievenartansay