One of the most off-the-beaten path locations for a
beer bar, the nearby alley contains a mural sign pointing the way to the
business' secluded entrance. Inside, the red brick interior on the ground floor
offers a half-dozen tables standing on dark hardwood floors. Paned windows
attempt to illuminate the smoky interior with its dark wood beamed ceiling and
off-white mortar walls displaying paintings and tapestries. Upstairs another
seven tables offer an intimate setting for sampling the house and local brews.
The lawyers must have been by to force the posting of a Big Brother rule.
Reading "Voor uw gezondheid zware bieren = maximum drie." This bad news was
interpreted as "For your health, three beers max." Given that it took 10 to 20
minutes to get an empty glass refilled, this self-imposed limit was not the
deciding factor in the decision to vacate the premises. Too bad, with the
classical CD music setting a great atmosphere for taking in the surroundings
along with the extensive list of flavorful beers.Crediting Brouwmeester J. De Vroe, elegant hand-written loose-leaf
sheets describe, in Flemish, the menu offerings and a thorough description of
the brewing process. For the custom-designed Tripel, the five steps (Fase)
include a 1 1/2 hour boil to produce a 22-degree (1088) Original Gravity wort,
that is followed by a two to three week fermentation that ends with a four to
six week lagering period at freezing (0-degrees C). The resulting 11% alcohol
brew then gets a priming sugar added before bottling. The bottles are kept at
22-degrees C for 14 days for the residual yeast to eat the sugar and produce
the final carbonation.The beer menu includes 68
beers, listed alphabetically with their description and price. The house
Tripel Van De Garre is a hazy amber with fruity esters and a malty sweet
flavor with many fruity overtones. The three house draughts list for 95 Belgian
Francs (BF) ea. The Cellis Witte, brewed in Belgium, not Texas, runs 65
BF and the Gulden Draak 105 BF. Six Brugse beers are on hand for 65 to
120 BF, nine Trappistens range from 90 to 160 BF, with four common Mort Subite
and DeTroch offerings around 130 BF. 23 different 75 cl bottles are available
at 220 to 330 BF. Snacks such as toast and kaas (cheese) can be had for 90 to
270 BF. As long as service is not high on your list of expectations, De Garre
can give you an interesting drinking experience where culture and beer combine
to make things truly memorable.
 |
 |
Reviewed by Tom Ciccateri - March
1998
Staminee de Garre
De Garre 1 (off
Briedelstrasf between Markt Square & Town Hall)
8000 Bruges, Belgium
(West Vlaanderen)
Home
Bar Reviews