Roeselare is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Roeselare proper and the towns of Beveren, Oekene and Rumbeke. The name of the city is derived from two Germanic words meaning "reed" and "open space", i.e., a marsh in a forest glade. Roeselare is described as the Manchester of Belgium, and has a port on the canal still bustling with activity. In 1875 a young Albrecht Rodenbach, who later became an important poet, led a protest against the use of French in education at the city’s Klein Seminarie (minor seminary), spearheading the Flemish Groote Stooringe student revolt. This was a big step in the “Dutchization” of Flemish secondary education. Rodenbach’s namesake is a Roeselare brewery revered for its barrel-aged sours, and a must-visit for beer lovers. Also waiting to be discovered in the city centre is a UNESCO-listed belfry, a newly updated cycling museum and one of the region’s prime shopping streets (Ooststraat).
Rodenbach, Spanjestraat 133
Open: Mon - Fri 07.00 - 16.00
Rodenbach is a brewery in Roeselare, Belgium, it is now owned by Palm Breweries. It is noted for its barrel-aged sour beers in the Flemish red ale's. Tours of the brewery are a must you go trough the huge barrels plus you get to see the old maltings and the foeder work shop. At the end you get to sample the classic, and then either a Grand Cru or the Alexander (or both if you asked politely). Lots of atmosphere and very interesting.
BOM Brewery / Triporteurwinkel, Armoedestraat 11
Open: Fri 09.00 - 18.00 Sat 13.30 17.00
A cool place with a friendly welcome, and some excellent and unique beers. Quite a moden spcae inside, selling all their Triporteur bottles and a beer from the barrel if you are lucky? Well worth seaking out. Set up by a keen home brew dude "Bert" and learned the tricks of the trade in some world-famous breweries! As a graduated brewing engineer, he did an internship at the Orval brewery and at Rodenbach famous for the original Flemish red-brown beers brewery. Bert worked at the Gueuze Boon brewery as a cellar master and at the Sint Bernardus brewery as the brewmaster. He gained experience abroad in breweries in Fort Collins (USA), in Brooklyn (USA), as brewmaster in Suzhou (China) and in Galati (Romania). His international experience earned him a place as a jury member during the World Beer Cup. In Austin, Texas, Bert built the new Celis Brewery where the Pierre Celis white beer is brewed again and also in Franschhoek, South Africa, where he built a new brewery according to his own BOM BREW design. In Bert’s search to master his craft he asked, ‘how do I do this myself, but better?’ He was inspired by the traditional way of creating specialty malts and how Rodenbach in earlier times,used a unique brewing method – by using a ‘Kiln’ to prepare their own malt. Bert purchased a coffee roaster and remodeled it to create his own special malt. He purchased a white malt, (this is a basic malt that is light in colour and has only been kilned) and uses it for making his new variation of malt. Baking malt at low temperatures makes the malt smooth and light. Roasting malt at higher temperatures makes the malt darker and more intense. Super fresh malt is used for brewing beer within the 48 hours.
Bert creates an individual recipe for every single beer. The homemade malt forms the basis for a secret composition of ingredients, called a “BOM package”. On the basis of that secret recipe Bert himself brews (in the kettles) that he hires as a gypsy brewer. He follows up the whole brewing process himself, from A to Z.
De Koornbloem, 118 Ooststraat
Open: Mon - Sat 08.00 - 20.00 Sun 10.00 - 20.00
A pleasant, modern café between the train station and the Grote Markt. A good choice of 10 draught beers inc Rodenbach Foederbier and Vintage & Character Rouge are on the small but good bottle list, all at reasonable prices. Inside its quite spacious with white leather carver chairs that create a cosy comfortable space, good friendly staff. Recommended.
’t Walhalla, Zuidstraat 30
Open: Thurs - Sat 16.00 - 03.00, Sun 18.00 - 03.00
A medium sized brassiere where they per beers with dishes off the menu. Quite expensive food wise for what you get? The service is friendly but maybe an extra person would not be a bad idea, so it would not be so slow. The space is full of dark wood tables and chairs with no soft furnishings so it can get quite noisy. Good beer list, don't know if you can just have a beer or not? Also it's cash only (Yes I know we are in the 21st Century) !
Café Romen, Nonnenstraat 14
Open: Mon 12.00 - 13.30, Wed 07.00 - 14.00, Tues, Thurs, Fri 12.00 - 13.30 & 17.00 02.00 Sat - Sun 16.00 - 04.00
A nice and cosy bar. It is kind of like going back 50 years in time. A cool ambience and a beautiful rustic interior that creates a cool vibe, they also have a beautiful cosy outside terrace. They have six beers on tap and a small but good bottle list. The food and service are both good. This place is a must for Roeselare. Note they have a remarkable amount of choice of non-alcoholic beverages.
Sanseveria, Veldstraat 61
Open: Wed - Sun 18.00 - 22.00
A cool Italian ristorante but in the Belgian "brown cafe" style, lots of religious statues and paraphernalia adorn the space, really cosy and friendly cafe. A small menu of half a dozen dishes, super tasty spaghetti and certainly not expensive. They have a small bottle list but you will find something to satisfy your inner "beer geek". Highly recommended.
Streekbieren Yves, Onze-Lieve-Vrouwemarkt 1
Open: Thurs 09.00 - 12.30 Fri - Mon 09.00 - 12.00 & 13.45 - 17.00
A typical Belgian beer shop, a little off the beaten path. In one corner of the store, there is a special room for local beers. A reasonable selection of around 300 beers.
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