Brewery visit

1. Tasting (maximum 45 minutes)

All our various beers can be tasted on site. You can also expect an accompanying explanation by the brewer.

Price: 12 euros (for 1 to 6 people) and all drinks at 1 euros per sample glass.

2. A brewery visit (2 hours)

The brewer gives a detailed explanation of the artisanal brewing process. All your senses are activated: you can see, smell, feel, hear and taste in the brewery itself. Scraping, dumping, mashing, rinsing, cooling, lagering, top fermentation, heavy beer, enzymes, carbon dioxide, hops... The whole range of brewer's Latin is covered! He also talks about how the vocation to brew beer arose, what difficulties he encountered during the establishment of his small-scale business and about his very specific economic view of the business.

In between, some beers are tasted.

Price: €7 per person (minimum 7 people).

3. Brewery visit and St. Hymelinus walk (3 hours)

We start with the brewery visit (see above) and taste a few beers. After an hour we start the walk to the well of Sint-Hymelinus, about 1 km there and 1 km back (1 hour). The legend of Saint Hymelinus is revealed and framed in a historical perspective. We also tell about the five saints of Piscesa. How did Pisces get to two churches? Why is there a May Fair in Sint-Pieter? How did the Heilige Hoek get its name? What legacy from the first millennium remains of the Celts, Gallo-Romans and the Frankish immigrants from Germania? What role did the Norbertines play for the next 900 years? Arriving back at the brewery we can have a quiet chat over a beer.

Price: including the tasting you pay €61 for the brewery visit and the guided walk and €7 extra per person from the eighth participant. For example, a group of 10 people pays 61+7+7+7 = 82 euros in total.

4. Brewery visit and historical beer walk through Vissenaken (4 hours)

We start with the brewery visit (see above) and of course taste some beers. After an hour we start the walk through Vissenaken passing places with a brewing past or somehow associated with brewing, about 7 km (2 hours).

We walk on well-paved roads and paths, but good footwear is recommended. The walk is buggy friendly except after a long period of rain. We walk for a while (200 or 500 meters) along the busy Aarschotsesteenweg where visible clothing is recommended. Children should be kept at hand here. Arriving back at the brewery we can have a quiet chat over a beer.

Price: including the tasting, you pay €73 for the brewery visit and the guided walk and €7 extra per person from the eighth participant. For example, a group of 9 people pays 73+7+7 = 87 euros in total.

5. Brewery visit and bike ride (4 hours plus optional time for dinner)

We start with the brewery visit (see above) and taste an aperitif in good time.

After an hour we get on our bicycle (bring your own) for a trip of about 10 km (2 hours).

We depart on top of a Diestian hilltop in Vissenaken-Sint-Maarten. We read the landscape and make the socio-cultural, social and religious connections. Via a few striking places we cross the border area of the Hageland with Haspengouw. We descend to the bottom of the Velpe valley and climb back to the ridges. On a clear day we may be able to see up to 28 (!) church towers, in exceptional cases even the smoke plumes of Doel and Tihange. We are not that far away from the geographical center of Belgium. We stop on a regular basis and the brewer tells us about what we see and what the background of it all is.

In Bunsbeek we can eat something in Pizza Napoli (in the evening) or in Brasserie Het Molenhuys (in the afternoon or evening). Or you can join in Kumtich in Eethuis De Plek (weekend). This must be booked in advance.

Arriving at the brewery we can relax with a beer.

Price: including the tasting, you pay €73 for the brewery visit and the guided bike tour and €7 extra per person from the eighth participant. For example, a group of 8 people pays 73 + 7 = 80 euros in total. If a restaurant visit is planned, the guide will charge an additional meal allowance of €20.00. You have to pay for your meals yourself in the restaurant.

6. Brewery visit and Sacred Sources Walk (5 hours plus optional time for dinner)

We start with the brewery visit (see above) and enjoy an aperitif.

After an hour we start the first part of the landscape walk, about 5 km (1.5 hours).

We walk on various roads and narrow paths. Make sure you have good walking shoes. Flip flops are not allowed. This is not a buggy friendly walk.

We depart on top of a Diestian hilltop in Vissenaken-Sint-Maarten. We read the landscape and make the socio-cultural, social and religious connections. Through the Rozendaalbeel valley and via the source of Sint-Himelinus in Vissenaken we walk into the Velpe valley and amble through the Paddepoel towards Bunsbeek. While walking you will be immersed in stories about the local Celts, Gallo-Romans, Salian Franks (Germans), Irish monks, the local right-hand man of Maximilian I of Austria, the States and also the Spaniards and later the French Culottes who stayed here and on the basis is our culture (language border) and traditions, habits and characters…

In Bunsbeek we can eat something in Pizza Napoli (in the evening) or in Brasserie Het Molenhuys (in the afternoon or evening). This must be booked in advance.

The return journey begins while searching for the source of Saint Quirinus. A little further we also try to find the missing tram tracks and the mass grave of our fallen boys during WW1. Then we climb to the edge of the Hageland and Haspengouw over ancient roads and overlook a unique 'kettle valley'. This is approximately 4 km (1.5 hours). If the opportunity arises, the brewer tells about our kings and beer, the Trappists, how the Vandevelde law was crucial for our Belgian beer culture, etc.

Arriving at the brewery we can relax with a beer. Should there be any questions...

Price: including the tasting you pay €85 for the brewery visit and the guided walk and €7 extra per person from the eighth participant. For example, a group of 12 people pays 85+7+7+7+7+7 = 120 euros in total. If a restaurant visit is planned, the guide will charge an additional meal allowance of €20.00. You have to pay for your meals yourself in the restaurant

7. Brewery visit, two brisk walks and lunch (7.5 hours)

We start at about 10:00 am. with the brewery visit. The brewer gives a detailed explanation of the artisanal brewing process. All your senses are activated: you can see, smell, feel, hear and taste in the brewery itself. Scraping, dumping, mashing, rinsing, cooling, lagering, top fermentation, heavy beer, enzymes, carbon dioxide, hops... The whole range of brewer's Latin is covered!

In between, some beers are tasted.

at 11 a.m. we start a brisk landscape walk of 7.5 km (2 hours) up to the restaurant. We walk on various roads and narrow paths. Make sure you have good walking shoes, flip flops are absolutely not possible. This is not a buggy friendly walk either. We must come up with alternatives for people with a lesser condition or a disability.

We depart on top of a Diestian hilltop in Vissenaken and establish the geological connection with the Kattendijk lock in Antwerp and the Flemish banks off the Belgian coast. We read the landscape and make the socio-cultural, social and religious connections. Via some striking places we go down in the Velpe valley and we climb back to the ridge towards the hope village of Kumtich for lunch.

around 1 p.m. we then reach the Eethuis De Plek . After lunch, at the latest at 2.30 pm, we start a walk of 8 km (2 hours) on the edge of the Hageland and Haspengouw. We walk on ancient roads and through a unique cirque. We go along a field road, part of which is usually quite muddy. But rest assured, it is not a campaign or march. We stop on a regular basis and the brewer tells about the local Celts, Gallo-Romans, Salian Franks (Germans), Irish monks, the right-hand man of Maximilian I of Austria, the States and also the Spaniards and later the French culottes who stayed here and our culture (language border) and traditions, habits and characters are at the basis… We pass Het Posthof that had to leave in Berchem for the Antwerp ring road but rose again 60 km further south, along the same highway from Antwerp over Elewijt to Tienen. On a clear day we may be able to see up to 28 (!) church towers from a certain place, in exceptional cases even the smoke plumes of Doel and Tihange. We are not that far away from the geographical center of Belgium. Arriving in the brewery, around 4.30 pm, we can relax with a beer. The brewer still talks about how the vocation to brew beer arose, what difficulties he encountered during the establishment of his small-scale business and about his very specific economic view of the business.

Attention: Only on weekends. We recommend booking this package at least a few weeks in advance.

Price: including the tasting, you pay €117 for the brewery visit, the guided walk and the meal allowance for the guide. From the eighth participant €7 per person extra. For example, a group of 14 people pays 117+49 = 166 euros in total. You have to pay for your meals yourself in the restaurant.

8. Brewery visit, dinner and two nights' accommodation (Nokernote package)

An original and titillating stay arrangement in which all the regional beer from the Hageland is put in the spotlight!

For a minimum of two people:

• Two nights in B&B Nokernote (breakfast included) and a regional beer as a welcome drink
• Visit to the Vissenaken brewery
• Dinner in Restaurant De Refugie ; to choose from the monthly menu (including adapted wines, water on the table and a coffee or tea afterwards.

Price: see www.nokernote.be We recommend booking this package at least a few weeks in advance to ensure that the brewery can be visited.