Brasserie de la Senne: The Bitter Revival
The architects of the modern Brussels brewing renaissance, proving that Belgian beer can be aggressively hopped and fiercely independent.
The Vibe
In the early 2000s, commercial brewing had almost completely vanished from the Brussels city limits. Brasserie de la Senne changed that. When they opened, they were the first new brewery to plant a flag in the capital in over half a century. They reject the heavy, syrupy-sweet profiles of mass-market Belgian ales. Instead, their sprawling, industrial facility at the Tour & Taxis site is a shrine to bitterness, unfiltered yeast, and absolute structural integrity.
What To Order
You do not ask for a sour here, and you certainly don't ask for something sweet. You order the Taras Boulba or the Zinnebir. These are deeply bitter, fiercely aromatic pale ales that manage to retain a distinct, spicy Belgian yeast character while drinking with the dry snap of a modern IPA.
And because this is still Brussels, you pair that bracing bitterness with a massive, greasy paper cone of perfectly fried frites. Salt. Fat. Hops. It is the holy trinity of Belgian comfort, updated with a razor-sharp modern edge.