Belevingscentrum en abdijbrouwerij Grimbergen
Visitor centre with a microbrewery in the abbey of Grimbergen, covering almost nine centuries of abbey beer, with a tour and an optional beer tasting.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The abbey of Grimbergen was founded in 1128 by Norbertines and for centuries was famous for its beer. Brewing took place here according to carefully preserved recipes until the French Revolution abruptly put an end to it.
Today a microbrewery has returned within the abbey walls, where the old brewing tradition continues with modern techniques. Abbey brewer Father Karel Stautemas and master brewer Cedric Lebbe are responsible for the new Grimbergen beers, which appear under the name “1128 by Grimbergen”.
The visitor centre tells the full story of the abbey and the brewery and ends with a personal beer recommendation. You walk the tour at your own pace with an access badge, optionally with a tasting of two or three beers from the microbrewery. According to Wikipedia, an abbey beer museum, the first in Belgium, had already opened in 1997 in a seventeenth-century abbey farm.
Highlights
- Visitor centre on almost nine centuries of abbey history and brewing
- Microbrewery in the abbey, with beers under the name 1128 by Grimbergen
- Personal beer recommendation to finish the tour
- Tasting of two or three beers from the microbrewery (optional)
- Guided tour and access to the abbey gardens (by reservation)
Permanent exhibition
- Belevingscentrum en abdijbrouwerij – Tour through the story of the abbey of Grimbergen and the art of brewing, with the microbrewery and a personal beer recommendation to finish.
- Operated by
- Grimbergen (Carlsberg Group)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Groups | –A guide costs €90 per group (up to 25 people per guide, about 1.5 hours) and is charged on top of the entry ticket. For groups above 15 people, the centre recommends a guide. |
| Self-guided tour with tasting of 2 beers (60 minutes) | €16 |
| Self-guided tour with tasting of 3 beers (60 minutes) | €18 |
| Guide for the tour (per group, excluding ticket) | €90Up to 25 people per guide, about 1.5 hours, with access to the abbey gardens. |
The basic ticket (€12) covers the self-guided tour without tasting and includes access to the visitor centre and the microbrewery, plus an access badge. Tickets can be bought online via grimbergen.com or on site.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
| Time needed | approx. 45 min |
|---|
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Grimbergen Abdij · 177 m
Grimbergen Abbey bus stop is about 177 metres from the visitor centre; bus lines R31, 21 and 533 stop there.
By car
There is parking near the abbey.
The visitor centre is at Abdijstraat 20 in Grimbergen, next to the abbey.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Restaurant
Next to the visitor centre is Fenikshof, a bar and restaurant at the same address; the kitchen is open every day from 12:00 to 21:00.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The self-guided tour without tasting takes about 45 minutes, with tasting about 60 minutes; you set your own pace. A guide takes you for about one and a half hours past the visitor centre, the microbrewery and the abbey gardens. Requests and special wishes should be sent to the centre by email. |
