KCBS Judge Tour
May 11-20, 2018 | $2,995
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This tour is exclusive for KCBS judges. We will have the opportunity to judge 3 contests – two in Belgium (this is actually a two day contest) and one in the Netherlands. During this tour we will explore two wonderful cities, Brussels and Amsterdam, both of which have rich history and magnificent architecture. We will also visit Antwerp, the diamond capital of the world and Hasselt, a small Belgium town east of Brussels.
What's included in the tour:
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Accommodations for 10 nights at 3-4 Star hotels*.
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All transportation during the tour: train tickets between cities (1st Class when available), transportation to and from venues (breweries, museums etc.) and tram passes.
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All event (brewery, museum, etc.) entry fees.
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Breakfast daily.
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Group lunches (5).
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Group dinners (4).
*Accommodations based on double occupancy.
Tour cost: $2995.00 USD
Amsterdam is a wonderful city to explore. It is a city rich in history and picturesque views await the traveler around every turn. It's canals and narrow streets make it the perfect city to explore on foot and the tram system makes it easy to hop around the city. Add to this the growing microbrewery scene and Amsterdam is the perfect way to start a European beer trip.
Brussels has a rich history of brewing both within the walls of Trappist Monasteries and in the long established breweries such as Cantillon. We will also visit some of the newer microbreweries, some of which focus on traditional styles of the area while others brew contemporary styles and are highly experimental.
Day 1
We meet at the Brussels Centraal station at 11:00 and board the train for Hasselt, a small town approximately 50 miles west Brussels and the city where the first two contests will be held. Hasselt has a wonderful town square filled with shops, restaurants, brasseries, cafes and taverns. We check in to the hotel and get situated before heading out to lunch. After lunch it's off to the National Jenever Museum. Jenever is a distilled spirit, akin to gin and is the national spirit of Belgium and the Netherlands. After a tour and tasting we head to the city center and explore the city on our own. We will meet again at 19:00 for dinner at a wonderful restaurant in the Grand Place area.
Day 2
We are up and have breakfast by 09:00 and head to the site of the Beer Fries & BBQ V contest. Judging will take up most of the day but we should be finished by 14:00 so we can visit the Japanese Garden, the largest in Belgium. We are on our own for dinner tonight and can enjoy exploring the many restaruants around the hotel.
Day 3
Today we judge the second day of the Beer Fries & BBQ V contest. After a lite breakfast we head back to the site and enjoy the contest until 14:00. We return to the hotel where we pick up our luggage and board the train for Brussels. After checking into the hotel in Brussels, we enjoy a leisurely dinner around the Grand Place.
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Day 4
Today is a relaxed day. After breakfast, we travel to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History for a special guided tour. After the tour, we return to the Grand Place where we spend the afternoon exploring Brussels on our own. We meet in the hotel lobby at 19:00 and head to dinner at the famous Chez Leon.
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Day 5
We begin the day with a tour of Train World, a museum located in Belgiums oldest railway station. The museum contains over 20 locomotives as well as an extensive history of the Belgium railway system. After our tour, we have lunch before visiting Brasserie Cantillon. This brewery is produces a very unique beer specific to Brussels in that it uses spontanious fermentation in its beer production. The brewery was founded in 1900 and produces lambic style beer. After our tour, we will have the opportunity to sample several of their beers. On the way back to the hotel, we stop at another very small brewery, L'Ermitage which brews beers of more traditional styles. The rest of the eveining is on our own.
Day 6
We start our day with a visit to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History for a special guided tour. The museum houses an outstanding collection of armor and aircraft. After the tour we have lunch before we embark on a walking chocolate tour of Brussels. We meet for dinner at 19:00.
Day 7
Today we visit Antwerp, diamond capital of the world. After an early breakfast, we board the train for a short 40 minute ride. Our first stop in Antwerp is the diamond district where we are able to explore the shops and perhaps purchase a souvenier. From here we visit the MAS, the Museum aan de Stroom which is the premier museum in Antwerp. We enjoy a guided tour of the exhibits before proceeding to the Grote Markt for lunch and a little sightseeing and exploring. Our last stop before returning to Brussels is the brewery de Konnig where we have the opportunity to sample their beers as well as other beers in the Duvel Moortgat family. We board the train for the return trip to Brussels and spend our last night enjoying the city on our own.
Day 8
Today we travel to Amsterdam. We board the train at 09:00 for the trip which takes approximately 2 hours. Upon our arrival, we check into our hotel and take a moment to regroup before heading to lunch. Lunch is at the Brouwerij de Bekeerde Suster, a small brewery which produces traditionally styled beers. We tour the brewery and enjoy a sampling of their beers. After lunch we walk a short distance to the Rembrandt House Museum where Rembrandt lived and worked between 1639 and 1656. After the tour we work our way back to the hotel by way of Wynand Fockink, a small distillery, for a tour and tasting. We enjoy a tour of their small distillery and taste some of their excellent spirits. We meet in the hotel lobby at 19:00 and head to dinner at a local Dutch restaurant.
Day 9
After breakfast we board a canal boat and enjoy the views of Amsterdam on our way to the Van Gogh Museum. Here we enjoy a private tour of the museum before heading to famous flower market and lunch. After lunch we visit the purse museum (this is an amazing museum) and end the afternoon by continuing our canal cruise back to the hotel. Dinner is on our own tonight.
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Day 10
Today is the day of the contest and our final day in Amsterdam. After a light breakfast, we board the train for Hoofddorp, the site of the Tony Stone Low & Slow BBQ contest. The contest takes up most of the day. Afterward, we return to Amsterdam and relax and finish exploring the city as we enjoy our last day. We meet in the hotel lobby at 19:00 and enjoy our last dinner together at the famous Cafe Gollem.
Mobility Notice
This tour involves substantial walking through breweries, museums and the cities we visit. In addition, climbing of stairs, navigating entryways, etc. is required. Many venues visited on this tour would not be considered ADA compliant. If you have concerns regarding these issues, please contact our staff as this might not be the best tour choice for you.