België. Belgique. Belgium.
By whichever name you call it, be it Dutch, French or English, Belgium is the world’s best beer country. A place the size of Maryland with more than 130 breweries and 600-plus superb beer bars, Belgium is indeed a beer lover’s nirvana. But with so much to choose from, even savvy beer drinkers can be a bit daunted visiting the country. Fear not beer fans, The Beer Connoisseur is here to help. What follows is a road map to Belgium’s beer offerings, an expert guide to the best of what the country has to offer. Put away the guidebook and pour yourself a brew. We have a lot of ground to cover.

Brussels
Let’s start in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the political center of the European Union. Among the many places worthy of your attention is Brasserie Cantillon, certainly one of the top beer destinations in the country, and for good reason. This historic brewery is one of the last 10 or so in Belgium that produces beers by the method of spontaneous fermentation. It is just a 5-minute walk from the city’s main train station, Midi, and is open for visits six days a week.

Simon and Garfunkel, wine and cheese – of all the great pairings in the history of the universe, none are as effortless as beer and pizza.

With soaring ceilings, 20 unique beers on tap, and a scandalously delicious dough recipe, Slab Sicilian Street Food is a temple dedicated to the enjoyment of this quintessential pairing. Co-Owner and General Manager Emily Kingsbury reigns as high priestess here, delivering sacramental 1-pound slabs of pizza and satisfying the demands of Portland, Maine's young, thirsty beer scene with an impressive, constantly rotating tap list.

Full disclosure: Since Slab opened last June (literally stumbling distance from my door), I've been a regular. As a customer, it's enough for me to appreciate the good beer and short trip home. As a writer, I'm driven to understand how the variables – the personality of the owners, the tap list, the food – interact to create an atmosphere so uniquely conducive to enjoying a beer.

The Woman Behind the Bar

Let's start with Emily – a young, energetic rising star in Portland's beer scene.