De Garre

This guide to De Garre in Bruges follows the tavern hidden down one of the city's narrowest alleys, once a fire lane leading straight to the canals. It traces the bar's history from its 1984 opening through the house tripel brewed with Van Steenberge two years later, a beer far stronger than the Westmalle recipe it was modeled on. You'll hear about Carl Ascoop, who has run De Garre since 1997 and imposes his famous three-glass limit on every customer, less as a rule than as a house game. Settle into the dark timber snug and listen for the music that has played there for decades.