House – Housbrowerij De Halve Maan
Address – Walplein 26, 8000 Brugge
Date of first visit – July 1997
Most recent visit – July 21st, 2023
Rest day – opens daily at 11.00 until 18.00, 21.00, Thursday-Saturday
URL – https://www.straffehendrik.be/en
De Halve Maan is located in Ankerplein on the southern edge of the old town. Visited semi-regularly over the years, it seems to be a bigger set up each time. If you’re in Brugge and wish to visit a brewery, then this is a possibility, the Hector believes Brouwerij Bourgogne des Flanderes is a better experience.
Amber, clear
Big body, not sweet
Back in the day, and I do mean the late 1990s, Straffe Hendrik Tripel was a contemporary of Pale Rider (Kelham Island, Sheffield) in terms of full body and a hoppiness that seemed totally satisfying. Then both lost it.
In Brugge, this seemed to coincide with the arrival of Brugse Zot at the same site. Their 6.0% Blond hardly rates a mention.