On Saturday 20 June, the same day our King and Queen landed in Wuhan, our friends from Vandergeeten & EG DistriSelecta launched a Belgian Beer Culture week in China. I was asked to say a few words in the Beijing opening party, done in the new Belgian bar “De Refter”, in Sanlitun. Vandergeeten, as it is mostly known, is one of the pioneers of importing Belgian beer (and more) into China. Their beers can be found all over the country.
De Refter is one more Belgian bar (and restaurant), joining the ranks of several others such as Beer Mania, The Tree, Morel’s and others that serve lots of Belgian beers.
I asked my friend James to join me to say a few words too as the “Chinese side” of the Sino-Belgian cooperation.
Before heading to De Refter we had a dinner next door so to speak, in Homeplate BBQ, I love their food, The meat is slowly cooked to become oh so tender; see the special oven they use. The place is always packed. The also have home-made beer.

I had a great time and discovered again some new Belgian beers. They are now part of my collection I have at home, all in my kitchen that is becoming too small to host the now about 100 different beer bottles. All bought and empties in Beijing. See the new add-on and part of the gallery of bottles. We are for sure happy to have so many beers from Belgian here.
Thanks to Mercedes and Bowen for the hospitality and the nice evening.
Beer, along with chocolate and diamonds are probably the best known features of Belgium around the world (maybe along with Manneken Pis…)