REVIEW · BRUGES
Bruges Beer Tasting Experience (with cheese!)
Book on Viator →Operated by Beertasting in Bruges · Bookable on Viator
Six Belgian beers, plus cheese, in one cozy hour.
I love how this tasting turns a famous Belgian subject into something you can actually follow, with a guide like Lavigna walking you through what you’re drinking and why it matters. My other favorite is the pairing setup: you get cheese and charcuterie that makes the beers easier to enjoy, even if you don’t call yourself a beer person. One possible drawback: because it’s a bar setting, it can get a little noisy, so you may want to choose a spot where you can hear the guide.
You’ll meet at the Bauhaus Bar, where your glasses are prepared at tables reserved for your group. With around 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours on the clock and a small max group size (up to 50), it’s a friendly way to spend an evening without turning it into a whole production.
In This Review
- Key things to know before you go
- Bauhaus Bar: why the meeting spot matters
- The six-beer flight: what you’re actually tasting
- Cheese and salami pairing: the part people remember
- The brewer’s perspective: history you can taste
- The evening flow: timing, group size, and comfort
- Price check: is $45.35 actually fair?
- Who this Bruges beer tasting suits best
- Quick tips so you enjoy it more
- Should you book this Bruges beer tasting with cheese?
- FAQ
- Where does the beer tasting take place?
- How long is the Bruges beer tasting experience?
- What is included in the tasting?
- What language is the tour offered in?
- How many people are in the group?
- Do I need to bring a paper ticket?
- Can I bring a service animal?
- Is confirmation provided after booking?
- Is this experience suitable for most travelers?
- What is the cancellation policy?
Key things to know before you go

- Six iconic Belgian beers served in comfortable, seated tastings
- Cheese and salami included to balance flavors and keep things fun
- Bauhaus Bar setup with reserved tables so the session starts smoothly
- English-guided experience aimed at making Belgian beer easy to understand
- Small-to-mid group feel (up to 50) that still encourages conversation
Bauhaus Bar: why the meeting spot matters

This tasting starts where you’d expect it to start in Bruges: at a real bar that feels lived-in, not staged. The Bauhaus Bar has character, and that’s not just decoration. The format works because you’re set up with reserved space right away. Your beer guide prepares glasses at tables that are held specifically for your group, so you spend less time figuring out where to go and more time tasting.
That matters in Bruges, where walking between sights can be slow going. Here, you get one clear plan. You show up, get settled, and the tasting begins at the bar—so your evening stays simple.
One more practical point: a few guests flagged that there can be steep steps during the experience. I’d keep that in mind if you’re not comfortable with stairs. It’s not the kind of tour where you can assume level ground the whole way.
You can also read our reviews of more food & drink experiences in Bruges
The six-beer flight: what you’re actually tasting
The heart of the evening is the beer. You’ll taste six iconic Belgian beers, with the session designed so you can follow the logic behind the selection while you’re sitting comfortably.
Even if you go in thinking you’re not a beer fan, the structure helps. The best comment I saw in the vibe was the idea that the beers are explained and selected in a way that changes how you look at them. The guide doesn’t just name styles; you learn what to look for as flavors shift from pour to pour.
Here’s what makes a six-beer tasting a good value for your time:
- It’s enough variety that you don’t feel bored.
- It’s short enough that you can still enjoy the rest of your Bruges night.
- The guide’s explanations give you a mental framework, so it stops being random drinking.
Also, the seating format means you’re not spending the evening standing in a crowd. You get to focus on the beer in front of you.
Cheese and salami pairing: the part people remember

Beer tasting plus food is usually a win. Here, the snacks aren’t an afterthought. You get a spread that includes cheese and chopped salami, and that pairing can genuinely change the experience.
Why? Because Belgian beer flavors can run toward malt sweetness, hop bitterness, spicy notes, or yeasty complexity (depending on what you pour). Salty meats and cheese do two useful things:
- They balance the bitterness so the beer feels smoother.
- They help you reset your palate so each next pour is easier to notice.
One guest called out an excellent charcuterie and cheese plate, and that tracks with the practical goal: you can taste more beer without the session turning into a sugar-and-float blur. If you’re pairing beer with food at home later, this is the most useful lesson of the night—how quickly taste changes with a simple bite.
The brewer’s perspective: history you can taste

This experience isn’t just about the beers themselves. You also get the brewing story, covering both Belgium’s brewing past and how brewing looks today.
That kind of context is valuable because Belgian beer isn’t one single thing—it’s a tradition with lots of styles. When a guide talks through what’s behind a beer, you start tasting with intention instead of just reacting to flavor.
You’ll hear background that connects:
- How Belgian brewing developed over time
- How current brews reflect that heritage
- What makes different styles different in real, everyday terms
In plain language: you leave knowing what you liked and why. And if you’ve ever walked into a bottle shop thinking everything looks similar, this kind of explanation makes future ordering way easier.
The evening flow: timing, group size, and comfort

Plan on about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. That’s an ideal length for Bruges evenings because you can fit it between dinner and a stroll, without feeling stuck until midnight.
The group size caps at 50 travelers, which keeps things from turning into a free-for-all. Still, it’s a bar environment, so your comfort will depend a bit on how your group ends up and how busy the space is.
Here’s the best part: the reserved tables and the fact that glasses are prepared for you help everything run on track. When the session is running well, it feels organized but not stiff.
One note from real-world experience: a small group can make it feel almost like a private tasting. If your group is small enough, you’ll likely get more back-and-forth questions and more attention from the guide. If it’s larger, you can still enjoy it—you just might need to pick a good spot so you can hear the explanations over the bar noise.
You can also read our reviews of more drinking tours in Bruges
Price check: is $45.35 actually fair?

At $45.35 per person, you’re paying for a guided beer flight plus food—six beers, cheese, and salami, all in a set time window.
Is that expensive? Not really, because you’re not just buying drinks; you’re buying:
- Guided context (so the beers make sense)
- A structured tasting format
- Snacks that keep the session comfortable
- A prime Bruges meeting spot at the Bauhaus Bar with reserved tables
Could it be less if you booked it locally? Possibly, but the value here is the “everything is handled” part. You sit down, glasses are prepared, and you’re led through the tasting. For many visitors, that convenience is worth it—especially on a first trip.
If you’re price-sensitive, compare this to the cost of buying six Belgian beers individually plus food plus the time you’d spend figuring out what to order. The guided structure is the main reason it feels like a smart deal rather than just a night out.
Who this Bruges beer tasting suits best

This works especially well if:
- You’re in Bruges for a short time and want one high-impact activity
- You’re curious about Belgian beer but don’t want to study labels first
- You want a sociable evening that still has a clear structure
- You’re traveling solo or as a couple and want an easy way to meet people
It also suits mixed beer groups. One of the best things about the format is that it doesn’t assume you already know the styles. You’ll get explanations while you taste, so it stays approachable.
Quick tips so you enjoy it more

- Pick a seat where you can hear. In a bar, sound can be the difference between fun and frustrating.
- Pace yourself with the food. Cheese and salami are there for a reason—use them between pours.
- If stairs are an issue, take extra care. Some guests mentioned steep steps.
- Bring curiosity, not expertise. Even if you’re not a beer person, the session is built to teach you what to notice.
- Use the guide’s style tips. The goal is that you can order better beer later, not just drink it now.
Should you book this Bruges beer tasting with cheese?
I’d book it if you want an evening that’s part tasting, part learning, and part food pairing, all in a neat 1.5 to 2-hour window. The biggest wins are the structured six-beer flight and the way the guide helps you connect flavors to brewing ideas—plus the cheese and salami that makes the whole thing more enjoyable and easier to stomach.
I’d hesitate only if you’re very sensitive to bar noise or if stairs are a major issue for you. And if you’re traveling on a tight schedule, it’s wise to keep an eye on any message updates close to start time, just to avoid being surprised by last-minute changes.
Overall, this is a solid value way to experience Belgian beer in Bruges—one sitting, six pours, and a story you can actually use when you shop for beer later.
FAQ
Where does the beer tasting take place?
The tasting happens at the Bauhaus Bar in Bruges, where the guide prepares glasses at reserved tables.
How long is the Bruges beer tasting experience?
It lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.
What is included in the tasting?
You’ll taste six Belgian beers, and you’ll also have cheese and charcuterie/snacks included with the tasting.
What language is the tour offered in?
The experience is offered in English.
How many people are in the group?
There is a maximum of 50 travelers.
Do I need to bring a paper ticket?
No. You’ll receive a mobile ticket.
Can I bring a service animal?
Yes. Service animals are allowed.
Is confirmation provided after booking?
Yes. You’ll receive confirmation at the time of booking.
Is this experience suitable for most travelers?
Yes, most travelers can participate.
What is the cancellation policy?
You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded. If the experience is canceled because a minimum number of travelers isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.































