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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️

@carolinedebenh1.bsky.social

2.3K followers 1.1K following 9.3K posts

She/her. Retired librarian/pub manager. Real ale/good beer (esp. Belgian & Dutch), Mgr CAMRA GBBF Belgian/Dutch bar, GPEW member, Luton Town FC, swimming, trans rights. Mastodon (not much used) @[email protected]

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 4h

Geen gist, aub!

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 9h

Got a draught Carolus Tripel as my freebie at Café Belge. That'll do. I look forward to the usual Eurostar journey home of dozing, dribbling and farting. Fortunately there's no-one currently allocated to the seat next to me!

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 10h

Final stop of the trip is Café Belge. It's in the tick book and the freebie is in theory Gulden Draak Quad but I don't think that's on the menu now so we'll see. Anyway a draught Saison Dupont Dry Hopping as my first.

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 12h

It's lovely stuff!

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 12h

2nd beer In De Reynaert before I head to my final café of the trip is a Hercule. I got my best Dutch out and asked if I could pour it myself!

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 13h

2nd attempt finds De Reynaert open. Keeping it low with a Taras Boulba. Yet again poured for me but he did give me the empty bottle!

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 14h

Yeah, I prefer yeast-free.

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 14h

Another short walk brings me to Leuven Central. A small but solid beer list and reasonably priced food. Zinnebir (poured by the barman again 🤬) and pasta puttanesca.

Glass of beer and bowl of pasta puttanesca

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 15h

Starting what will mostly be a leisurely wander around central Leuven (with a likely excursion to De Reynaert) at De Blauwe Kater. A jazz and blues café with an excellent beer list. It's maybe a bit early but you don't see Achel Extra Bruin 8% too often - I'll sip it gently. Poured by barman again 🤬

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 16h

As a member of Accor's loyalty acheme I get a free 'welcome drink' at the bar - which I'm having as I leave! The list not surprisingly isn't massive but does include Carolus Tripel, Westmalle Tripel & Bernardus 12. Starting sensible however on an Orval.

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 17h

Did a bit of beer shopping so you can have another unsolicited Prik&Tik pic along with my receipt. A mixture of old faves and a few new ones including the new Boon Mariage Parfait 10. Oh, and the guys behind me had something rather large on their trolley.

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Only a five minute walk!

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Only had poutine once but it was great!

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

And extremely yummy it is too.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

No, YOU drunkenly purchased frieten met stoofvleessaus (aka chips 'n' gravy) to take back to your hotel room.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

That was rather a lot of 'going's for one sentence!

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

I was only going to have one in De Fiere Margriet but I'm having such a good time I'm going for an XX Bitter before going home.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

(Almost as much fun as the dog's having!)

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Having a fun time throwing the pub dog's favourite ball for him to catch.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Back in town and I'm in the relatively recently reopened De Fiere Margriet. About 100 beers on the list and very little crap. Enjoying an Avec les Bons Voeux. It was previously in the freebie book with the entire space for café description taken up by a lengthy dirty joke with a wanking punchline!

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Reposted by Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️

Jason @greedyrunner.bsky.social · May 14

I've had a couple of drinks, so here's my unfiltered thoughts. My trans friends rule, and the 'reasonable' transphobes that have popped up once or twice on my timeline can just fuck off and die.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

2nd, and probably last at Den Druppel, is one of their bottles - Druppel Hop 8.5%. Unfortunately the barman poured it for me. They also have a couple of weaker beers and a 10.5% tripel but this'll probably do before I go back to Leuven.

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Unisex is fine. But the design could be better!

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Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

Even I felt slightly uncomfortable ngl.

Caroline Debenham 🏳️‍⚧️ @carolinedebenh1.bsky.social · 1d

The TERFs would have a fit with the toilets here. Unisex - you walk into a single room with 2 urinals in plain view on the left wall and 2 cubicles on the right.

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