Pubs | Belgian Beer Cafe Heritage
How times have changed. Around 180 years ago, the beautiful heritage building in The Rocks was a school, rather than a scene of revelry that it presents today. Rote learning is a thing of the past – unless you’re trying to memorise the extensive beer list
Considering that Belgium has 150 breweries regularly producing over 850 beers, navigating the Heritage’s Belgian beer list takes some time and dedication. Luckily, the staff are experts and have a lot of practice spotting and consoling the perplexed expressions of the overwhlemed in their venue.
For OutInSydney, our expert and savior was Gonzalo Burgos. Impressively knowledgable, Gonzalo treated the duty of guiding us through the list with a kind of reverence – respectful that the life-altering responsibility of beer choice had dropped in his lap.
Our first beer for the afternoon was in fact a blend of two – Timmerman’s Pêche (Peach) Lambic and Dubuisson Bush Ambrée – a cocktail Gonzalo has dubbed ‘Bush Pêche’. The Pêche, a great example of the uniquely-Belgian fruited-sour beer style, contrasts the nectar-sweet and juicy flavour of peaches with a strong sour tartness not unlike under-ripe citrus. It’s no doubt a foreign taste but it’s incomparably refreshing.
Dubuisson Bush on the other hand, at 12%, is a massive hit of buttered toast and a Sunday roast.
When the two beers are combined, the resultant Bush Pêche is an eye-popping moment of contrast as the distinctive and conflicting flavours of the two beers fight for your attention. It’s a unique beer experience!
While European beer-hall style dining might lead you to think of schnitzels, pork knuckle and sauerkraut, ‘Belgian’ and ‘Bavarian’ are importantly two very different cuisines. Belgian menus tend to be a little more French than they are German, which is just as evident on The Heritage’s intercontinental wine list.
For those of us who love their seafood, The Heritage has got you very well catered for on Wednesdays with $20 mussels on special. It’s a popular day of the week here so call ahead and try and pinch a table during their double happy hour between 5pm-7pm.
Very few things in this world accommodate a sweet tooth quite like a Belgian dessert menu. The Heritage Belgian Beer Café celebrates this by serving up traditional ‘Smoutebollen’ or Belgian donuts and Belgian waffles. If it’s too hard to pick between the two, don’t stress – they both come smothered in melted milk chocolate.
Once again Gonzalo comes correct with a beer suggestion - the on-tap Belle Vue Kriek cherry sour beer. The theory is that the combination of rich Belgian chocolate and the sweet-sour flavours of the Kriek combine to create the flavour of the classiest Cherry Ripe you’ve ever had….and Gonzalo is absolutely correct!
OutInSydney left The Heritage this week with our belt buckles loose, our eyesight a little fuzzy and heads swimming with newfound knowledge on the intricacies and delights of Belgian cuisine and beer. There are plenty of reasons why we’ll no doubt find ourselves back there soon – the food, the atmosphere and perhaps those mussels this coming Wednesday – but it’s probably Gonzalo’s Bush Peche that’ll make us regulars.
Written by Jackson Davey
Twitterr @JDavey91
