Where to Buy Belgian Beer in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote

Belgian Beer in Playa Blanca

If you're a Belgian beer fan visiting Playa Blanca, you might expect to be stuck with San Miguel and Dorada from the supermarket. Not quite. A few places stock proper Belgian beers, and we're one of them.

At Brunchi.shop in Marina Rubicon, we keep a selection of Belgian abbey and Trappist beers in the fridge. They sit alongside Lanzarote's own Malpeis and NAO craft beers, some international craft options, and over 100 wines. You can drink on the terrace or take bottles back to your hotel, because everything is available to buy and take away.

The fridge changes from week to week, so if you're after something specific, send us an email before you walk over. We'd rather tell you now than have you disappointed at the counter.

Belgian Beers at Brunchi.shop

Our Belgian selection covers some of the best-known abbey and Trappist-style beers in the world. Here is what you will usually find, and how we'd describe each one to a customer:

• Leffe Blonde (6.6%) — The classic Belgian abbey beer, and €5.00 a bottle. Smooth, slightly fruity, with a gentle spice. It's the entry point for most people getting into Belgian beer, and there's nothing wrong with that. If anyone at your table says they don't like "strong" beer, start them here.
• Duvel (8.5%) — The legendary golden strong ale. It has a big white head, complex fruit and spice flavours, and a dry finish that hides its strength. Don't let the golden colour fool you. This one creeps up on you, especially in the Lanzarote heat.
• Chimay (various) — One of the world's few authentic Trappist beers, brewed by monks at Scourmont Abbey in Belgium since 1862. We stock the Red (brown, 7%) and Blue (dark, 9%). The Red is fruity and approachable. The Blue is rich and complex, and better suited to a slow evening drink.
• Westmalle Tripel (9.5%) — Complex, fruity, with peppery spice. It's a benchmark for the Belgian Tripel style. This is a special occasion beer, so treat it with respect and don't rush it.
• Grimbergen Blonde (6.7%) — Rich and creamy abbey beer with notes of caramel and citrus. It's slightly sweeter than Leffe and very easy to drink, which makes it a good one for people who usually order lager.

How to Drink Belgian Beer Properly

You don't need a ceremony, but a few small things make a real difference.

Temperature. Straight from a cold fridge is fine for Leffe, Grimbergen and Duvel, especially on a hot afternoon. The darker, stronger ones, Chimay Blue in particular, open up if you let the bottle sit for a few minutes before pouring. Ice-cold beer hides the fruit and spice that you're paying for.

Pouring. Many Belgian beers are bottle-conditioned, which means a little yeast settles at the bottom of the bottle. Pour in one smooth movement, leaving the last centimetre behind if you prefer a clearer beer. Some people like to swirl it in and drink it. Both are fine.

Pace. At 8.5% and above, a Duvel or a Westmalle Tripel is not a beer to knock back by the pool. Drink water alongside, and don't plan on a second one if you're walking back along the marina in the sun.

Why Belgian Beer is Different

If you're used to British or American craft beer, Belgian beers are a completely different experience. IPAs get their flavour mainly from hops. Belgian beers are yeast-driven. Belgian brewers use particular yeast strains that produce complex fruity and spicy flavours during fermentation: banana, clove, pepper, dried fruit. It's why a Duvel tastes nothing like a Malpeis IPA even though they're a similar colour and strength.

Belgian beers also tend to be higher in alcohol (7-12% is normal) but drink more smoothly than you'd expect. The monks knew what they were doing.

Belgian vs Lanzarote Craft Beer

They're chalk and cheese, which is what makes trying both so much fun. Lanzarote craft beers from Malpeis and NAO are typically hop-forward: citrusy IPAs, crisp lagers and session ales inspired by American and German styles. Belgian beers are all about the yeast, and they are complex, aromatic and often bottle-conditioned.

A useful way to think about it is that a hoppy IPA wakes you up with bitterness and citrus, while a Belgian abbey beer comforts you with fruit, spice and body. On a 30-degree day, the lighter Lanzarote beers often win. In the evening, with something to eat, the Belgians come into their own.

Ask us what we'd put on it that day. If you are sharing, one person tends to go for the hoppy ones and the other for the darker ones, and you end up swapping glasses.

Food Pairing

Belgian beer and food is a match made in heaven. Try Chimay Red with a strong cheese. We sell artisan Canarian goat cheese at the shop, and the fruitiness of the beer takes the edge off the saltiness.

Duvel works brilliantly as a pre-dinner aperitif. The carbonation and dry finish wake up the palate, so have one before you head out to eat in the marina. Leffe Blonde goes with practically anything but is especially good with grilled fish or chicken, which suits a Lanzarote menu very well.

Westmalle Tripel with dark chocolate is one of those pairings that sounds odd but is genuinely incredible. Grimbergen Blonde, being a little sweeter, is a good match for salty snacks, and Chimay Blue is the one to pour at the end of the evening when you're not in a hurry.

Other Places for Belgian Beer in Playa Blanca

The Belgian Bar on Calle la Laja has an impressive on-tap selection, probably the best dedicated Belgian beer bar in Playa Blanca. Great atmosphere too. Rosco's Beer House on the Limones pedestrian street has 100+ bottled beers from around the world, including a good Belgian section.

The difference at Brunchi is that we're a shop and bar. You can taste something on the terrace and then buy bottles to take back to your hotel or home. If you find a beer you love, grab a few extras to take to the pool tomorrow.

Belgian Beer as a Gift

Plenty of people ask us about taking beer home or sending something to friends staying in the resort.

What People Usually Ask Us

Which Belgian beer should I start with?

Leffe Blonde or Grimbergen Blonde. Both are approachable, and neither will frighten anyone off.

Which one is the strongest?

Westmalle Tripel at 9.5%, with Chimay Blue at 9% close behind. Duvel is 8.5% and the one people most often underestimate.

Can I try before I buy?

Sit on the terrace, have a bottle, and if you like it take a few more with you.

You'll find us at Calle El Burrugo 44B, Marina Rubicon, Playa Blanca. We're open Monday to Saturday, 10am-3pm and 6pm-10pm, and closed all day on Sunday.