Brouwerij De Halve Maan

Brouwerij De Halve Maan is a working family brewery at Walplein 26 in the centre of Bruges, in Belgium's Flemish Region. Its best-known beers are Brugse Zot, a blond ale, and Straffe Hendrik, available in tripel and quadrupel versions. The brewery has operated from this site for generations and combines production with a visitor experience: guided tours explain the brewing process, lead through the old brewhouse and finish with a view over the rooftops of the city, usually with a glass of beer. The attached cafe-restaurant, the Brouwerij-Cafe, serves beer on site and meals built around it, so the venue works for an early evening drink as well as a dinner. The crowd is a mix of international visitors on tours, couples and groups of friends, together with locals who come for the beer and the setting on the Walplein square. The atmosphere is relaxed and daytime-leaning rather than a late-night party; the dress code is casual and the age range is adult, mostly twenties to sixties. Music is incidental. The drinks programme focuses on the brewery's own beers on draught and in bottles, with food pairings; non-alcoholic drinks and wine are also available. Prices are mid-range (€€), and tour tickets are priced separately from drinks. Opening follows a daily pattern, with tours starting from late morning and the cafe open into the evening, though hours vary by season and day, so checking the current schedule is recommended. There is no cover charge to enter the cafe, while the tour carries a fee; booking tour slots ahead is advisable in high season and at weekends, when they can sell out. Table reservations for the restaurant are also sensible for groups on busy evenings. Bottle service is not part of the format, but bottles are on sale for takeaway. The brewery is a good first stop on a Bruges beer circuit, and its position just south of the Markt makes it easy to link with De Garre and other cafes on foot.