Brasserie de la Mule - Beers 'n' Bites in Brussels

There was still one brewery with a proper taproom we didn’t write about yet, and that was Brasserie de la Mule, in Schaerbeek. And what a great taproom it is! A long bar to sit at—rarely found in brewery taprooms—and a great walled Biergarten. The use of the German word here is very much intentional, since they really like their German style beers here! And the best way to serve a German wheat beer is of course in a large (0,5 l), curvy Weizenbierglas. Bring on the next heatwave, here is the perfect place to cool down and, uh, ‘hydrate’!

The name of Brasserie de la Mule deserves a bit of an explanation. As some of you might already know, the donkey is kind of a mascotte for Schaerbeek, and you’ll find them displayed everywhere. Some real donkeys are even employed by the city! Furthermore, the building in which the brewery is housed—Les Ecuries van de Tram—was used by the public transport company as stables for the horses pulling the trams. And what do you get when you cross a donkey and a horse? Right, a mule! The mullet of brewer Joël might have had something to do with the choice of name as well…

Weizenbier

Back to beer though… At the bar you’ll find 14 pumps, serving a large selection of their own beers, of course—three of which served straight from the tank—but also a nice selection of local guest beers, and a cider. The Hefe Weisse Naturtrüb really is the beer you come and stay for, in our opinion. The Hopfen Weisse is not to be missed either, although at 8% ABV, we’d recommend getting this one in the smaller—but equally beautifully decorated—0,3 l glass. For the hottest days the 3,5% Berliner Weisse probably is the most sensible and refreshing choice. But you can’t really go wrong with anything on the menu, if you like German beers. If you prefer a beer in a Belgian style, La Mule actually makes one too: the Straight Saison.

Music

Against one wall, you’ll find quite a sizeable stage, and let us tell you: it is used very often! With the support of the culture department of Schaerbeek, there is live music at least once a week, and often even more than that. The bar can get a bit crowded though, and often they switch to (reusable) plastic cups for all drinks, so that’s something to keep in mind it you prefer to drink from one of those beautiful glasses.

At the other end of the room, just behind the beer tanks, you’ll also find a football table, where you might encounter some members of TFC Kick Ket having a go.

Brasserie de la Mule might not churn out one new beer after another—although they did brew quite a few different beers already, and undoubtedly there will be more to come—but their taproom is just a lovely place to come back to. There will always be beers you already know you’ll enjoy, and the music, the general ambiance, and the people on both sides of the bar are just great!