IF you ever want a taste of life on the continent, this beer cafe is as close as you can get without dusting off your passport and proves there's nothing boring about Belgium.
Believe it or not, TripelB Belgian Beer Café in Copenhagen Street in Worcester has now been a fixture in the city centre for almost six years after it opened its doors in 2019.
This corner of an English street is forever Belgium, born out of a deep affection for that country's beer, cuisine and rich history and culture. TripelB is full of charm, variety, pleasant surprises. Most of all is proof, once and for all, that the 'Low Countries' can still leave you on a high.
With the Oil Basin Brewhouse close by, this street is gaining a reputation as a magnet for beer lovers with a taste for the finer things in life, unique beers and spirits that are harder to come by in other parts of the city (and even the country as a whole).
Owned by Craig Finn and Ryan Smith, the Belgian Beer Cafe sells over 100 Belgian beers, all carefully selected for their quality and variety. If you want to feel like you're 'in Bruges', there are even a few nods to the cult classic black comedy, written and directed by Martin McDonagh.
These include some striking artwork featuring one of the film's stars, Irish actor Colin Farrell, who plays hapless hitman, Ray, lying low in the 'fairytale' Flemish city after a botched job.
The artwork was created by David Webb of 'Wearebeard' who, like Mr Finn, is also a massive fan of the marvellously macabre 2008 film (that makes three of us then).
With all the colourful signs showing Belgian breweries and even a brilliant black and white photo of the medieval Belfry of Bruges, the cafe certainly cultivates a Flemish vibe.
I'm tempted to say the cafe is, well, 'like a fairytale', and ask if I can have a 'normal beer'.
But it's probably best to stick to saying the place strikes a balance between culture and fun and leave out any reference to children, seesaws or dwarves.
Mr Finn, 55, born and bred in Worcester, said: "We have the best curated list of Belgian beers in the country. It is unique in Worcester. We are the only Belgian Beer Cafe."
However, TripelB, open seven days a week, also sells coffee and Belgian-inspired food which gives the venue much more of a continental vibe than many other bars, pubs and cafes in the city centre. Just around the corner from Worcester Guildhall, there are seats outside for between 25 and 30 people so it's a great al fresco spot in summer.
So what do people love about this beer cafe?
"I think it's the chilled atmosphere and vibe. It's friendly, chilled, relaxed and welcoming and cosy," he said.
He said the range of beers was diverse, catering for every taste, from sweet to sour, light and dark beers, hoppy, malty and fruity. And then of course, there is the Trappist beers, a type of ale brewed by monks within the walls of Trappist monasteries which are known for their high quality (and high strength).
Mr Finn said: "Our reputation continues to grow despite the increase in pressures we face along with other businesses in the hospitality sector."
The cafe has also won one of the industry's highest honours - it is one of only five ambassadors of distinction (cum laude) for Orval (a Trappist brewery) outside Belgium (and the only one to secure this accolade within the UK).
TripelB is also an ambassador for Duvel and a grand ambassador for Chouffe.
It is also a member of 'Club Chimay' which recognises those establishments which sell 'authentic Trappist beers'. Mr Finn says TripelB is the first in the UK to be included in the club.
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Other popular beers (I'd be here all day if I listed them all) are Brugse Zot Blond, Liefmans Fruitesse, De Koninck APA, Chouffe Session, Fourchette and Vedett.
TripelB is also rated highly on TripAdvisor with a 4.7 score after 70 reviews and an even higher 4.8 rating on Google after 490 reviews.
Nikky Smith, a kitchen manager and cook, described the cafe as 'a hidden gem' and said it did the 'best bacon baguettes in Worcester'. Mr Finn even joked that the 'TripelB' stood for 'best bacon baguettes'.
The menu has been inspired by Belgian cuisine and includes waffles, bitterballen, croque monsieur, Belgian frites and charcuterie. Music adds another feather in the cap for the cafe with live music on Fridays and open mic every other Sunday.
The connections to Belgium are not merely to do with beer and food. For Mr Finn, they run deeper. A Worcestershire Ambassador, he has also helped raise the profile of the Battle of Gheluvelt, one of the pivotal battles of the First World War.
Fought on October 31, 1914, the 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment's counter attack saved Ypres from capture and the British Army from defeat but at a heavy price.
Mr Finn's links within the industry will mean a beer brewed near the memorial in Belgium will be launched this summer to commemorate the sacrifice of those soldiers.
