Tour de Gueuze and Other News to Insure You Against Great Thirst.

Still swamped. A nice problem to have. Meanwhile I have some lambic news for you.

First off, the Tour de Gueuze is set for Sunday, April 26. What sounds like a drunken bicycle race is in fact, theoretically at least, much safer. Instead of a bike you ride a bus around to a handful of lambic brewers and blenders in the Pajottenland region outside Brussels. This event only happens every other year. At this point six nine lambic makers plan to open their doors: Boon, De Cam, De Troch, Drie Fonteinen, Hanssens, Lindemans, Mort Subite, Oud Beersel and Timmermans. I'll share more details as they become available.

Also noteworthy: the café known as In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst – the Insurance Against Great Thirst – will be open that day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., four and a half hours longer than its usual opening time. This is so Tour-goers in the area can make their pilgrimage to perhaps the world's top lambic café. Across from the Eizeringen village church, this is a special little place that normally open only for Sunday mornings and funerals (don't do anything drastic... just go on a Sunday).

And: The Grote Dorst has added another event to your lambic calendar: The Day of the Kriek on June 6. The spotlight will be on Belgium's famous spontaneously fermented beer steeped in cherries. Krieks from nine breweries will be there, not all of them very traditional, but you'll be able to assemble a tasting of four choice samples. Sounds like a nice event for newcomers as well as enthusiasts.

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Weekend of Spontaneous Fermentation on May 30 and 31 in Buggenhout. Probably the best lambic fest of the year. We're talking sheer quantity and quality here. Take the Woman's advice and bring your own blankets if you plan to crash in the horstel (part horse-riding school, part hostel). Believe me, I'll never hear the end of it.

Oh. And there's another Cantillon Public Brewing on March 7, same day that ZBF kicks off.

And I think that's really enough, don't you?