Visited on: Wednesday 3rd May 2018
Bob Thompson
It’s not often I visit the country of Luxembourg. It is certainly not noted for its beer. On this occasion I was travelling back home from nearby Trier in the Moselle valley of Germany.
I found that the best way to return was via Luxembourg City and Brussels for a Eurostar. So I wondered if anything had changed since I was last there, so I started searching and lo and behold, I found this pub located near the Gare Centrale.
Craft Corner opened in December 2017, less than six months before my visit.
It is the brainchild of Eric Thibor and is located in the district of Bonnevoie which “Wrong side of the tracks” at the Central Station, i.e. the opposite side to the city and transport links.
There is no direct exit from the station and you have to go to the public footbridge at the north end and use that.
When you arrive you will find a modern corner bar with seating on two small terraces outside. It is modern yet comfortable.
The furniture is upholstered in dark blue and is a mixture of high and low tables with chairs.
There is cushioned bench seating facing inwards from the windows, which are very large and let in a lot of light.
There are some shelves around the walls and all of the table tops are of varnished wood.
The bar is associated with the Bouneweger Brauerei, which is a micro-brewery located in the same building, and it can brew 55 to 90 litres at a time. Production started on 8th February 2018. There are twelve taps in the bar serving a wide range of beers from Luxembourg and further afield.
Eleven were in use when I visited serving the following: Drei Kronen (Schesslitz, Bavaria, Germany) Original Schäazer Kronabier (5.1%); Weiherer (Weiher, Bavaria, Germany) Zwickerla Dunkel (5.4%), a dark organic Zwickelbier.
De Molen & Jopen (Bodegraven & Haarlem, Netherlands), Sin & Remorse (10%), an Imperial Stout and Dois Corvos & Oitava Colina (both Lisboa, Portugal) Cafunė (6.0%), a coffee IPA.
To Øl (Copenhagen, Denmark) One ton of Lingonberries (8.0%), a sour fruit beer; Happkapp & Friends (Luxembourg) Siggy Pop (7.0%) and two from the home side Bouneweger: Crazy Grapefruit (5.5%), a sour fruit beer and Lexington Steele (7.0%), an Imperial Stout. Finally there were three from the Luxembourg national brewer Brasseries Nationale: Bofferding Gezwíckelten Pils (4.8%), their normal pils unfiltered and Bofferdingen Hop (3.8%), a dry hopped lager. Also there was Battin Blanche (4.8%), a wheat beer.
There is a vast array of bottled beers to be had. This bar is quite expensive, a) because “Craft” beer is that way by nature and b) because Luxembourg is expensive anyway. They also have home-made tonic water to go with the gins on offer, and also make their own lemonade in the summer. Don’t the prices put you off, but the warning needed to be made. It’s ideal if you have some time between trains.
Important Information:
Craft Corner, 112 rue de Bonnevoie, 1261, Luxembourg Citė. Tel: 00352 691. Web: craftcorner.lu
Hours: Monday-Wednesday: 11.00-23.00; Thursday-Saturday: 11.00-01.00; Sunday: Closed.
At the front of Gare Centrale go to the left of the building. There you will see stairs or a lift to a footbridge.
Cross the footbridge which is also accessible directly from the north end of each platform.
Go to the very end of the bridge. Go down by lift or stairs. At the street turn left and left again.
This is rue de Bonnevoie, it goes downhill. Pass the small roundabout and continue in the same direction.
On the right is a small square and you will find the bar there. Maximum walking time around ten minutes.