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Brouwerij Sako: Belgium’s newest Lambic brewery

Belgium, once again, has a new lambic brewery, Brouwerij Sako. Sako follows just a couple of years after the debut of the now combined (and very successful) Lambiek Fabriek/Brouwerij Belgoo lambic blendery and brewery of Ruisbroek and Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, as well as Brouwerij Den Herberg of Buizingen, which is making excellent lambics (and whiskey!) and should debut an Oude Geuze sometime soon.

You will know when you have arrived at Brouwerij Sako. The taproom/retail shop is inside this building.
You will know when you have arrived at Brouwerij Sako. The retail shop is inside this building.
The courtyard of Brouwerij Sako.
The courtyard of Brouwerij Sako.

Brouwerij Sako is located on an old farm in Bogaarden, near the village of Pepingen in Belgium’s Payottenland, in the Province of Flemish Brabant. Brewer Koen Christiaens and his wife, Sandrine Walraet, purchased the farm in 2000, and began renovating the old house then. (See video below.) Note that the oldest buildings on the farm date to around the year 1800.

Koen Christiaens (left) and his wife, Sandrine Walraet. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
Koen Christiaens (left) and his wife, Sandrine Walraet. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

Koen works in construction, and Sandrine gave him a brewmaster’s course as a Father’s day present a few years ago. This first led to some homebrewing, and then after a few years, the opening of Brouwerij Sako in 2018.

The first beer Koen brewed was not a lambic, but a blonde beer, which was followed by a few others. Then, fate happened one day: lambic brewing expert and legend Willem Van Herreweghen, who founded Geuzestekerij De Cam in 1996, and is now President of the Board of Directors and Brewmaster of Brouwerij Timmermans, rode by on his bicycle. This is the same Van Herreweghen who co-created the famous De Cam-3 Fonteinen Millennium Geuze with Armand Debelder. See this previous article about tasting a Millennium Geuze with Van Herreweghen, as well as this article where I savored one with both Van Herreweghen and Debelder in 2015.

The entrance to the circa 1800 cellar at Brouwerij Sako.
The entrance to the circa 1800 cellar at Brouwerij Sako.
Inside the Brouwerij Sako cellar from the bottom of the steps, looking up.
Inside the Brouwerij Sako cellar from the bottom of the steps, looking up.

Brouwerij Sako brewer Koen Christiaens with a pitcher of lambic pulled directly from a barrel in his circa 1800 cellar.
Brouwerij Sako brewer Koen Christiaens with a pitcher of lambic pulled directly from a barrel in his circa 1800 cellar.

Glasses of lambic pulled from a barrel (not the carboy shown) in the lambic cellar at Brouwerij Sako.
Glasses of lambic pulled from a barrel (not the carboy shown) in the lambic cellar at Brouwerij Sako.
Old bottles that once help lambic that were found in the cellar of Brouwerij Sako. There used to be a lambic blendery and cafe on site until 1963.
Old bottles that once help lambic that were found in the cellar of Brouwerij Sako. There used to be a lambic blendery and cafe on site until 1963.

Christiaens and Van Herreweghen talked, and somehow the subject of brewing lambic came up. Van Herreweghen encouraged Christiaens to give lambic brewing a try, and advised he would help him if he did. So, Koen (Christiaens) did. The first brews happened in April 2019, on the current 2 hectoliter (about 1.75 barrel) Sako system. “This lambic is about eight months old,” Koen remarked, as Johan “Wanne” Madalijns and I tasted samples that Koen pulled directly from a barrel during our visit on December 14, 2019. Wanne is President of De Lambikstoempers, the premier Zythos-affiliated beer appreciation and promotion club in Belgium’s lambic country. De Lambikstoempers organizes several beer festivals every year, such as the Beer Weekend in late August and the Days of Oude Geuze in late November. Lambic beer is the biggest attraction at both festivals.

Koen Christiaens (left) Sandrine Walraet (center) and Willem Van Herreweghen. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
Koen Christiaens (left) Sandrine Walraet (center) and Willem Van Herreweghen. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
Brewer Koen Christiaens (right) and  Wanne Madalijns, President of De Lambikstoempers, left, talk inside a small tasting cafe at Sako.
Brewer Koen Christiaens (right) and Wanne Madalijns, President of De Lambikstoempers, left, talk inside a small tasting cafe at Sako.
The shop at Brouwerij Sako.
The shop at Brouwerij Sako. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

This young lambic was very good, and shows solid potential. Every lambic is different, and Sako’s first batch is no exception. It was first served to the public at De Lambikstoempers’ “Days of Oude Geuze” in November 2019. “I have had a lot of demand from other breweries and beer makers for my lambic. But we only have a few dozen barrels, so most of the batch that was brewed in spring 2019 will be saved to use as a three year old lambic to blend with one and two year old lambics that we will brew and mature in the future, to make an Oude Geuze in 2022,” Koen remarked.

Willem Van Herreweghen, founder of Geuzestekerij De Cam, and Brewmaster and Member of the Board of Directors, Brouwerij Timmermans.
Lambic brewing expert and legend Willem Van Herreweghen, founder of Geuzestekerij De Cam, and Brewmaster and Member of the Board of Directors, Brouwerij Timmermans.

As to where he sources his raw ingredients, Koen wants to be as independent as possible. “One of my goals is the brew my Sako lambic with 100% locally grown unmalted wheat,” Koen stated. He continued: “Willem Van Herreweghen advised me to grow an old variety of winter wheat, called Soisson, because it provides the best level of proteins with which to make lambic. At the Hof ten Bos in Bogaarden, I was able to lease 20 hectares (note: about 50 acres) of land where we planted the wheat. We just completed the first harvest of this winter wheat earlier this year,” Koen added.

On right: Anthony Martin, owner of Brouwerij Timmermans, with lambic brewing expert Willem van Herreweghen, left. Photo taken at Brasserie de Waterloo.
Anthony Martin, owner of Brouwerij Timmermans (on right) with lambic brewing expert Willem van Herreweghen, left. Photo taken at Brasserie de Waterloo.

The Brouwerij Timmermans connection continued when Koen met its owner, Anthony Martin. “Willem (Van Herreweghen) introduced me to Anthony Martin at a trade show, and he too was interested in the idea of growing this old variety of wheat for use in the Timmermans lambics. The 20 hectares that were grown were more than we can use at Sako, so much of it went to Brouwerij Timmermans to use.”

A view of a field of winter wheat that Sako grew in 2019. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
A view of a field of winter wheat that Sako grew in 2019. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

Koen added that it’s possible he may plant and harvest his own barley in the coming years, in cooperation with Brouwerij Timmermans.

I spoke with Willem Van Herreweghen in the last few days, and he had this to say about what he has been up to lately: “I have traveled to China eight times in the past year, where I help breweries to develop beers. I am also helping with the building and start-up of a small malting plant in Tibet, where local highland barley will be malted. Life is very interesting!”

The beer garden, out back and behind the brewery at Brouwerij Sako.
The beer garden, out back and behind the brewery at Brouwerij Sako. Koen, Sandrine, and their children live in the home on the left. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
Another shot of the beer garden at Brouwerij Sako. The taproom is in the foreground, on right.
Another shot of the beer garden at Brouwerij Sako. The taproom is in the foreground, on right. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
The beer garden/patio at Brouwerij Sako.
The beer garden/patio at Brouwerij Sako. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

Van Herreweghen continued: “About the Sako lambic project: there are several new lambic brewers in the Pajottenland, and I think there is still room for more. Looking back in history, there were many such small lambic breweries in the region, and many of them are even not mentioned in history books.” He added: “I actually read about Sako in some local news stories. I was curious, and also practicing to ride my bicycle to Santigo de Compostela in Spain, so I rode by and knocked on the door.”

A photo of the page that describes the 30 hl coolship that is part of the new brewhouse headed to Brouwerij Sako.
A photo of the page that describes the 30 hl coolship that is part of the new brewhouse headed to Brouwerij Sako.

He added: “Koen’s new brewery will be state-of-the-art, and manufactured in China, with a traditional coolship. With this new 30 hectoliter brewhouse, both traditional lambic as well as top fermented classic beers (ales) can be produced. Koen is very motivated, and studying a lot about beer. Sandrine, his wife, is doing the marketing. It’s really remarkable how much they have accomplished in less than 2 years. We foresee the start up of his new brewery at the end of February or beginning of March of this year.”

The taproom/tasting case at Brouwerij Sako. The 2 hl brewery is beyond the door in the back.
The taproom/tasting case at Brouwerij Sako. The 2 hl brewery is beyond the door in the back. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
Sako umbrellas
The tasting cafe at Brouwerij Sako. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
The tasting cafe at Brouwerij Sako. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
The tasting room bar at Brouwerij Sako.
The tasting room bar at Brouwerij Sako.

As to the “Soisson” winter wheat variety that was mentioned above, Van Herreweghen remarked: “When I was Director at Palm Breweries, we decided to start brewing a wheat beer. This was about 35 years ago. I did tests at that time with different varieties of wheat, and Soisson came out as best. So that is why I recommended Koen to grow this variety of wheat for using in his lambics.”

This old photo is of the same building where the new Brouwerij Sako shop is located now, on the left. The sign above the door reads: P PLASSCHAERT-DEDOBBELEER BIERES-VINS.
This old photo is of the same building where the new Brouwerij Sako shop is located now, on the left. The sign above the door reads: P PLASSCHAERT-DEDOBBELEER
BIERES-VINS.

In the photo above, you can see the old building that used to house the cafe, shop, and lambic blendery that closed in 1963. This is where the Sako retail shop is now. Sandrine Walraet remarked: “The man P PLASSCHAERT was a beer and wine merchant, his wife DEDOBBELEER kept the cafe open. Together they bottled the wine and used the oak wine barrels to mature lambic and then blended and bottled them as Geuze. A lot of the lambic came from Brouwerij De Neve in Schepdaal.”

Out back, behind the small tasting cafe at Sako. The brewery is very much in the middle of pastures, fields and farmland.
Out back, behind the small tasting cafe at Sako. The brewery is very much in the middle of pastures, fields and farmland.
An old wagon at Brouwerij Sako.
An old wagon at Brouwerij Sako. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

With the expansion from a 2 hectoliter brewhouse to a 30 hectoliter (25.6 U.S. barrel) brewery comes the need for much more space where barrels can be placed to age lambics. Koen remarked: “I already have rented some space at the Cantimpré farm in Bellingen, as our small cellar here in Boogarden is completely full now.”

A photo of the new Brouwerij Sako brewhouse at the factory in China.
A photo of the new Brouwerij Sako brewhouse at the factory in China.

The new brewery arrived in Bogaarden on January 30th, and is currently being installed at Sako.

For their first brew season using the original 2 hl brewhouse (winter/spring 2019) Sako brewed 90 hectoliters (about 76.7 U.S. barrels) of lambic. “Sako’s lambic recipe has a grain bill with 37.5% unmalted wheat, and 62.5% malted barley,” Van Herreweghen told me recently.

Koen also has plans for a whiskey collaboration with a local distillery. (See video below for details.)

Another view behind the Brouwerij Sako tasting room.
Another view behind the Brouwerij Sako tasting room.
The original, 2 hectoliter brewhouse at Sako. This will be used as an experimental brewery once the new 30 hl brewhouse is operational.
The original, 2 hectoliter brewhouse at Sako. This will be used as an experimental brewery once the new 30 hl brewhouse is operational.
The original brewery at Brouwerij Sako, which is soon to be an experimental/pilot batch brewery.
The original brewery at Brouwerij Sako, which is soon to be an experimental/pilot batch brewery.

Here, brewer Koen Christiaens  pours a Bogaerden Dubbele Tarwe Tripel, which is sort of a blend of a dubbel and a triple with wheat in its recipe. It is very good.
Here, brewer Koen Christiaens pours a Bogaerden Dubbele Tarwe Tripel, which is sort of a blend of a dubbel and a triple with wheat in its recipe. It is very good.

Brouwerij Sako Bogaerden Dubbele Tarwe Tripel.
Brouwerij Sako Bogaerden Dubbele Tarwe Tripel.
Sako-beer in cellar
Brouwerij Sako is also experimenting with some non-lambic sour beers. This one shown had grapes from a local vineyard added as part of its recipe. It had a mild tartness and a noticeable aroma and taste from the white wine grapes.
Brouwerij Sako is also experimenting with some non-lambic sour beers. This one shown had grapes from a local vineyard added as part of its recipe. It had a mild tartness and a noticeable aroma and taste from the white wine grapes.

In addition to lambic beers and non-wild brews such as the Dubbele Tarwe Tripel, Koen is also experimenting with sours that are not based on spontaneous fermentation. We tasted a mild sour that had local white wine grapes as part of its recipe, which was very good mildly tart, and with an evident flavor and aroma from the grapes. This 5.5% abv brew was pleasing and not overpowering.

Brouwerij Sako is certain to be a destination spot for beer lovers in the not too distant future. This brewery is one to watch! I look forward to savoring a beer or three outside on the brewery patio on a warm sunny day in the future. The location of the brewery is Heikruisesteenweg 19, Bogaarden.

Brouwerij Sako has an oven for making home-baked bread.
Brouwerij Sako has an oven for making home-baked bread.
Brouwerij Sako has a mobile beer truck...like a food truck, but with beer.  A lambic beer truck? Only in Belgium...
Brouwerij Sako has a mobile beer trailer…like a food truck, but with beer. A lambic beer truck? Only in Belgium…Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.
The serving side of Brouwerij Sako's beer truck.
The serving side of Brouwerij Sako’s beer trailer. Photo courtesy Brouwerij Sako.

One response to “Brouwerij Sako: Belgium’s newest Lambic brewery”

  1. Diane Catanzaro Avatar
    Diane Catanzaro

    Great article and pictures. Brouwerij Sako looks like it will be a wonderful destination, so much charm and history in this location. I hope to be able to try the beers on my trip to Payottenland in July!

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