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More on the Spencer Trappist Ale and brewery
The monks of the St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts received the “Authentic Trappist Product” designation and logo on December 10, making them the first official Trappist brewery in the U.S.A. As to the reasons for opening this new brewery: “Our brewery project is one of necessity. For over 60 years, we have cooked and…
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Orval’s 2014 Ambassador cafes: Le Palais de la Bière is #1
The Orval Trappist brewery has announced the winners of the 2014 Orval Ambassador program. This from the Orval website: “For the 2014 edition, 325 cafés, taverns and restaurants have been rewarded for serving Orval. 231 establishments throughout Belgium, but also 7 in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, 21 in France, 1 in Germany, 35 in…
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Saison Dupont Cuvee 2014 Dry Hopping
There will be a dry-hopped version of Brasserie Dupont’s excellent Saison Dupont once again in 2014. The beer first made it stateside this spring as the Cuvee 2013, and brewmaster Olivier Dedeycker has another batch in the works right now. This from U.S. Importer Vanberg & DeWulf, today: “Every year Dupont’s Master Brewer, Olivier Dedeycker,…
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Brouwerij Fort Lapin-‘t Koelschip barrel-aged Quad, and more
Barrel-aging continues to be all the rage in the beer world, and there are a lot of such projects going on in Belgium right now. A new one involves Brouwerij Fort Lapin of Brugge (Bruges) which just opened in 2012. Brewer Kristof Vandenbussche has teamed up with Ive Mostrey of ‘t Koelschip (“The Coolship”) which…
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Belgium’s Brut beers: Champagne-style
Today, I welcome Carl Kins as a guest contributor to the site. Carl is very well known in beer circles in his native Belgium, as well as all over Europe and the U.S.A. He is a member of Zythos, The European Beer Consumer’s Union (E.B.C.U.), and other beer associations and groups. He is an International…
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Circa 1960 Cantillon Kriek
Here’s some eye candy for you vintage geuze and kriek lovers out there. An unopened bottle of Kriek from Brasserie Cantillon, dating to about 1960. Note that it’s hard to determine the age for certain of the old Cantillon bottles, as they had no label. There was only a red stripe of paint and a…
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Spencer, the new American Trappist
After years in planning, the USA finally has a Trappist beer. It’s official. Spencer Trappist Ale, from St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, officially became an Authentic Trappist Product as of yesterday, December 10. “At a meeting yesterday of the International Trappist Association in Brussels, the Spencer Trappist Ale was awarded the ‘Authentic Trappist Product’…
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Café La Brocante, a Brussels insitution
It’s a classic old boozer that’s been around for quite a few years, yet it still beckons with Bruxellois charm, as well as friendly, knowledgeable staff, and a fine beer selection. Not to mention good, inexpensive food. Café La Brocante is located on a corner next to Place du Jeu de Balle, where a daily…
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Belgium’s premier Christmas beer festival is this weekend
The O.B.E.R. Kerstbier festival is this weekend, and, as always, it should be a great one. O.B.E.R. are the Objective Beer Tasters of the Essen region. Essen is a small city near the Dutch border and the city of Rosendaal, about 45 minutes from Antwerp, in Antwerp Province. O.B.E.R. is a Zythos-affiliated beer club, and…
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Belgian Family Brewers Press Trip, Day 3
Brugge, Oudenaarde, Poperinge, Kortrijk Friday, November 8th had a bit of a slow start, mostly owing to the two or three late night beers many of us enjoyed at Le Trappiste in Brugge. But, it was worth it. After a fine breakfast at Martins Relais Oud Huis Amsterdam, we boarded the coach and headed out.…