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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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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.…
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Greeting cards and prints from Belgian beer and brewery photos
Interested in beery gifts for the holiday season? Check out the print and greeting card possibilities on my page at Fine Art America. I have images from Brasserie Dupont, Brouwerij Liefmans, Chateau de Beloeil, and from the cellar of Cafe Bodega, the first beer bar run by Dirk and Leen, owners of the Kulminator, in…
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Seizoensbrouwerij Vandewalle in Celebrator Beer News
I’m happy to say that I have a 1,500 word article on the great new Seizoensbrouwerij Vandewalle in the December 2013 issue of Celebrator Beer News. You can read the article for free here. Chris Vandewalle is one of Belgium’s new, cutting edge brewers…and he’s doing it all with a 50-liter brewery, so far. Yes,…
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Belgian Family Brewers Press Trip, Day 2
Back to the tale of the Belgian Family Brewers press trip, which was 6 to 10 November. Thursday, November 7th was as dreary a day as the last few had been. “Typical Belgian weather,” as all the brewers, bar owners, and locals would say. After 27 trips to Belgium, I can’t tell you how many…
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Brouwerij Van Campenhout
The Province of Flemish Brabant has another new brewery, and it’s on the site of an old brewery. Which seems to be a trend these days. One that I approve of. Whole-heartedly. Brouwerij Van Campenhout is located in Kampenhout, which is due northeast of Brussels, on the road to Haacht. Yes, another Belgian brewery…. In…
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Enjoying a De Cam/3 Fonteinen Millennium Geuze
It’s one of the “white whale” beers of the world. It’s considered by some to be one of the top lambic brews ever produced. Millennium Geuze, a collaboration beer between Willem Van Herreweghen, former owner and blender of Geuzestekerij De Cam in Gooik, and Armand Debelder of 3 Fonteinen of Beersel, is one of the…
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Belgian Family Brewers Press Trip, Day One
I was honored to be invited to attend the first ever Belgian Family Brewers Press trip, held from 6 to 10 November. We visited eight breweries, and had presentations and tastings about all 21 brouwerijen and brasseries. Among the 21 are some of the best breweries in Belgium, including several of my favorites. The Belgian…
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Brasserie des Carrières
Hainaut Province has a long heritage of brewing, and is one of the heartlands of Belgian beer. With breweries such as Blaugies, Dupont, and Dubuisson in the area, it’s no surprise that young Wallonian beer lovers, aware of the significance of their region to the beer world, continue to open new brasseries in the area,…