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This year Duvel Moortgat celebrates its 150th anniversary and the occasion is being marked with the release of a new beer. Duvel 6.66% follows Duvel Green, Duvel Single, Duvel on Tap, Duvel Tripel Hop, and Duvel Barrel Aged. However, as these line extensions mount up, the original remains totemic of the brewery. What has been behind the success of the mother beer? Just how did Duvel become so iconic?
In this podcast episode, we talk about the origin story of Duvel’s yeast strain with Nicolas Soenen, former sommelier and sales manager at Duvel Moortgat, and with Chris Bauweraerts, the co-founder of Brasserie d’Achouffe and co-creator of the beer Chouffe.
We discuss the dark history of Fort Breendonk in the village where the Moortgat brewery is still located today with historian and author Patrick Nefor.
And we talk about the technical construction of Duvel with Dimitri Staelens, Quality Director of Duvel Moortgat, and with Sam De Belder, Site Manager for Duvel Moortgat at their Puurs facility where Duvel is produced.
Duvel has been responsible for spawning a whole new style of beer—the Belgian Golden Strong Ale—and is revered for its extremely pale colour, its fermentation flavours and its dryness, its carbonation, its balance, and its drinkability.
It’s iconic because its origin story symbolises Belgium’s rich brewing heritage and hints at the beer culture Belgium has shared for decades with other countries like the UK and Germany.
The characters of the beer’s past and the place of its production provide a reminder of the horrors inflicted on Belgium by war, but also celebrate the advanced technical ability of the country’s brewers and scientists.
It’s an example of the internal tensions that a family dynamic can place on Belgian breweries, as well as the strengths of such longevity. Its commercial success has allowed its producer to grow and diversify, in turn ensuring continued investment in its quality.
And it has inspired a wave of new beers in its mould, both at home and around the world, in some cases leading to conflict with others, as well as, in some instances, undesirable human consequences.
Sit back, listen, and enjoy the story of the original Belgian Golden Strong Ale, as we explore just how Duvel became so iconic.
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