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This editorially independent podcast has been supported by VISITFLANDERS as part of the “Common Place” series of stories. Read more.
On the face of it, the Haspengouw region’s rich food culture, agricultural prowess, and status as a tourist hotspot should make it a place with abundant options for beer. However, the Haspengouw is not highly regarded in Belgium for its beer scene. It doesn’t form part of the pilgrimage that international beer enthusiasts take to places like the Pajottenland, the Westhoek, or Henegouwen. It’s not home to a large number of breweries or famous cafés.
The Haspengouw, or Hesbaye in French, is a loamy plateau in Belgium between the Meuse and Scheldt rivers which stretches into four different Belgian provinces: Limburg, Flemish Brabant, Namur, and Liège. Its cultural heartland, however, is the region in Limburg south of Hasselt which extends from Sint Truiden to Riemst. The Haspengouw has been one of Belgium’s main agricultural regions since Roman times, and became a commercial fruit growing powerhouse in the second half of the 19th century as rail networks developed and industrial centres in England demanded apples, pears, and cherries.
Today’s podcast is about beer and brewing in the Haspengouw. It features interviews with Kristof Tack of Gobsmack importers, Sebastiaan De Meester of Brouwerij Alken Maes, Mike Janssen of Brouwerij Wilderen, Luc Festjens of Brouwerij Den Toetëlèr, Raf Sainte of beer restaurant De Gebrande Winning, and Steven Broekx and Geert Vandormael of Hop Hemel.
It’s a story about perspective and about reading between the lines. How you see things is not just about accepting what does or does not appear to be there, but it’s dependent on the place in which you’re standing. Change your focus and a whole set of new colours might just blossom right there in front of you.
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