Belgium went to the polls last month for its local elections, held once every 6 years. As has been the case in other parts of the world recently, traditional centrist parties seemed to have come out as the biggest losers. The greens, lefties and far-right all made strong gains in what many are seeing as a nation-wide rehearsal for the Belgian federal and European elections to be held next year.
It was a mixed bag in much the same way as political results in other parts of the world. Republicans held the Senate and Democrats took the House in the recent mid-terms in the United States, an election which polarised the country even further than the Presidential election of 2016. Jair Bolsonaro—a divisive far-right populist candidate in Brazil—will take office on 1 January 2019 as the 38th president of Latin America’s largest democracy.
The imminent March 2019 deadline for Brexit is fractioning regions, parties and industries in the UK, with economic, social and political consequences for those living with the border on the island of Ireland the most serious, and yet, the most ignored.
The last few months saw political developments in Belgian beer too, with regional government joining with breweries to make important environmental commitments and overhauls in the membership of Belgium’s biggest beer group. There were also sad farewells, controversy over a strip-tease, birthday celebrations and interesting product releases. Here’s a round-up of what happened in Belgian beer during the Autumn of 2018:
1. FAREWELL TO PODGE
The beer tour operator and beer writer, Chris ‘Podge’ Pollard, has sadly passed away. Not only did he co-write several books—including ‘Around Bruges in 80 Beers’ and ‘Lambic Land’—but he supported, challenged and often inspired Belgian breweries, making the world of Belgian beer more accessible, honest and interesting.
Podge will be remembered for his intricate knowledge of the ever-changing matrix of beer cafés in Belgium and—as those who took his tours will testify—his unconditional generosity of spirit.
Writer, historian and guide, Siobhann McGinn—self-titled ‘Mrs. Podge’ and described by Tim Webb as Podge’s “muse and foil”—continues to operate Podge’s Belgian beer tours: https://www.podgebeer.co.uk
Some words about Podge from Tim Webb on Beer Today: https://beertoday.co.uk/tim-webb-chris-podge-pollard-0818/
And from Matt Chinnery on the Half Pint Gentleman: https://thehalfpintgentleman.com/2018/08/19/chris-podge-pollard/
2. MEMBERSHIP RULES CHANGE FOR BELGIUM’S BIGGEST BEER FEDERATION
This Autumn, the Belgian Brewers Federation changed its membership requirements.
In an exercise which involved a representative from the Federation—Charles Leclef of Brouwerij Het Anker in Mechelen—travelling all around Belgium and visiting 94 breweries in the space of a month, it was decided that smaller, newer, more contemporary breweries would be allowed to join.
In an article for Good Beer Hunting, I explored why the change took place and blow-for-blow, how it happened.
Full story here: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2018/9/3/joining-the-club-contemporary-vs-traditional-in-belgian-beer
3. CANTILLON’S ZWANZE STRIP-TEASE
On Saturday 29 September 2018, Brussels brewery Brasserie Cantillon put on a burlesque strip tease show as part of their annual Zwanze celebration. The act has divided opinion.
Cabaret Mademoiselle performed their classic routine, modified for the occasion of Zwanze Day—a drag-queen performance, a contortionist and cabaret dancers—which culminated in a classic burlesque striptease, shared by video on the social media accounts of the Moeder Lambic bar which was hosting the event on Place Fontainas in the centre of Brussels.
Cantillon’s Zwanze series of beers and events began in 2008 with a bottling of a special lambic with the addition of rhubarb. Since then, Cantillon have used the Zwanze series and the celebration days associated with them to bring Lambic enthusiasts together around the world.
The Lambic.info wiki sets out a detailed history of Cantillon’s Zwanze beers, noting that Zwanze itself in the Brussels dialect refers to a semi-sarcastic style of humor: “That sense of humor is often reflected in the experimental nature of the beers, which are not always the most traditional of lambics,” the Lambic.info page reads. “In the Flemish dialect, the verb zwanzen means to joke or to kid, and this has been reflected in some of the stories associated with the Zwanze beers over time.”
Reactions to the performance ranged from those who believed it was “fun” and “creative” to accusations of “stone-age marketing”, of disrespect to women, and of being “out-dated, old fashioned and embarrassing.” Jules Gray of the Hop Hideout in Sheffield issued a statement on Facebook on 12 October to the effect that she would not be stocking Cantillon for the foreseeable future. “As a female beer business owner I was saddened, disheartened and felt alienated by the activities for multiple reasons,” she wrote.
Two days later on 14 October, Cantillon released a statement on their own Facebook page in response to the discussion surrounding the Zwanze burlesque incident: “I completely understand that, taken out of its original context, the last number was shocking to many, and I extend my apologies to those who were taken aback or disappointed by the video,” wrote Jean Van Roy. “Having only principally filmed the last number was a huge mistake on our part, and we recognize that this particular number shouldn’t have been included in the line up for an event like Zwanze Day. ‘Faire la Zwanze’ doesn’t mean that anything goes, and this will serve as our lesson for the future.”
4. ‘BELGIAN BREWERS’ APPOINTS NEW GENERAL DIRECTOR
The Belgian Brewers Federation has appointed Nathalie Poissonier as its new General Director.
Poissonier, who previously worked as Secretary General of Sigma and has a marketing and sales background, takes over from Jean-Louis Van de Perre, who in turn succeeded Theo Vervloet and before that, Sven Gatz.
Read about it here in Dutch: https://www.febed.be/nl/nieuws/nathalie-poissonnier-de-nieuwe-directeur-van-de-belgische-brouwers
Or here in French: https://www.gondola.be/fr/news/food-retail/nathalie-poissonnier-prend-la-tete-de-la-federation-des-brasseurs-belges
5. CONTRERAS TURNS 200 YEARS OLD
Brouwerij Contreas celebrated its 200th birthday on 19 August 2018, throwing a party to launch a new beer called “1818” (Saison, 6% ABV) during an “open brew day”.
Originally housing a farm, windmill and brewery, the Latte family who started the brewery sold it in the late 19th Century to a man with Spanish roots, René Contreras, whose cousin Marcel Contreras developed more modern beers in 1920, including Contra Pils, Raf Export and the Tonneke.
Marcel’s son, Willy Contreras took over after that and his daughter Ann married Frederick De Vrieze who developed the Valeir range of beers.
Full story here: https://www.hln.be/regio/gavere/brouwerij-contreras-bestaat-200-jaar~a7e09a21/
6. TRAPPISTS OPEN UP
In October, the Achelse Kluis gave the general public the opportunity to take a look inside when it hosted an open day for the first time in its history.
The brewery manager, Robrecht Ulenaers, was quoted in reports saying that the Achel Trappists intend to produce three times as much beer over the next 20 years as they do now.
Story here: https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20180827_03686213/drie-keer-meer-achelse-trappist
In other news, three new beers received permission to carry the ‘Authentic Trappist Product’ label at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Trappist Association on 17 September 2018: Zundert 10 from Abdij Maria Toevlucht; Scala Coeli from Tre Fontane (Italy); and Tynt Meadow English Trappist Ale from Mount Saint Bernard.
7. MAKING WAVES—REDUCTION OF WATER CONSUMPTION
On Thursday 6 September, on the eve of the Belgian Beer Weekend in Brussel’s Grand Place, 9 Flemish breweries—Anheuser-Busch InBev, Alken-Maes, Cornelissen, De Halve Maan, Duvel-Moortgat, Haacht, Het Anker, Huyghe and Verhaeghe—signed a “Green Deal” with the regional government of Flanders in order to reduce water consumption in the brewing of beer and to make it more sustainable.
Flemish Minister for Environment, Nature and Agriculture Joke Schauvliege signed the deal for the Flemish Government together with representatives of the Belgian Brewers Federation and Fevia Vlaanderen, the Federation of the Flemish food industry.
At the moment, brewing 1 liter of beer requires between 3.5 and 8 liters of water. A quarter of a century ago, that was between 10-20 liters of water. With various investments, the 9 brewers say they are committed to further reducing water consumption.
Read more here: https://www.milieumagazine.be/nieuws/water-vlaamse-brouwerijen-verminderen-waterverbruik
In a different, but related water story, Brouwerij Toye teamed up with Agristo, a potato processing company based in Wielsbeke, to brew a beer using purified water from the River Leie: O’de Lys.
Video and story here: https://www.focus-wtv.be/nieuws/o%E2%80%99de-lys-nieuw-bier-met-leiewater
8. APOLOGIES FOR “MĀORI TEARS”
Brussels Beer Project has apologized on their Facebook page to people offended over its choice to name a beer “Māori Tears”.
“We apologise to those who felt offended with our Māori Tears beer,” wrote Brussels Beer Project in a Facebook post of 9 October 2018. “The term ‘tears’ was used to highlight the subtlety of this pale ale brewed with New-Zealand hops aged in barrels. It was brewed one-time in 2015 in 800 bottles. There was no intention to offend the Māori culture, on the contrary. We are sad to have provoked such feelings.”
Story on New Zealand’s newshub: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2018/10/brussels-beer-project-sad-about-offence-caused-by-maori-tears-beer.html
9. MORE BREWERIES FOR GHENT
Brouwerij ‘t Haeseveld will open in Ghent in the Spring of 2020. It’s a joint venture between Jean-Paul Macharis of cardboard producer VPK, Hans De Gusseme of the De Gusseme catering business and Alain De Laet, owner of Brouwerij Huyghe which brews the Delirium Tremens, Averbode and Guillotine beers. ‘t Haeseveld will be situated in the buildings of an old florist and enjoys a budget of 4.5 million euros.
De Laet and Huyghe are also involved in another project, opening a “microbrewery” in a prime location in the city, right opposite the city hall in Ghent. It comes in addition to two brewpubs which opened in the city last year—Brouwbar (Oudburg) and DOK Brewing Company (Dok Noord)—as well as the many brewing operations affiliated to Ghent and working under the title of Gent Brouwt (Hedonis, Ministry of Belgian Beer, Totem, Gruut, L’Arogante and De Laatste Drinker).
Full story in Belgian’s financial broadsheet ‘De Tijd’ here: https://www.tijd.be/ondernemen/voeding-drank/vpk-familie-investeert-in-gentse-brouwerij/10064511.html
10. THE DEVIL’S NEW TREES, CANS AND VIDEOS
To combat climate change, Duvel Moortgat is investing €100,000 over the next three years in a 128 hectare tree planting project in Belgium and Zambia in collaboration with WeForest and BOS+.
The Flemish brewery says that the “Duvel trees” will cover a surface of 750 football pitches by the end of 2020. Read about it here: https://www.duvelmoortgat.be/en/about-us/responsibility/environment
In addition, Duvel Moortgat have just released 50cl (16.9oz) cans of a version of their strong golden ale brewed in Belgium with two-row summer malts, hopped with Saaz and Stryian Goldings and dry-hopped with Citra.
They call it Duvel Single Fermented (6.8% ABV).
Lastly, Duvel Moortgat launched a dramatic new promotional video —“Brewed to be lived”—which has been heavily doing the rounds on Belgian, Dutch and French television in recent weeks.
Shot last summer, the video features the forests of the Ardennes, the beaches of Ostende, the streets of Ghent and the cafés of Liège.
11. NEW BOTTLING PLANT FOR HALVE MAAN
Brouwerij De Halve Maan is building a brand new bottling plant along the Bevrijdingslaan which will package three times as much beer as they do now, up to half a million bottles a day. The brewery currently bottles at a plant at Waggelwater, three kilometres from their production facility on the Walplein, just outside the city centre of Bruges. De Halve Maan has a turnover of 13 million euros and produces 53,000 hectoliters of beer annually.
The total investment is estimated at 20 million euros, of which one million euros come from the regional Flemish government. It’s the second time that the Flemish government has supported De Halve Maan, having partially funded their beer pipeline last year. The building will be sustainable with solar panels and water purification. 50 people currently work for De Halve Maan, with the new project set to employ a further dozen.
Full story here: https://www.hln.be/regio/brugge/bottelarij-wordt-uithangbord-brugse-zot~adbdaece/
12. LAMBIC & STOUT
Irish brewery Guinness has teamed up with Lambic brewery Timmermans to produce a new beer, launched at the Belgian Beer Weekend event on 13 September in the Guinness Open Gate Brewery in Dublin.
Timmermans is part of the Anthony Martin group who distribute Guinness in Belgium and the Netherlands. The breweries say that the collaboration beer—called “Lambic & Stout”—is a blend of three beers: “Guinness West Indies Porter (1801), Guinness Special Export (first brewed in 1944 exclusively for John Martin) and Timmermans Oude Kriek (the world’s oldest lambic brewery).”
More here: https://brtimmermans.be/lambic-and-stout/
“PORTIE GEMENGD”
Other stories about Belgian beer worth a look:
→ Lost—A “lost beer recipe” holds up a brewery plan (via the Guardian): https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/07/belgian-monks-search-for-lost-beer-recipe-holds-up-brewery-plan
→ Silly Story—Katrien Bruyland tells the story of Jack Payne and 100 years of Silly Scotch for Original Gravity magazine: https://www.originalgravitymag.com/read-issue-16-for-free-here/
→ American Farmhouse—For GBH, Joshua M. Bernstein explores how American brewers are following Belgian farm traditions: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2018/10/4/growth-potential-how-american-brewers-are-following-the-belgian-tradition-of-farm-brewing
→ Saison d’Etre—Also on GBH, Oliver Gray examines “the strain that defies convention”: https://www.goodbeerhunting.com/blog/2018/11/4/saison-detre-the-je-ne-sais-quoi-of-the-strain-that-defines-convention
→ ‘Season’ History—Roel Mulder also writes about Saison, continuing to look into the style’s history on his ‘Lost Beers’ blog (of interest is the response in the comments below the article to the methods and sources of historical research from Yvan De Baets and Evan Rail): https://lostbeers.com/fact-check-yvan-de-baets-on-saison-and-the-results-may-shock-you/
→ Climate Change—Eoghan Walsh of Brussels Beer City reports on a climate change study carried out in collaboration with Brasserie Cantillon: https://www.beercity.brussels/home/2018/climate-change-brasserie-cantillon-lambic
→ Box It—Chuck Cook writes about the new bag-in-box lambics from Oud Beersel: https://drinkbelgianbeer.com/breweries/t-bierhuis-oud-beersel-reopen-new-beers-new-bag-box-lambics-oud-beersel
→ Family Pack—There’s a new ‘Belgian Family Brewers’ beer pack from BeerWulf: https://www.beerwulf.com/nl-be/c/bieren/pack/belgian-family-brewers-pack/
If you think anything else relating to the world of Belgian beer is worthy of inclusion, drop a link and short description in the comments below.
Tot de volgende keer. À bientôt . Slán go fóill.
