The Brewery

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The Beer

The origins of this beer are unmistakeable. The miner depicted on the label and the name of ‘kompel’ (a nickname for a miner) testify to the hard slog in the former coal mines of Limburg.

‘Bovengronds’ (above ground) makes us think of thirsty throats lubricated by a tasty beer at the end of a tough working day. Kompel Bovengronds was launched by Sandro di Pietro.

He is old enough to remember his grandfather descending into the mine. As a beer lover he wanted to introduce a regional beer with a link to the rich mining history of his home turf.

And so, Kompel Bovengronds took shape in the glass. The outcome is a refreshing, zesty blonde beer brewed with several hop varieties.

Its refreshing, zesty character pays homage to the multi-cultural atmosphere that was prevalent all these years ago amongst the mine workers in Maasmechelen.

The bottled beer takes on a lovely golden colour in the glass and presents a robust head of froth. Kompel Bovengronds re-ferments in the bottle and yields a fruity taste with an understated bitterness that continues all the way through to the finish.

In addition to the blonde Kompel Bovengronds, there is a dark Kompel Ondergronds, ‘underground’ in other words.

The blonde beer now also serves as an ingredient for a beer cheese and a paté.

The beer cheese, crafted by the Vierkantshoeve dairy in Gijzenzele, has a 22% beer content. This Belgian cheese was not just steeped and rinsed in beer; its makers go the extra mile.

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Alcohol

6% ABV

Fermentation

Top-fermented beer that re-ferments in the bottle.

Ingredients

Kompel Bovengronds is brewed with 100% natural ingredients: water, hops, yeast and malt.

Colour & Transparency

The beer takes on a golden-blonde colour in the glass, underneath a cloud of froth.

Make sure you're glass is properly cleaned and dried to obtain the best serving result.

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Serving Temperature

4-7°C / 39-45°F

Serving Glass

Kompel Bovengronds beer is served in an elegant, tulip-shaped glass on a tall stem. The glass ensures that the aromas linger and the head stays up for quite some time.

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Character, Tastes & Aromas

Kompel Bovengronds yields surprisingly refreshing and fruity aromas supported by a slightly bitter taste that lingers until the finish.

A relatively "light" (for Belgian standards) blonde beer as Kompel Bovengronds is brewed to drink fresh and will not improve by storing it away for ages.

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Culinary

Highly recommended in combination with fish, crustaceans, beef and desserts made with red fruits.

Also, this beer makes a beautiful pairing with the Kompel Bovengronds cheese and paté.

Taste preferences lie in the eye of the beerholder so we advise to experiment to your (beer-loving) heart's content.

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Keeping and Storage

Barrels will keep for six months. In the bottle, this beer can be stored for 24 months if done so in a dark and cool environment and remember to keep your bottles upright when storing them.

This is a beer conceived and brewed to drink and enjoy while fresh and crisp... there is no benefit to "ageing" this one.

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Availability

Bottle ✔       On Tap ✔

Kompel Bovengronds is available in 33cl and 75cl bottles and in 20L kegs. All the Kompel beers are readily available in many cafés, specialised beer shops and off licenses in their home province of Limburg.

That being said, Kompel beers are also finding their way across Belgium and even beyond the country's borders.