CHIMAY/COGNAC - Chimay Bleue stands out as a classic amongst Trappist beers. Nevertheless, its brewer continues to break new ground. The first ‘limited edition’ Chimay Grande Réserve Vieillie en Barriques saw the light in 2015. This beer matures on oak for six months whilst it undergoes a second fermentation, before fermenting in the bottle for a third time. Ever since the launch of the Chimay Bleue, a limited quantity of this brew has been set apart to age in new or used barrels crafted from different varieties of wood. “We experiment and compare the taste evolution of this unfiltered and unpasteurised degustation beer,” Jérôme Goffinet, spokesman for Bières de Chimay, explains...

[ continue reading ... ]

BRUSSELS - For the fifth running of the Brussels Beer Challenge the organisers selected a location steeped in history and prestige. After touring from Brussels to Liège, Leuven and Antwerp, the competition returned to the capital and set up home in one of the city’s most historic buildings, the former Stock Exchange. Where traders once won and lost fortunes on shares, a jury of 80 beer experts spent three days deciding the fortunes of 1,250 beers from 36 countries. The location for this quinquennial celebration has even more resonance, as the former stock exchange is being transformed into the Belgian Beer Palace, an experience centre celebrating the world of Belgian beer. The interactive attraction will open its doors in 2019. Let’s zoom in on the competition results...

[ continue reading ... ]

BELGIUM - How do you write an unbiased review of a book that you yourself have written, pouring your entire soul into it? I’ll immediately give up on that impossible task and instead I’ll offer you a peek behind the scenes with a brief making-of account delivered alongside big kudos to my co-author, beer sommelier Luc De Raedemaeker. How do you start a giant project for which your publisher has allowed around six months? And just how do you build up a picture of the almost endless world of Belgian beer culture? We managed it by browsing through piles of stories and wading through mountains of images, selecting some for additional investigation with a clear strategy in mind. Admittedly, we didn’t start entirely from scratch. Luc boasts many years’ experience as a teacher of zythology; he is also the driving force behind the renowned international Brussels Beer Challenge; and, thanks to his travels through the length and breadth of the beer world, he has established an impressive network of friends. And I am always on the ground where the beer news is breaking, visiting tiny, medium-sized and mega breweries to write the stories that you read and take the pictures that accompany them on BeerTourism.com. Luc’s knowledge of brewing techniques is second to none, and he has certainly mastered the art of beer tasting, whereas I try to take the view of the general public...

[ continue reading ... ]

OPITTER - The locals would ask for “de bieren van Opitter” or “the beers from Opitter”, when they ordered a Pax Pils, Ops Ale or Sint-Gummarus. And if you popped into a café, you’d be in Jos’s or Stanke’s in those days when everyone in the village knew everyone else. These days things are a little more official. The brewery that until October 2015 went under the name of Sint-Jozef is now called Brouwerij Cornelissen. It’s a sixth-generation family business, currently run by Jef Cornelissen junior, who follows his namesake father into the top seat. It’s easy to see now what the “JC” on the vintage enamel “bieren van Opitter” sign stands for...

[ continue reading ... ]