BRUSSELS - Think of Belgium then beer and chocolate springs to mind. Both introduce you to a world a world of aromas and tastes with a rich history. We are talking about complex products. After all, brewing a good degustation beer or crafting a tasty praline requires years of expertise, either from the niche producer who goes for the extreme and the pure or from a producer who prefers to go for the mainstream. Belgians are proud of their rich and surprisingly diverse beer culture with a great variety of typical beer styles. This diversity is also found in chocolate, from bars to pralines, from milk chocolate to single origin chocolate, enjoyed in equal measure by your average consumer or the experienced connoisseur...

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ARLON/AARLEN - Beer trader and sommelier Christophe Gillard of Mi-Orge Mi-Houblon in Aarlen (Arlon) isn’t one for beating around the bush: “I only sell beers that have my complete support, usually from brewers I know personally.” We are not talking about your average beer shop. This is where you go for something special, advice or to get a more personal service. Christophe’s face is well-known in the world of artisan micro-and-craft breweries in Belgium. “Plenty of people are looking for something different from supermarket beers,” Christophe feels. “They are after authenticity and want to know who is brewing their beer. This personal relationship with the brewer is very important, I feel...

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