Eleven Belgian beers have won prizes at the World Beer Awards an international competition held in England two beers came out on top in their category: Jupiler 0.0 from AB InBev was named best non-alcoholic beer and Boon Millésime Oude Schaarbeekse Kriek triumphed in the sour beer category the lambic and geuze producer from Lembeek in Flemish Brabant also saw its Oude Geuze Boon named best geuze The Belgian beers were in general most successful in the sour category and Queue de Charrue was victorious in the oud bruin section the young Dilbeek brewery Kestemont's apricot lambic came out on top AB InBev also walked away with two other awards one for its Leffe Brune 0.0 and the other for its Fruit Défendu in the strong dark beer category a whisky-flavoured beer from the Wilderen brewery in Limburg was named the best beer flavoured with a spirit Two "double" beers also impressed the judges: Tongerlo from Haacht Brewery and Dominicains from the 3F brewery in Frameries #FlandersNewsService | The Boon brewery in Lembeek which produces traditional geuze and kriek beers © PHOTO KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu The Oxford Companion to Beer definition of Rodenbach is a Belgian brewery located in the town of Roeselare famed for its sour red ales Ferdinand Rodenbach migrated to Flanders from the German Rhineland His descendants immersed themselves in local commerce and their brewing interests began when Pedro Rodenbach secured a partnership in a Roeselare brewery in 1821 who set the tone for the business’s development when he traveled to England and studied porter-making The Rodenbach cellar in the Belgian town of Roeselar contains nearly 300 giant oak vats known as “foeders.” photograph by denton tillman Today Rodenbach is part of the Palm Breweries group, whose main production center is at Steenhuffel, Belgium. See palm breweries Palm (which is also part-owner of the Boon brewery commissioning a new brewhouse and showcasing the remarkable cellar filled with nearly 300 giant oak vats Known in Dutch as “foeders,” these range in capacity from 140 hl (120 barrels) to 650 hl (555 barrels) Rodenbach beers are brewed from a blend of pale ale and colored malts Top fermentation in cylindro-conical vessels with the Rodenbach mixed yeast culture leads to 4 weeks’ lagering in horizontal tanks The beer is then transferred to the oak vats some of which date back more than 150 years where it is aged for up to 2 years at 59°F (15°C) Microorganisms in the wood sour the beer and create a complex array of fruity esters There are two main products from Rodenbach: Rodenbach Classic is a 5% ABV blend of young (un-soured) beer with aged beer at a ratio of 1:3 [ratio should be 3:1 in favor of young beer] See also flanders If you're unhappy with your product in any way Simply email us at shop@goodbeerhunting.com SHIPPINGAll orders will be processed and shipped in about a week's to ten days time This isn't always perfect (we're not Amazon) so if you have a rush please email us ahead at shop@goodbeerhunting.com to make sure we can pull it off in time Your email or personal information will never be shared or sold to anyone Longreads and photographic journeys documenting our ongoing worldwide adventures in beer In an air-conditioned basement beneath the sleepy streets of Beersel the beer that typifies Pajottenland and the Zenne Valley which lie to the southwest of the Belgian capital The owner of this cellar and the brewery above it grips a cork tightly before he twists it forcefully out of a cask coating the wood and stone that surrounds it as it does so Debelder has stemmed the flow with a stainless steel spile and begins to pour the beer into tall Debelder hands me a glass of 7-month-old lambic produced by his brewery Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen is renowned for producing an intensely flavored lambic a style of beer that is spontaneously fermented using only the wild yeasts and bacteria that live in the direct vicinity of the brewery “Five year old Hallertau Mittelfrüh – our Challenger is even older – that’s what gives it a flavour of green apples.” The beer sings with intensely sour notes of lemon juice and wet hay a delicate effervescence bursts on the palate which only seems to intensify the acidic taste It is quite simply one of the most wonderful things I have ever tasted Drie Fonteinen is one of the founding members of Hoge raad voor ambachtelijke lambiekbieren or HORAL for short ‘The High Council for Artisanal Lambic Brewers.” HORAL was formed by Debelder along with six other producers of lambic and geuze with the aim of protecting and promoting the heritage of the wonderful beers they produce The council’s membership now stands at eleven with all the breweries located within the immediate vicinity of Brussels The reason for this close proximity to one another is because this area’s unique microbial flora is perfect for producing spontaneously fermented beer Lambic and geuze are two of the oldest styles of beer in the world with a history that is thought to date back to the time of the Roman Empire In the 1700’s there were well over 100 lambic brewers and blenders in this region; however as well as an increased local preference for weaker There are now only a handful of lambic producers still in business Perhaps the most well-known of these is Brasserie Cantillon of Brussels Due to its spontaneously fermented nature it’s usually brewed between the months of autumn and spring This is because strains of bacteria that are not desirable in fermentation are much more active during the hot summer months The grist is generally comprised of two-thirds pale two-row barley and one-third unmalted wheat The wort is boiled with aged hops that are at least a year old but flat tank known as a koelschip or coolship Here it is left to cool overnight by the breeze that filters in through open slats or windows in the brewery wall this breeze carries a unique culture of bacteria such as Lactobacillus and wild yeasts such as Brettanomyces The exact microbes that ‘infect’ the beer will vary from one producer of lambic to another This is how each producer can create a beer that has a distinctive signature each lambic brewer has its very own terroir the inoculated wort is then moved into oak barrels or foudres where it will age for months Each of Belgium’s lambic producers will mark its barrels with the symbol of its brewery Drie Fonteinen simply marks its aging beer with a chalked "3." When lambic reaches two to three years old it’s blended with a young lambic of around twelve months so that it can enter secondary fermentation and become oude geuze sparkling beer that has a Champagne-like quality It’s also a common tradition to add sour Morello cherries to lambic as it ferments in order to produce kriek Certain producers of lambic and geuze have experimented with other fruits and herbs in more recent times The relatively recent interest in craft beers has sparked a renewed interest in lambic in particular geuze (spelled gueuze when written in French as opposed to Flemish.) Rare vintages such as Drie Fonteinen’s Armand 4 have been known to change hands for hundreds of dollars This is perhaps because geuze is a perfect style of beer to cellar and age with some brewers even claiming it can be aged indefinitely Armand Debelder runs the gamut of human emotion as he describes a rich history My wife wouldn’t let me.” He pauses and sucks a gulp of air tightly between his teeth “There’s always been a lot of interest from big brewers.” He spoke with a passion that was as clear as the blue sky above us. “I’ve always ran this place with my own money Armand took over the running of Drie Fonteinen from his father Back then they didn’t produce their own lambic a business that aged and blended Lambic purchased from other brewers when Debelder leased a small yet modern Brewhouse He leads us past the brewery and his coolships stacked on top of one another to save space and recounts how Drie Fonteinen’s story almost ended too soon Debelder arrived at his brewery to find disaster The thermostat that kept the cellar used to store refermenting bottles of geuze had malfunctioned causing the space to overheat but HORAL was not about to lose its founding member by providing lambic for Drie Fonteinen to blend and sell Bottles that had exploded were sent to a distillery which used the ruined geuze to produce a 40% ABV eau de vie known as Armand’Spirit – an example of one brewer’s will to survive condensed into bottled form As Debelder finishes the tour he begins to open chilled bottles of his oude geuze He demonstrates the correct pouring technique washing the inside of each glass with beer as he pours so as to create a large straight glass because it is a drink of the people.” While some may consider geuze a special beer for an occasion because it’s artisanal and difficult to produce its heritage reveals it differently: geuze is a beer for everyone to enjoy Armand continues to explain and wax lyrical about geuze “There are a lot of experiences [for geuze] ahead and for us it’s about looking after the people who sell our beer.” He continues with passion A short distance from Beersel is the neighboring town of Lembeek which immediately bares a more striking resemblance to the breweries I’m used to visiting Its factory buildings stand in stark contrast to the relatively small facility at Drie Fonteinen imposing themselves on the surrounding rustic countryside Bines of wild hops line the path that leads to the brewery’s entrance Boon took over the brewery and has arguably done more to promote the interests of lambic and geuze than anyone else He was one of the many brewers in the area that helped Drie Fonteinen get back on their feet after its disaster in 2009 When nearby lambic blender Oud Beersel closed in 2002 Boon continued to sell its lambic under the Oud Beersel name Slowly guided through the brewery along the same path that the lambic follows during production we pass the coolship enclosed in crumbling We move along walkways and meander around the computer-controlled brewhouse Meters and meters of twisted pipe form clean lines and sharp angles as they work their way down stairways and along corridors They lead to a large automatic doorway where we are met by a calm “There was an idea [in Belgium] in the 1990’s that lambic was just vinegar,” Boon explains it’s immediately obvious that Boon is a businessman and more reserved than the emotional Debelder “We had a meeting at Drie Fonteinen and decided that people needed to be educated on what makes a good glass of geuze HORAL is a part of why geuze is becoming so important.” The large door behind him quickly slides open and reveals row after row of neatly lined oak foudres “We currently have 1.6 million litres of lambic in foudres,” he tells us “We hope to expand that to 2 million within a year.” The cool rooms filled with these monster tanks seemingly extend forever “Now who would like to taste some lambic?” He asks Where Drie Fonteinen’s lambic is intensely funky and acidic The difference mirrors the personalities of its creators “Lambic is more about the raw materials than the culture [yeast],” says Boon “It’s what the culture eats that makes the biggest difference to the flavor.” There are a few other characteristics that differentiate the flavour of Boon’s lambic and geuze from other breweries and its water is known to have a very high mineral content “We get wheat and barley specifically designed for us While the lambic brewers of Pajottenland and the Zenne Valley may each have their own terroir Boon is forging his own path by constantly investing in new equipment and technology to produce the best beer possible “In 2013 we installed a new mash tun,” he says Up until then we were using one that was built in 1896.” Boon leads us through the quaint streets of Lembeek for a drink at a local bar and locals stop and greet him along the way We sit at a long table outside that forms part of the town square its mouth-puckering combo of sweet and tart providing immense joy Both Boon and Debelder have made great strides in promoting lambic and geuze around the world but it’s clear they feel their work isn’t finished “I really want to write some new chapters for geuze I’m convinced there is more to be told,” says Boon and with more and more modern palates enjoying sour beer styles there’s never been a better time for geuze Boon even ships large tankers full of its lambic to Fort Collins Colorado where New Belgium Brewing blends it with a strong blond lager to create Transatlantique Kriek perhaps thanks to several glasses of oude geuze geuze is a drink of the people.” Uttering the very same words as Debelder We shake hands and exchange goodbyes before making our way back to Brussels Outside of Belgium people stand in line for hours for a single taste of rare blends and vintages contrasting sharply with the purpose Boon and Debelder perceive for their beer in the towns like Beersel and Lembeek, we know family and friends honor this ideal sitting around the table with several chilled bottles of geuze pausing the conversation only when an empty glass needs refilling and Publications that’ll drive you to drink A Belgian psychologist and mother-of-one who worked with asylum seekers facing deportation has been named as the latest victim of Friday’s jihadi atrocity in Stockholm. Maïlys Dereymaeker, 31, was waiting for friends from work on the corner of Drottninggatan and Olof Palmes gata when the terrorist struck. She was the first victim to be hit by the speeding lorry and died instantly at the scene.  It took forensic experts two days to identify her mangled body from DNA samples. Ms Dereymaeker, who was from the small town of Lembeek near Brussels and had an 18-month-old toddler, worked with illegal immigrants facing deportation like her killer, Rakhmat Akilov. The psychologist and music enthusiast was in Stockholm for a well-deserved break with friends from work.  They were due to meet on the corner that afternoon. Ms Dereymaeker had arrived early when the Uzbek ISIS fanatic started his rampage. The Belgian was a keen musician and was part of an ensemble in her hometown.  ‘It is difficult for me to talk about her death,’ a friend told local media.  ‘She played the flute and taught music to children’. The mayor of Lembeek, a neighbourhood in the Belgian city of Halle, southwest of Brussels, told the Belga news agency: ‘I met her several times. I know her parents very well. They are very nice people who have lived in Halle for a long time.’ Mr Pieters added: ‘I'm shocked after each attack, but when you put a face on a victim and personally know her parents, it's even worse.’ Ms Dereymaeker was the second victim to be identified after Briton Crispin Bevington, 41, was named yesterday. Today, the fourth victim was reported as a woman from Uddevalla, a small town in western Sweden.  A local newspaper contacted the alleged victim’s family but they declined to comment.  Today, as Sweden held a minute's silence for the victims, politicians demanded greater powers to monitor failed asylum seekers.  The tough new measures are being demanded after it was revealed the alleged killer Rakhmat Akilove, 39, had been told to leave Sweden in December. He was given four weeks to leave, but disappeared from his last known address.  The fanatic, who killed four in Friday's carnage, told the Swedish Migration Board that he had been arrested during a demonstration and was subsequently tortured by police for nine days. However, a medical examination showed that torture had not taken place.  Investigators concluded that his identity could not be confirmed as he had used several aliases when applying for asylum. A court also questioned his version of events, saying that his description of conditions in prison was too vague. He was unable to describe its appearance and anybody who was in prison with him. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... Victim of acid attack 'plotted by his ex-partner who teamed up with a gang' dies in hospital six... We are trapped in unsellable newbuild homes after a £52m dual carriageway was built on our... 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The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser No fewer than 11 Belgian beers won awards at the World Beer Awards that have been held in the UK capital London AB Inbev's Jupiler 0.0 managed to charm the jury of the international competition The Flemish Brabant brewer Boon’s Millésime Oude Schaarbeekse Kriek triumphed in the sour beer category Oude Geuze Boon that took the prize for best geuze In the 'best sour & wild beer' categories Belgian brewers did very well Sosab Flemish Red Ale XII from the Kortrijk Brew Society won in the Flanders red ale category They were prizes too for  Queue de Charrue in the 'old brown' category and Kestemont's apricot beer in the 'fruit lambic' category In addition to the award for best non-alcoholic pils beer AB Inbev also won two awards One for the Leffe Bruin 0.0 (best non-alcoholic & low alcohol dark beer) and Hoegaarden Verboden Vrucht (best dark beer strong) Cuvée Clarisse with rum from Brouwerij Wilderen took the prize for best best spirit beer  The Haacht brewery from Flemish Brabant won a prize for its Tongerlo a beer brewed by the Brasserie 3F in Frameries (Hainaut) also received an award