Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Oh, Brother!

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Handcrafted by monks, Belgium’s Trappist beers are among the finest in the world. Ryan Millar goes on a brewing pilgrimage

Beer is, to quote Benjamin Franklin, “proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” And if he was as right about that as he was about electricity, Belgium must be the happiest place on Earth. The small country’s 125 breweries produce approximately 800 different beers – although if you also count the one-off, seasonal and souvenir beers, that figure rises to more than 8,000. Clearly, Belgium takes its beer very seriously. Each unique drink is served in a branded glass, with a distinctive shape designed to coax the flavour out of the brew. In fact, Belgians’ devotion to beer borders on religious; in the case of the Trappists, it’s deeply religious.

Trappist beer is brewed by monks. Out of all the breweries in the world, only seven of them qualify as Trappist – and six of them are in Belgium: Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle and Westvleteren. All these beers carry the ‘Authentic Trappist Product’ logo, which is only awarded to products that satisfy a number of strict criteria. The beer must be brewed within the walls of an abbey, by the monks or under their supervision; profits must go to maintaining the monastic order, with any excess used for charitable purposes; and, most relevantly for the beer fan, the recipes draw on centuries of tradition using only the finest ingredients. No trip to Belgium is complete without ordering one or more samples of these monk-brewed beers.

West is best

Officially, Westmalle was the first Trappist monastery in Belgium to make beer, and it’s the originator of the ‘double’ and ‘triple’ naming convention. The monks of Westmalle no longer work the brewery, however. As general manager Philippe Van Assche says, “Brewing is a very specialised occupation that is hard to combine with a life of prayer and retreat,” so the monks have now moved into a supervisory role. In the far west of Flanders, on the other hand, the brothers at the Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren have found a way to combine brewing with their monastic lifestyle, saying: “We make as much beer as we need to support the abbey – and no more.”

That’s all well and good for them, but the problem is that their beer is widely recognised as one of the best in the world. Demand has always been high locally, but when, in 2005, US website RateBeer.com named Westvleteren 12 as the best beer in the world – out of a field of 30,000 beers from 4,000 breweries – demand skyrocketed. Production did not, however: output is strictly limited to less than 5,000hL (hectolitres) per year. This skewed supply-demand ratio makes the Westvleteren brews – and especially the ‘Westy 12’ – some of the most prized beers in the world.

Beer’s holy grail

There is a way, however, to satisfy your curiosity – and your thirst. A scenic hour-and-a-half drive from Brussels, through the pastoral Flanders countryside, is the café In de Vrede (www.indevrede.be). Located in the shadow of Saint Sixtus, it’s the only place other than the abbey that is legally permitted to sell Westvleteren beer. After picking up a six-pack (one per person, quantities permitting) at the gift shop, you can order a fine handcrafted brew at the café and enjoy it in its proper Westvleteren glass. Getting to this tiny, out-of-the-way spot is no doubt a quest, but as the Trappist monks know, nothing worth having comes without devotion.

Beer festivals

The best places to celebrate Belgium’s finest offerings this summer

Festival of 100 Beers, 13-15 August

Set in the village of Anvaing less than an hour’s drive from Brussels, this community festival offers the popular beer game la quête, a bike rally and, of course, the tasting of a hundred beers. www.opt.be

International Streekbieren Festival, 14-15 August A very popular event that features more than 30 breweries and over 120 streek (regional) beers, this festival takes place in the West Flanders village of Zwevegem. You’ll find live music, fireworks and beers served in their traditional glasses. www.flanderseventsvzw.be

Kempisch Bierfestival, 25-26 August

A beer-fest with table service! In the village of Geel, 45 minutes east of Antwerp, there’ll be about 150 beers on tap – when you’re ready for another one, just hold up a paddle with the word dorst (thirst) on it. www.ndertschuim.be

Arch’en Bières, 28-29 August

The goal of this festival is to present rare, high-quality beers, many of which are not available for purchase elsewhere. Ideal for the Belgian beer completist, it’s a 40-minute drive from Brussels in the village of Archennes. www.archenbieres.be  

Belgian Beer Weekend, 3-5 September

More than 50 Belgian breweries, from small to large, take over Brussels’ Grand’Place on the first weekend in September. Entrance is free and most stands are staffed by the brewers, providing you with access to the minds behind the brews. With more than 250 tipples, it’ll be a case of so many beers, so little time… www.weekenddelabiere.be

Brugs Bier Festival, 11-12 September

Yet another reason to visit the picturesque town of Bruges. Not content with offering 250 beers from 65 breweries, this festival also features top chefs whipping up their favourite beer-based dishes. If you’re arriving by train, make sure to catch the horse-drawn beer tram to the site. www.brugsbierfestival.be

Speciality beers

Not content with lagers and stouts, Belgium produces very distinctive brews. Here are a few worth seeking out

Lambic Spontaneously fermented by exposure to wild yeasts, bacteria and other microorganisms; sounds disgusting, maybe, but this tart, wine-like flavour has many fans. Made only in the region around Brussels.

Try: Mort Subite Original Gueuze

Kriek The most common of the fruit-infused lambics, krieks are made with cherries. They are fruity, as you might expect, but not overly sweet.

Try: Belle-Vue Kriek

Blonde A Belgian version of pale ale or pilsner. Some aren’t too strong, while others are extremely potent – but dangerously drinkable.

Try: Duvel

Wheat (or white) Unfiltered and slightly fruity, this is an ideal beer for summertime – or if the high alcohol content of Belgian beers has you longing for something less heavy. Usually served with lemon.

Try: Hoegaarden

Oh, mon Frère!

Brassées artisanalement par les moines, les bières trappistes belges sont parmi les plus raffinées au monde. Pèlerinage brassicole, par Ryan Millar  

Les 125 brasseries belges produisent environ 800 sortes de bières différentes, servies chacune dans un verre spécifique, conçu pour extraire de la bière les meilleures saveurs. Cet engagement frise la religion, et dans le cas des bières trappistes, il s’agit même d’une tradition profondément religieuse. La bière trappiste est brassée par les moines, et six des sept brasseries trappistes au monde sont situées en Belgique : à Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle et Westvleteren. Pour porter le label de trappiste, la bière doit être brassée au sein d’une abbaye, sous le contrôle des moines ; les bénéfices de sa production doivent servir à maintenir l’ordre monastique ou être dédiés à des œuvres ; et sa recette est de tradition séculaire.

A l’extrême ouest de la Flandre, la bière brassée par les frères de l’Abbaye de Saint-Sixte à Westvleteren est largement reconnue comme l’une des meilleures au monde. Sa production reste cependant strictement limitée. Et pour étancher votre soif, vous devrez vous rendre au café « In de Vrede » (www.indevrede.be). A une heure et demie de route de Bruxelles, à l’ombre de Saint-Sixte, c’est le seul lieu où sa vente est autorisée, en dehors de l’Abbaye ellemême. Une véritable quête, mais comme le savent les moines trappistes, on n’obtient rien sans dévotion.

Quelques bières belges particulières Lambic Une bière légèrement aigre, à la robe lie de vin, fermentée à l’aide de levures et bactéries naturelles. A déguster : la Gueuze Mort Subite Original

Kriek La plus courante des bières lambic aux fruits, fermentée avec des cerises. A déguster : Kriek Belle-Vue

Bière Blanche Non-filtrée et légèrement fruitée – idéale pour l’été. A déguster : Hoegaarden

Blonde Une version belge de la pils/pale ale – certaines d’entre elles sont extrêmement fortes. A déguster : Duvel

Festivals de bières belges La Fête aux 100 Bières, 13-15 août Festival populaire à Anvaing, à une heure de route de Bruxelles. www.opt.be

Arch’en Bières 28-29 août Des bières rares, de grande qualité, à découvrir à Archennes, à 40 minutes de Bruxelles. www.archenbieres.be

Week-end de la Bière belge 3-5 septembre Plus de 50 brasseries s’installent sur la Grand-Place de Bruxelles. www.weekenddelabiere.be

Wauw, broeder!

De Belgische door monniken gebrouwen trappistenbieren behoren tot de ‘s werelds beste. Ryan Millar gaat op pelgrimstocht langsheen de brouwerijen

In de 125 brouwerijen die België rijk is, worden zo’n 800 verschillende bieren gebrouwen. Elk van deze bieren worden in hun eigen specifiek glas geserveerd om de smaak van het bier het beste tot zijn recht te doen komen. Deze toewijding heeft veel weg van een religieuze beleving – en in het geval van de trappisten gaat het om een diepreligieuze toewijding. Trappistenbier wordt gebrouwen door monniken en zes van ’s werelds zeven trappistenbrouwerijen bevinden zich in België: Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle en Westvleteren. Trappistenbier dient te worden gebrouwen in een abdij, door de monniken zelf of onder hun toezicht; de inkomsten dienen te gaan naar het behoud van de monnikenorde of naar liefdadigheid en de recepten zijn hierbij het resultaat van eeuwenoude traditie.

In het uiterste westen van Vlaanderen kunt u proeven van het bier gebrouwen door de broeders van de Sint-Sixtus Abdij van Westvleteren, alom geprezen als een van’s werelds beste bieren. De productie van dit bier is echter strikt beperkt. Om uw dorst te lessen, kunt u terecht in het In de Vrede café (www.indevrede.be) in de schaduw van de Sint Sixtus abdij, op anderhalf uur rijden van Brussel. Dit is de enige plaats waar het wettelijk toegelaten is Westvleteren te verkopen. Er geraken is een ware odyssee, maar zoals trappisten al langer weten, krijgt u niets zonder de nodige devotie te vertonen.

Specialiteiten Belgische bieren Lambiek Een droog, wijnachtig bier dat gist bij blootstelling aan wilde gisten en bacteriën. Probeer: Mort Subite Gueuze

Kriek De meest populaire van de op basis van fruit gebrouwde lambiek bieren, gemaakt met kersen. Probeer: Belle-Vue Kriek

Tarwe Ongefilterd en ietwat fruitig – een aanrader voor tijdens de zomerdagen. Probeer: Hoegaarden

Blond De Belgische versie van een pale ale/pils – sommige zijn uitzonderlijk sterk van smaak. Probeer: Duvel

Belgische bierfestivals 100 bieren Festival, 13-15 augustus Gemeenschapsfestival in Anvaing, op een uurtje rijden van Brussel. www.opt.be

Arch’en Bières 28-29 augustus Zeldzame, hoogkwalitatieve bieren, op 40 minuten rijden van Brussel in Archennes, www.archenbieres.be

Belgische Bierweekend 3-5 september Meer dan 50 brouwerijen veroveren de Brusselse Grote Markt. www.weekenddelabiere.be

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