A short history of Belgian beer
In the 13th century, Belgian monks discovered the art of brewing fermented barley with hops. From then on, we could speak of beer rather than cervoise. It was at this time that the first real breweries appeared, linked to monasteries. In the 11th century, the world's first brewers' guild was founded in Affligem (not far from Brussels). Malt then made its entry into the world of beer. This germinated barley, then dried or roasted, became essential to the fermentation process. Cistercian monks also got involved, and the first monastic brewery was built in Villers-la-Ville (south of Brussels). Breweries began to multiply in the 15th century. In the following century, the King of France granted brewers the title of "juré", giving them the right to practice their profession. The Maison des Brasseurs, located on Brussels' Grand-Place, dates from this period.
After the industrialization of the brewing industry and the gradual disappearance of breweries (from around 3,300 at the beginning of the 20th century to 140 by the end), Belgium is now experiencing a brewing revival that began with the new millennium. Brussels is no exception. The capital, which almost had no breweries left on its soil, saw the birth of a niche foreign audience for spontaneously fermented beers (a type of beer found only in the Belgian capital and nearby Senne Valley). The Cantillon brewery, which until then had been able to make a living, and not always easily, has taken advantage of this and ensured its continued existence. At the same time, other fine individual projects were born, such as the Brasserie de la Senne and the Brussels Beer Project. Finally, in 2023, the long-awaited Belgian Beer World opened its doors inside the Bourse.
There are now over 300 breweries in Belgium (a figure that is constantly evolving), and Belgian beer has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017! And while there are now more than 1,500 different beers on offer, it's hard to keep track of the number of "label" beers and special brews.
Spontaneous fermentation
As far as fermentation is concerned, there are three main categories of beer: "low" fermentations (essentially "pilsner" or "lager" beers), "high" fermentations (virtually all other types of beer: white, brown, abbey beers, Trappist beers, etc.) and "spontaneous" fermentations. The latter category is specific to Brussels and the surrounding area. Spontaneously fermented beers are acidic beers, the best-known of which are gueuzes. The wort comes into contact with the ambient air, so fermentation is said to be spontaneous, with natural micro-organisms in the air, which are more common in the Brussels area. From these breweries comes lambic, 60% malted barley and 40% raw wheat. It is then brewed with old-fashioned hops, the true matrix of gueuzes, krieks (cherry-flavored lambics) and faros (candy-flavored lambics). After several months of fermentation, the brew is stored for one, two or three years in wooden barrels. Representative breweries include Cantillon in Anderlecht (mentioned above) and in the immediate vicinity of Brussels: Oud Beersel and 3 Fonteinen (Beersel) and Boon (Lembeek). There are also the more mainstream A la Mort Subite (Kobbegem) and Timmermans (Itterbeek) breweries. Not forgetting the famous Belle-Vue brewery (Sint-Pieters-Leeuw). Although this brewery left Brussels for good in 2008, it was located in Molenbeek along the canal. Its founder, Constant Vanden Stock, was also president of Royal Sporting Anderlecht, which he put on the European stage. The Belle-Vue brewery has belonged to the giant AB InBev since 1991.
Brussels will have its beer temple... soon
The Belgian capital already boasts three picturesque museums dedicated to the national beverage. But Belgium's brewers want a flashier showcase to present the world of beer in an interactive way. In September 2013, the municipal and regional authorities and the brewers' federation unveiled the first outlines of a plan to transform the Palais de la Bourse, an imposing19th-century neoclassical building in the heart of Brussels, into a temple to beer. Even if the name is not yet definitive, the project is well underway, and the first shovels have been turned on the site... after a few delays, work has begun for an inauguration scheduled for late summer 2023.
The upper floors are to house, among other things, Belgian beer experience areas, a café-brewery, a seminar center and a shop specializing in beer sales. The first floor will be laid out as a public gallery running through the entire building. The works will also provide an opportunity to renovate the Bruxella 1238 archaeological site. Twenty million euros will be needed to complete the project. But both the tourism industry and the brewery industry are rubbing their hands at the idea of the site becoming a must-see attraction in the capital, with a potential 400,000 visitors a year. This would make it one of Brussels' most popular attractions after the Atomium.
In the meantime, it's still possible to visit the home of the brewers' guild, set up in the 16th century, when it was founded, in this superb house on the Grand-Place, known as the Golden Tree. The wars of Louis XIV devastated Flanders, and the guild rebuilt it after it was bombed in 1695. Here, you can discover brewing techniques: utensils, brewing and fermenting tanks, and a high-tech brewing center.
The Grand-Place is also the setting for the Belgian Brewers Weekend, a gathering of Belgian brewers and the Chevalerie du Fourquet. Some 50 breweries take part, attracting some 80,000 visitors over three days (first weekend in September). For more purist visitors, the Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze is housed in the Cantillon brewery (Anderlecht). The Van Roy family like to describe their museum as "alive", just like the micro-organisms involved in lambic production. Visitors are immersed in ancient brewing equipment still in use today.
Lambic, gueuze, kriek... the choice is vast
Around the Grand-Place and in the neighboring streets, Brussels abounds in typical bistros and estaminets. You'll find a good selection of them in this guide, including Poechenellekelder, Mort Subite, Bécasse and Moeder Lambic. And for complete information on lambic and spontaneous fermentation, don't hesitate to visit the "De Lambiek" interpretation center in Alsemberg, a few kilometers from Brussels. Supported by the municipality of Beersel, the Flemish Region and the High Council for Craft Lambic Beers (HORAL), this visitor center immerses the public in the tastes, aromas, sounds and textures of lambic, a typical specialty of Brussels and the region. After learning about the spontaneous fermentation process, visitors can sample products from the eleven HORAL members at their leisure. This is not a museum as such. Rather, it's a way of explaining to people what's going on in the Senne valley as far as brewing is concerned, and inviting them to discover the breweries in the area.
Microbrewery revival
It took a while for Belgium to get into the "craft beers" movement, no doubt due to the weight of tradition? But finally, Brussels has caught up. Brasserie de la Senne, in 2010, was the first to launch and is now a classic on beer menus throughout Brussels. Next came BBP, En Stoemelings... There are now around fifteen of them offering IPAs of all kinds, Sours, Goses... even German types of beer! And since these microbreweries can afford small quantities, there are always "session beers" that we've never tasted before.
