ANKER (HET)

History. If there's one name that's impossible to forget for Het Anker, it's Charles. With the Gouden Carolus and Cuvée van de Keizer ranges, the brewery paid tribute to Charles V, who was brought up in Mechelen by his aunt Marguerite of Austria, and who is said to have been particularly fond of this "Brune de Malines". The first name Charles has also been borne by its managers, including the current Charles Leclef, the fifth generation of the Van Breedam "family of millers", who operated a small distillery at Molenberg in Blaasveld from 1637 to 1914, before taking over the brewery of the Mechelen beguinage in 1872. More recently, he took over a brand that had been neglected since the Riva brewery went bankrupt: Lucifer. While modernizing the brewery in 1990, he came up with the idea of distilling the beer into a fruity, woody whisky in the distillery, using the Gouden Carolus Tripel brew. The brewer has not forgotten his Malines stronghold, however, and most of the names given to his beers refer directly to the city's history. Maneblusser, for example, is a reference to the nickname Malinois inherited after a drunkard, whose eyes were no doubt a little misty, thought he saw the Saint-Rombaut tower on fire. The alarm was raised, and the first buckets of water were quickly delivered to the top of the tower. The effort was in vain, as it was the moon's orange reflections that fooled our drinker.

The guided tour is an opportunity to taste the company's Malines beers: Gouden Carolus Classic, the pride of the city, and its three little Carolus sisters (Tripel, amber and Hopsinjoor, bitter), Triple Toison d'or, Brune de Malines and Blusser. Those for whom beer is sacred (and damn expensive too, at almost €10 a beer) can enjoy a "Cuvée de l'Empereur", brewed every year on the birthday of... Charles V, of course! A visit to the brewery can be combined with a tour of the whisky maturation warehouses (the famous beer-based whisky) and ends with one or two tastings, all in French at certain times (book online). And if hunger strikes late in the day, a few dishes are also on offer, as this brasserie is also renowned for its plates (gourmet tasting formulas). The à la carte menu features local specialities... all made with Carolus beer! This originality can be seen, for example, in the Brabant-style free-range chicken with Carolus Tripel, served with croquettes and caramelized chicory.