Busy, busy, busy....

Well, two weeks without a post. As you might guess, I have been incredibly swamped lately.
I am writing a number of Belgian beer and brewery reviews for a new book due out later this year. I've written over 6,000 words in the past two weeks, and have about 3,500 more due within a few weeks.
I also am working on a big 2,500 word feature article on Brouwerij Girardin.
I'll be at SAVOR in D.C. this weekend, so I'll be writing during the week.
I also have another 3,000 word feature due for a new magazine by mid-June.
My Belgian beer blog at Beer Connoisseur on-line should go live in a couple of weeks.
Did I mention I was busy? Phew.
One of the beers I am writing about for the book is Moinette Blonde. The photo with this post is Dirk Van Dyck in the cellar of the Bodega cafe, with a Moinette from the 1970's.

Cheers,

Chuck

An aged Trappist beer tasting at Cafe Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday)

The group at the aged Trappist beer tasting






Trappist beer lover, photographer and reporter Danny Van Tricht, standing


When my good friend Danny Van Tricht told me he had procured several crates of aged Trappist brews a couple of months ago, I was understandably excited. I knew I'd have the chance to taste a few during my trip to "Het Bierland" in April.
Then, fate intervened: a big tasting that Danny had planned for mid-March at Cafe Goede Vrijdag (Good Friday) in Herselt, Antwerp Province, had to be postponed.
The rescheduled date? Why, Friday, the 24th of April, Danny informed me. GAME ON!
I have had the pleasure to taste quite a few aged Trappist beers over the years at places like Bierhuis Kulminator in Antwerp, as well as various other cafes. I've also savored such brews at Danny's home, as well as with beer lovers such as Joris Pattyn, the well-known beer researcher and co-author of "100 Belgian Beers to try Before You Die."
But I've never had the chance to taste so many at one time and one place. Danny, who authors several Belgian beer blogs, such as Trappistbier Beleven, and is a reporter and photographer for Reisreporter really put on a show for the tasting.
He created tasting sheets for each beer, and also reserved the upstairs room of Goede Vrijdag. There was plenty of bread and water as palate cleansers between beers.
In attendance was brewer Jef Goetelen of 't Hofbrouwerijke, whose beers are available now in the USA via Shelton Brothers. See: thofbrouwerijke.be. There were also several beer lovers from the area, including Hans Bombeke, former owner of 't Waagstuk in Antwerp, and now a teacher at a local college. What does Hans teach, you ask? Beer appreciation, of course! I hear his classes are full....Hans also is a member of the local Zythos-affliated beer appreciation club, Antwerps Bier College (ABC)









Hans Bombeke studying an aged Trappist brew



Jef Goetelen, brewer/owner, 't Hofbrouwerijke

The beers on hand for the tasting included Petit Orval and Orval from 1983, which Danny started with; both had aged nicely, and there was still noticeable brett character in both brews. We then moved on to Westmalle Dubbel, circa 1980. One of the 33 cl bottles was spot on, with noticeable chocolate in the taste and little oxidation. Another bottle, which appeared to be from the same batch, was very port/sherry like and more oxidized. Several bottles of Westmalle Tripel from the same era were similarly very sherry like and fairly oxidized. Of course, Westmalle never intended for its Tripel to be aged.









Danny then broke out 75 cl bottles of Chimay Grand Reserve from the late 1980's and the mid-90's, which had aged very well. Next up was Westvleteren Abt, produced before the name was changed to Westvleteren 12. This one, dating to the late 80's, was perhaps the best of the day. It had aged beautifully, with low oxidation and a great depth of malty character. Somewhere in the mix, Danny threw in a 1989 St. Sixtus Pater, which was brewed at St. Bernardus when they had a contract to brew the Westvleteren beers for commercial sale. It had aged well also, though not as well as the Abt.





The next flight was "newer" Westvleteren 8 and 12, from a few years ago. Served with the older Abt, it gave quite an insight on how these beers have changed over time.
The last Trappist beer was also the newest: La Trappe Quadrupel, aged in French oak casks for nine months. "I have been experimenting with aging in French oak for a while now" brewer Lodewijk Swinkels had told us, just a few hours earlier, as we savored his brews on a nice sunny day. The venue was outside seating at the new tasting cafe at La Trappe. The Quad was our lunchtime dessert beer, after a meal of Trappist-raised beef and croquettes, served with La Trappe Blond and Dubbel. Yum!
After the aged Trappist tasting was over, everyone enjoyed rounds of fresh Orval (Cafe Goede Vrijdag is an Orval Ambassador) as well as Jef's Hoftrol, a fine brew of 6.2% abv, with a distinct brett character. Jef must be an Orval fan.....

Cafe Goede Vrijdag carries beers from all seven Trappist Abbey breweries. There are also beers form local breweries Achilles, Den Hopperd and of course 't Hofbrouwerijke. There are others as well, on a menu with 60 brews. See goedevrijdag.com.





Danny Van Tricht with the French oak aged La Trappe Quadrupel

New photos on-line from recent Trappist brewery visits

The brewhouse at Westmalle



Beer conditioning at Westmalle



Brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels pouring the French-oak aged La Trappe Quadrupel.



Lodewijk Swinkels, brewmaster of La Trappe, with some of his French oak barrels.



Trappist-raised beef with croquettes at the La Trappe.

I visited Achel and Koningshoeven (La Trappe) for the third time each on my recent trip, and also went to Westmalle for a fourth visit.

Both La Trappe and Westmalle have new tasting cafes, which are very modern and stylish. The old ones were torn down.

I also savored a chalice each of Achel Blond 5 and Bruin 5 on Thursday the 23rd, sitting outside on a nice sunny day. Was this really Belgium?? These brews, available only on tap at the Abbey tasting cafe, paired well with some snacks from the Abbey, such as sausages.

I had much bigger meals at Koningshoeven and Westmalle, as they have full kitchens at each.

Trappist-grown beef and croquettes at La Trappe on a sunny spring day really hit the spot, with Blond and Dubbel paired with the meal.

When brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels suggested we taste his La Trappe Quadrupel, aged in French oak casks for 9 months....well things got even better. Great beer, and not overdone with oak.

Stoofvlees cooked in Westmalle Dubbel was a fine meal at the Cafe Trappisten at Westmalle.

Look for more on these visits in the future.



inside the tasting cafe at Achel.



Cheese made with Achel beer.

Belgium, trip 19: the last day, plus highlights of the trip

I visited the Westmalle Trappist brewery for the fourth time on Tuesday the 28th, then had a fine meal at the new Cafe Trappisten.
Later I visited the Domus Huisbrouwerij in Leuven, and tasted the new honey beer created by Mark Knops. Mark is a busy man, as he also brews for Achel, De Haalve Maan, Malheur and other breweries. I enjoyed the new Domus brew, as the honey was not overdone. It's an enjoyable beer of 6.5% abv.

Many thanks to Gunther Bensch (who created the first Tripel Gueuze beer, Vicardin) for being "Bob" for a couple of days. Look for more info about Gunther and another new beer in future posts.

There were many great highlights of the trip, but I have to say that my several hour visit at Brouwerij Girardin was probably the top. Heidi and Paul Girardin were wonderful hosts, and it was a day I won't soon forget. Seeing the beautiful copper brewkettles, copper koelschip, mash tun and wooden casks where the superb Girardin beers, such as the Jonge and Oude Lambik and Gueuze Girardin 1882 are created, was fantastic. The whole brewery is a shrine to lambic beer, and another of Belgium's national treasures.
Due to their extreme rarity, photos from inside the brewery will only appear in my printed articles. None will be shown on the Internet.
A similarly long visit at De Proefbrouwerij, with Dirk Naudts as host, was also very memorable. It's amazing how many great beers De Proef makes, in so many different styles.
The brewery is very high-tech and very clean as well. More on De Proef in the future, such as about a certain collaboration beer with a highly-regarded midwestern brewery. Yum.

Cheers,

Chuck

Trip 19 report...almost over

It's been a busy trip so far, with 15 brewery visits since Thursday.

I had first visits at Ter Dolen, De Sheldebrouwerij, De Dochter van de Korenaar, Jandrain-Jandranouille, De Vlier, Girardin, De Troch, Lindemans and De Proefbrouwerij.

Second visits at De Cam, Boon, Hanssens, and Timmermans...

third visits at Achel and La Trappe..

two more breweries tomorrow.

home soon....photos to follow.

Cheers,

Chuck

Off to Belgium, trip number 19

Well, sorry about the lack of posts lately. I've been very swamped getting ready for my 19th trip to Belgium, starting tomorrow. I'll re-visit two Trappist breweries (can you guess which one of them is??) attend the Vilvordia beer fest in Jette this coming Saturday, as well as the Toer de Geuze on Sunday. There also a little aged Trappist beer tasting on Friday.

I'll also visit 6 to 8 more breweries I have never been to before, and get back to the Kulminator in Antwerp.

The weather forecast claims clear weather through Saturday, but as it's Belgium, you never know.

More good news is on the horizon: it looks like I will be writing for 2 or 3 more beer magazines this year. More on that when I return....

Gezondheid and Sante,

Chuck Cook

Oud Beersel article in Celebrator Beer News

I have a 1,100 word article on the Oud Beersel lambic blendery
in the April/May issue of Celebrator Beer News.

I visited Oud Beersel last November 21st, with my friend
Danny Van Tricht. It was a cold day, but the Oud Beersel
brews soon warmed us!

Gert Christiaens and his father, Jos, took over the historic site a
few years ago. They purchased Oud Beersel from Henri Vandervelden.

Bureaucrats from the European Union forced Vandervelden to close
the brewery in 2002, due to new food and hygiene regulations that
are considered to be a vast waste of time and energy by brewers and
beer lovers in Belgium.

Seems that bureaucrats are the same all over, eh?

I hope that everyone enjoys the article! Hopefully Celebrator
will put the entire article on its website at some point.

Celebrator Beer News can be found at places like Max's on Broadway
in Baltimore, RFD and the Brickskeller in D.C., Monk's Cafe and
Nodding Head in Philadelphia, Sly Fox in the Philly area, and
Mug's Alehouse in Brooklyn, among other places on the East coast.

On the West coast, Celebrator is widely available at better beer bars,
brewpubs and beer stores. See www.celebrator.com.

Photo: Father Jos and son Gert, inside a room filled with old
brewing tools and equipment



Photo: inside the barrel room at Oud Beersel. The lambic beer is HERE!