As I write this, it’s evening, and I’m in a hotel room in Bruges. As you read this, it might be morning, and I’m probably back in Atlanta. Such is the nature of the old-fashioned postcard, which can be read as thoughts and feelings stuck in time.
I came to Belgium to attend the European Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference in Brussels, then stayed on to hike and bike and visit breweries as part of a tour with Zephyr Adventures, the company that put on the conference and hosts many such food, drink and outdoor tours around the world.
Belgium has always been a favorite destination for traveling beer lovers, offering a huge array of some of the most ancient, distinctive and beloved styles in the world. As City of Brussels Alderman Philippe Close said in his opening remarks at the conference, “Like we speak of the French kiss, we speak of the Belgian beer.”
In Bruges, after nearly a week in his country, I thought of another thing Close said, “History is always present in Belgium.”
As it turns out, though, brewing history is being forgotten by many of the country’s younger beer drinkers, who now prefer lighter, less complex styles, as opposed to the kinds of big, rich styles their elders and people from many other countries revere. In real terms that means the lifeblood of most traditional family brewers has become exports, with beer freely flowing to France, Great Britain, the U.S. and even China, which is a major consumer of the best Belgian beers.
At Moeder Lambic, arguably the must-visit beer bar in Brussels, owner Jean Hummler curates an amazing list of traditional crisp, refreshing sour ales, including cask selections from nearby Cantillon Brewery. But Hummler told a group gathered around a table one night that these venerable “time machine” lambic, gueuze, faro and kriek beers are no longer popular with most locals. It seems the really good stuff is mostly sought out by savvy beer tourists.
One of my favorites on trips to Belgium is Arend Tripel, which I first tasted at Moeder (which means mother, by the way). It’s a creamy golden beer with a wonderful combination of bitter, sweet and fruity flavors. It comes from a small family brewery, De Ryck, that dates back to 1886. Nowadays, De Ryck is run by woman named An De Ryck, who has struggled to continue making traditional beers in these changing times.
“It is a passion to survive and keep the beer alive,” said De Ryck, summing up why she and so many others like her are still driven to make history present.
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