Belgian sour ales article in Beer Northwest magazine

The Spring 2009 issue of Beer Northwest, a quarterly publication
based in Portland, Oregon, arrived in the mail yesterday.

This is my first article for Beer Northwest and Editor/Publisher
Megan Flynn, and I'm happy to say that it turned out well. The title is
"Belgium's 'Extreme' Beers."

I cover Belgium's lambic brews, as well as the Flemish Oud Bruin style.

There is also an interesting article about Farmhouse ales and the new
Upright Brewing Co. in Portland, Oregon.

Copies can be ordered here.

Beer Northwest can also be found at select beer bars, brewpubs and
beer stores in Oregon and Washington state.

Brouwerij Timmermans introduces Oude Gueuze

I'm happy to say that the world of traditional lambic beers has a
welcome addition.

Dimitri Demol, Key Account Manager for Export for John Martin Group
in Belgium, which owns Brouwerij Timmermans of Itterbeek, told me
today that Timmermans will soon release an Oude Gueuze for sale
to the public in Belgium as well as other countries.

It's possible the Oude Gueuze may make it stateside at the end of
this year, though a decision has not been made yet.

I tasted the Oude Gueuze at the brewery in November and was very
impressed, as were friends who joined me for a lambic beer tasting
on the winter solstice, where I treated them to one of the first
bottles opened on American shores.

Several Timmermans beers, including Kriek, Framboise, Strawberry,
and Bourgogne Des Flandres will be imported to the U.S. by Belukus
Imports of Austin, Texas. The planned release date is sometime
before summer begins.

I hope the Oude Gueuze will be imported to the U.S.

Photo: Dimitri Demol pouring the Oude Gueuze in the tasting room at Timmermans.

Tour de Geuze bus routes/schedules announced on HORAL website

HORAL has uploaded the routes and bus schedules for the Toer de Geuze (Tour de Geuze) on its website as of today.

There will be eight buses running on various routes. Each bus goes to five of the nine lambic blenderies and breweries that are open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday April 26. If you want to ride one of the HORAL buses, you have to choose which one and make a reservation. The fee of 12.90 euros can be paid via Paypal (or bank transfer, though I think this might only work for Europeans.)

The lambic producers that are open to the public April 26 are Boon, De Cam, Drie Fonteinen, Hanssens, Lindemans, Mort Subite, Oud Beersel, Timmermans and De Troch.

Note also that the superb lambic cafe, In de Verzekering Tegen de Grote Dorst, will be open all day and into the evening on April 26, due to the Tour de Geuze.

See: Dorst's website

Brugs Bier fest article in Celebrator Beer News

Photo: Gunther Bensch at the Brouwerij Girardin booth



I have an article on the 2nd edition of the Brugs Bier fest in the February/March issue of Celebrator Beer News.

I attended the fest, held in historic Brugge (Bruges) on November 15-16 of last year. The event was located in the Inner Court of the Belfry.

You can read the article here:

Brugs Beer Fest

The 3rd Brugs Bier fest will be November 14-15, 2009.

See: Brugs Bier fest website