Brasserie de la Senne brews first batch in Brussels

(Photo, above: Yvan de Baets at the brewkettle,
Brasserie de la Senne.

I just got the following word from Yvan de Baets of Brasserie
de la Senne yesterday:

"We made the first test batch in the new brewery on December
22! A success so far... A new recipe to calculate the yield of the
brewhouse, but very close to Taras boulba (a bit stronger, and
with Hallertaü Hersbrucker hops for the aroma). We will bottle
it at the end of January. From March or April, we'll have all our
range available all the time..."

This is great news from one of Belgium's great brewing teams,
Yvan and partner Bernard Leboucq.

They had been brewing at Brouwerij de Ranke in Dottignies
for several years, while looking for a suitable place for a brewery
in Brussels, which they found in late 2009.

The space: a former warehouse in the Molenbeek section of
Brussels, not so far from Brasserie Cantillon.

The huge space (for a small brewery) will allow them to grow
for many years....30 to be exact! That's the length of their lease.

They have a barrel-aging room nearly ready, the bottling line
is in place, as are plans for a tasting room right inside the
brewery, where visitors will be able to watch the pair work
their magic...and taste a few beers!

Me? I'm really looking forward to more Saisons brewed with
Cantillon lambic. And so many other beers. Yum. Seriously.