Rodenbach article in Celebrator now on-line

My cover feature on Brouwerij Rodenbach, in the August/September issue of Celebrator Beer News, is now on-line.

You can click on the photo and see additional photos.

Cheers,

CDC

Brouwerij Rodenbach-cover feature, Celebrator

I am happy to say that my article on Brouwerij Rodenbach is featured on the cover of the new Celebrator Beer News (August/September issue), along with a full-page photo of the old malting kiln, which dates to 1864.

Several of my photos were published with the 1600 word article.

Thanks to Editor/Publisher Tom Dalldorf for devoting so much coverage to Belgium's great beer culture, and to brewmaster Rudi Ghequire for giving me a superb tour.

The article is on-line here: August/September issue

Ommegang's "Belgium Comes to Cooperstown" beer fest

(Photo: Brewer's Art brewer Rob Perry and wife Deb Shapiro)










One of the best Belgian beer events in the USA is held every summer on the grounds of Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY.

I attended the fest in 2006, 2007, and 2008, had a great time.

The following article, based on the 2007 Ommegang weekend, was to be published in Celebrator Beer News last year. Unfortunately, due to the passing of the late, great Michael Jackson, there was not room for the article. There was very extensive coverage of the life and times of the Bard of Beer, and rightly so.

The fully sold-out event is this coming weekend, August 1-2, 2008. I hope to see Belgian beer lovers there!

Cheers,

Chuck Cook

Ommegang’s VIP Beer Dinner and Belgian beer fest

On July 20-21, one of America’s most impressive Belgian beer events was once again held in a 200 acre field in Upstate New York. On the grounds of Brewery Ommegang, near Cooperstown, over a thousand eager patrons gathered for a weekend of excellent food, camaraderie, and a couple of hundred different Belgian and Belgian-style brews.
As last year, hundreds of people camped in the fields surrounding the brewery, and informal tastings broke out early Friday afternoon. I had a fine start, sharing bottles of ‘99 Cantillon Lou Pepe Gueuze and Kriek, as well as a De Cam Oude Geuze, with Steve, Tom and Rob from the Brewer’s Art in Baltimore. Always keep brewers happy!
After shocking my tastebuds into action, it was time to head to the VIP Beer Dinner. Marketing Director Larry Bennett and crew really amped things up this year, presenting a six-course extravaganza of food and beer. With appetizers of pates, breads, meats, and cheeses, everyone was suitably warmed up for beer brats and red cabbage; then a salad; next came Mussels and fries, a Belgian favorite; the fourth course was very filling, with roasted stuffed pork, oven-roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts; next came a fruit platter with assorted cheeses; and the sixth course, puff pastries with ice cream.
Of course, there was a more than ample supply of brews: Duvel, Maredsous 10, McChouffe, Rodenbach and Rodenbach Grand Cru were on hand from Belgium. All the Ommegang beers-produced about 50 yards away-were also offered. Abbey Dubbel, Hennepin, Rare Vos, Three Philosophers, and Witte were being savored by thirsty attendees.
An even bigger treat was the “official” release of Ommegang’s new Ommegeddon ale, which brewmaster Randy Thiel describes as “A Funkhouse Saison: It’s dry-hopped with Czech Saaz to balance the dry, well-attenuated palate of the brew. The Brettanomyces character is just starting to show itself, and should come to funky fruition within six months.”
Ommegeddon (8% abv) will be a seasonal release each year.
The beer dinner also featured a sneak preview of the new Chocolate Indulgence Stout (7%) which is brewed with chocolate malts.....and real Belgian chocolate! “It’s 40 ibu, and is created with a fruity Belgian yeast strain....so enjoy and indulge!” Thiel told me.
While Friday was cool and rainy, Saturday turned out to be a fantastic day, with low humidity and temps of about 80 degrees. Perfect! Even better was the dizzying selection of 240 different brews on offer at the beer festival, from countries like Belgium, Canada, and the U.S.A.
Once again, there were plenty of excellent Belgian-style breweries in attendance at “Belgium Comes to Cooperstown.” Baltimore’s The Brewer’s Art was a popular booth, with Saison and Tripel being my favorites.
Tomme Arthur was out from the West Coast, with his Lost Abbey lineup of brews, which were very much in demand. I happily sampled...savored really....all the beers on offer, while Tomme described each brew in detail. Scott Lawrence of Captain Lawrence brewing in Pleasantville, NY continued to impress with brews like St. Vincent’s Dubbel. Cambridge Brewing of Massachusetts once again had a stellar range of beers, like L’Amour de Jour and Saison du CBC. There were many more superb Belgian-style brews at this event; I wish I had the space to list them all!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper fest without plenty of authentic Belgian brews to choose from. Many Belgian importers were on hand, serving up world classics like Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek, Malheur Dark Brut, and Urthel Samaranth, among many others.
Next year’s event should be held the first weekend of August.....get tickets on-line beginning in mid-March. They will sell out fast! See ommegang.com.

Brouwerij Rodenbach-new US importer and photos

The first of the 24 breweries I visited in Belgium in May and June was the incomparable Rodenbach.
Rodenbach is a complex of many old historic buildings, such as a malting kiln from 1864 and a several stories tall brewery of the same age. There are also impressive new things, including a brewhouse from 2001 and a great visitor's center.

It's a world class place, and one of Belgium's national treasures.

I have a 1600 word article on the brewery coming out in the August issue of Celebrator Beer News.

Photos are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/belgianbeerspecialist/sets/72157605532799978/

Latis Imports has just secured the USA import rights for the Rodenbach family of beers. It will be great to have these beers easily available again here!

The big move to Baltimore

I know it's been a looong time since I posted here, however I have been incredibly busy moving to Beery Baltimore. I've always wanted to live in a great beer city, and I'm here now. It was a long and painful move. It was very much worth it, though: with places like Brewer's Art and Max's nearby, it's hard to go wrong.

I have a big feature article coming out soon on Brouwerij Rodenbach, as well as an article on SAVOR in DC. Plus, there's more.

I've also uploaded many more photos to my Flickr site-3,500 so far, mostly from my many trips to Belgium.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/belgianbeerspecialist/sets/

More later. Time to unpack some more boxes.....

Cheers,

Chuck C.

Belgium, trip 17: a short report

I returned Wednesday from my 17th trip to Belgium, a 15 day tour in both Flanders and Wallonia. I visited 24 breweries (11 in Flanders, 12 Wallonia, one in Brussels) and many, many cafes, and one excellent beer fest.
I'll be posting much more in detail as the jet lag subsides and I download photos.

I visited the following breweries in Flanders:

Brouwerij Strubbe in Ichtegem
Brouwerij Rodenbach in Roeselaere
Brouwerij Contreras in Gavere-Aspere
Brouwerij Malheur/De Landtsheer in Buggenhout, a second visit
Brouwerij Affligem in Opwijk
Brouwerij de Brouwkot in Gullegem
Brouwerij Drie Fonteinen in Beersel for a second visit
Brouwerik Kerkom in Sint-Truiden for a second visit
Brouwerij Duvel in Breendonk/Puurs for a second visit
Brouwerij De Block in Merchtem-Peizegem
Brouwerij Palm in Steenhuffel

in Wallonia:

Brasserie Silenrieux in Silenrieux
Brasserie Caracole in Falmignoul
Brasserie St-Monon in Ambly
Brasserie Rochefort/Abbaye Notre Dame de St-Remy, for a third visit
Brasserie St-Helene in Ethe-Virton
Brasserie Millevertus in Toernich
Brasserie Brunehaut in Brunehaut
Brasserie La Frasnoise in Frasnes-lez-Buissenal
Brasserie Silly in Silly
Brasserie Authentique in Blaton
Brasserie La Binchoise in Binche
Brasserie Val de Sambre/Abbaye de Aulne in Gozée

Brussels: Brasserie Cantillon, for a 5th or 6th visit.....

't Brugs Beertje is 25 years old today!

One of Belgium's-and the world's-best-loved beer cafes is 25 years old today.
't Brugs Beertje ("Brugge's Little Bear") first opened on Friday, May 13, 1983.
I interviewed owner Daisy Claeys about the history of her cafe in 2002, and have written several articles about the Little Bear in beer publications like Ale Street News and Celebrator Beer News.
So famous is 't Brugs Beertje that it is mentioned in virtually every guidebook to the beautiful medieval city of Brugge (Bruges.)
I will visit the Little Bear again on Tuesday May 20, during my 17th trip to Belgium.