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- Belgian beer was made long before Belgium became an independent country; it is believed that it started even before the First Crusade. The French and Flemish brewed beer to raise money. At that time, the people drank beer more often because of the unsanitary condition of the available drinking water.
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Oct 8, 2020 · The Origins of Belgian Beer, What Makes It So Great? 8 October 2020 393 view(s) Belgium is far from the first to produce and distribute beer, however its roots within the industry stretch back further than most would believe...
Jan 4, 2024 · The most significant period in the history of Belgian beer was the Golden Age, spanning the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time, beer production in Belgium flourished, and beer became an export commodity to various countries.
Belgian beer was made long before Belgium became an independent country; it is believed that it started even before the First Crusade. The French and Flemish brewed beer to raise money. At that time, the people drank beer more often because of the unsanitary condition of the available drinking water.
- The Appearance of The First Beers
- Traces of The First Belgian Breweries
- The Development of Demand and The First Golden Age of Breweries
- The French Revolution and Its Consequences (18th Century) on Beer in Belgium
- A Century of Scientific Improvement
- The Impact of The Two World Wars on Belgian Beer
- The Post-War Period and The Concentration of Breweries
- The Evolution of Belgian Abbey Breweries
- The Concentration of Breweries and The Creation of Large Belgian Brewery Groups
- The Apparition of Belgian Microbreweries
The origin of beer in Belgium is closely linked to the existence of abbeys and monastic communities. In fact, according to the rule of Saint-Benoit, which dates from the 6th century, abbeys have the duty to offer food and lodging to travellers. At the time, Belgium had very little wine-growing land and it was therefore logical that the monks turned...
In the Mosan region of Belgium there are written records of a brewery in 805 AD. As early as 1074, the brewery of the Abbey of Affligem, now owned by the Heineken Group, was established. The brewery developed particularly well in its early years, as beer was recommended as a protection against the plague. Anecdote: At the time, beer was considered ...
From the 14th century onwards, Belgium experienced a period of economic prosperity. As a result, beer left the religious sphere and was consumed by more and more people. But what happened to allow such an economic development? In their essay “Beer and Wine Drinking Nation” Eline Poelmans and Johan F.M. Swinnen give a very plausible explanation. Acc...
While breweries were enjoying a golden age, the 18th century was a more complicated period for Belgian breweries. There are 3 particular reasons for this decline.
First of all, it was the research of a well-known scientist that led to major advances for brewers. Indeed, it was Louis Pasteur and his research on fermentation that led to major scientific advances for brewers. The 19th century also saw the appearance of numerous publications on beer. In 1851 the Complete Treatise on Beer Making and Grain Distill...
As in most European countries, the two world wars had terrible consequences for the Belgian brewing industry. In short, there are different figures depending on the website you visit, but it seems that the first world war reduced the number of breweries to about 2000 (vs 3000 before the war). The workforce was absent during the war because it was p...
The revival of Belgian beer consumption
Fortunately, the post-war period saw a revival in consumption. It was the time of the famous “thirty glorious years” and the whole of Europe experienced a boom. Some breweries made a name for themselves and approached the era of mass consumption. In 1954, the well-known Leffe brand was created. As you will have noticed, this is a big change. We are talking less and less about beer or breweries and more and more about brands. The first white Hoegaarden was also brewed in 1966.
A huge change took place in the 1950s and was initiated by Affligem Abbey. Affligem beer became the first abbey beer brewed by laymen and not by monks. The Affligem monks relocated their brewing and the beers were brewed by the De Hertog brewery.
The year 1988 was a turning point for Belgian beer. The Artois brewery, which brews the famous Stella Artois, merged with the Piedboeuf brewery. This was the birth of the Interbrew group, which later became part of the AB-InBev group and the largest brewing group in the world. In the same year, the Belgian breweries Van Alken and Maes merge to form...
The first Belgian microbrewery was created in 1979 with the Eloir brewery. This happened 7 years before the first French microbrewery (Coreff brewery in 1986). Since then, many breweries have joined the Belgian craft beer scene. One thinks in particular of Brussels Beer Project (which opened a bar in Paris), the Senne brewery or En Stoemeling. More...
History of Belgian Beer. Belgium – The Crossroads of Empire – 1st Century BC to 500 CE. Julius Caesar wrote more than 2000 years ago that the “Belgae” were the bravest under the Gauls. He defeated them, so he must have been braver.
Feb 14, 2023 · Discovery. How exactly beer formed in the Mesopotamian region is still up for debate today. Some claim that the beer-making process was accidentally discovered when grains that were supposed to be used to make bread were fermented over time. On the other hand, some argue that the creation of beer was intentional.
Jul 21, 2019 · Belgium has been long renowned among American beer enthusiasts for these flavorful complex ale styles with their rich history. But where did these wonderful beer styles originate? While the Belgian brewing tradition we enjoy today dates back to the 12th century, beer making and its consumption began in the region far earlier.
