Belgium Beer
Beer in Belgium varies from the popular pale lager to lambic beer and Flemish
red. Belgian beer-brewing's origins go back to the Middle Ages. There are
approximately 125 breweries in the country, ranging from international giants to
microbreweries. In Europe, only Germany, France and the United Kingdom are home
to more breweries. Belgian breweries produce about 800 standard beers. When
special one-off beers are included, the total number of Belgian beers is
approximately 8700. Belgians drink 93 litres of beer a year on average.
Belgium Beer History
Beer has been made in Belgium since the Middle Ages. It is believed today that
beer was brewed at some monasteries during this period; however, no written
proof exists. The Trappist monasteries that now brew beer in Belgium were
occupied in the late 18th century primarily by monks fleeing the French
Revolution. However, the first Trappist brewery in Belgium did not start
operation until 10 December 1836, almost 50 years after the Revolution. That
beer was exclusively for the monks and is described as "dark and sweet." The
first recorded sale of beer was on 1 June 1861.
Trappist beers
Trappist beers are beers brewed in a Trappist monastery. For a beer to qualify
for Trappist certification, the brewery must be in or near a monastery, the
monks must play a role in its production and policies and the profits from the
sale must be used to support the monastery and/or social programs outside. Only
seven monasteries currently meet these qualifications, six of which are in
Belgium and one in the Netherlands. The current Trappist producers are Achel,
Chimay, Koningshoeven (the Netherlands), Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and
Westvleteren. Trappist beer is a controlled term of origin: it tells where the
beers come from, it is not the name of a beer style. Beyond saying they are
mostly top-fermented, the beers produced by the Trappist have very little in
common.
Michael Jackson - Beer Hunter
Michael Jackson (March 27, 1942 – 30 August 30, 2007) was an English writer and
journalist. He was the author of several influential books about beer and
whisky. Jackson was born in Wetherby, West Yorkshire. His father Isaac Jakowitz
had Anglicised his Lithuanian Jewish surname to Jackson. He went to King James's
School in Almondbury and became a journalist, most notably in Edinburgh where he
first encountered whisky. On his return to London he briefly edited the
advertising trade journal "Campaign".
Michael Jackson became famous in beer circles in 1977 when his book The World
Guide To Beer was published. This was later translated into more than ten
languages and is still considered to be one of the most fundamental books on the
subject.
The modern theory of
beer style is largely based on the work done by Michael Jackson in his 1977
book The World Guide To Beer in which Jackson categorised a variety of beers
from around the world in local style groups suggested by local customs and
names. His work had a special influence on the popularisation of the brewing
culture in North America, and he would later host a popular show entitled
The Beer Hunter, which was shown on Channel 4 and the Discovery Channel.
During his 30 year career as a critic, he wrote columns for a large number
of newspapers and magazines.
Jackson considered beer as a component of culture and described beers in
their cultural context. Although he traveled around the world and discovered
different beer cultures, he was especially fond of the Belgian beers. He was
appointed to an honorary officer of the Ridderschap van de Roerstok in 1997
for his important contribution to the international success of the Belgian
beers. This honour had previously only been given to brewers. In 1998,
Jackson brought forth his own line of beer glassware. Shortly after, Jackson
also helped create and worked with the only beer club he ever endorsed,
Michael Jackson's Rare Beer Club.
Michael Jackson was also an important reviewer of whiskies. In his book The
Malt Whisky Companion, he reviewed a large number of whiskies and them gave
marks from 0–100, considering only those with a score above seventy-five
worth purchasing. In many ways, his work in the world of whisky exceeded his
significance as a beer writer. He was arguably the most important writer on
whisky since the Victorian commentator Alfred Barnard and certainly the most
significant and influential modern whisky writer. This was recognized by the
prestigious award of "Master of the Quaich" and the prodigious sale of his
whisky books and sell-out attendances at his tastings. He had enormous
influence on the development of single malt whisky globally.
Michael Jackson & Frank Cronin
at the Helenboch Brewery - 1990
