On The Trail of Belgian Ales W
By Tom Nickel
ithout a doubt, San Diego’s craft beer culture is flourishing. Over the past 10 years, breweries, pubs and beer-focused events have emerged with speed and force, pointing to a young, still develop-
ing scene. A lack of brewing tradition, compared to areas of the world like Belgium, makes our craft beer culture what it is: progressive, flavorful, and exciting.
Besides flavorful and exciting commonalities, Belgium is the opposite of San Diego in terms of its long-standing brewing culture. A land whose history is inextricably linked with brewing and drinking beer, on July 21st, Belgium celebrated its independence, and is considered young by European standards (1830). Despite its youth, much of the culture and customs have changed little over the years; take for instance Cantillon, one of the oldest traditional brewer- ies in operation, which doubles as the Museum of Geuze for sour ale enthusi- asts.
Belgium hosts a number of beer festivals each year. The biggest and most well known is the Zythos 24 Hour Beer Festival. Zythos is the country’s beer consumer union, akin to Camra in Britain. The festival runs for two 12 hour days and features more than 160 beers, including some Trappist and Lambic beers. There are two very dangerous aspects to the Zythos festival, though-- very few beers there are under 6% alcohol, and tasting glasses are about 9 ounces, filled to the top. There is a line at 15 cl, which is supposed to be the pour size (roughly 5-6 ounces), but somehow my glass always seemed to get a little more full than that.
The Zythos festival has traditionally been the first week of March for the last few years. However, the festival has a new home in Leuven with a much larger venue and it will now take place on the 28th and 29th of April in 2012. If you can only go to one Belgian beer festival, this is certainly the one not to miss. Coming up this fall is the Poperinge Beer and Hop Fest, September 16th-18th. This festival celebrates the hop harvest that happens once every 3 years. This year it coincides with a Beer, Bread and Cheese Festival, all the more reason to hop on a plane to Belgium.
Every December the town of Essen puts on a Christmas beer festival, or
Kerst. This year’s falls on December 17th and 18th and will showcase more than 150 Belgian Christmas ales. This is the one beer festival that I have not been to that I truly long to go to. I love Belgian Christmas beers and I can’t imagine having 150 of them from which to choose. Other noteworthy beer festivals happening in 2012 include the Alvinne Craft Beer Festival the first weekend in March. For the first time next year it will take place at the new Alvinne brewery, featuring an eclectic mix of some of the smaller, newer producers in Belgium. The festival in 2012 is the same weekend as the Nacht van de Grote Dorst.
The beautiful medieval city of Bruges hosts a beer festival on the first week- end of February. And though I have never been to this one, it comes highly rec- ommended by Tommy van Outsel of Zythos. If you’re invested in San Diego’s brewing culture, a trip to Belgium offers a worldly comparison, and not to mention a good time.
Editor’s note: Tom Nickel is the owner of O’Brien’s Pub and former brewer at Oggi’s Pizza and Pizza Port. Interested in going to any of the festivals? Well, a regular at O’Brien’s named Bill Snider (aka “Belgian Bill”) puts together fan- tastic “beercation” packages that feature the festivals mentioned above. Visit
ciaotravel.com for more information.
Beer is poured at the 33rd NHC while Tom Nickel, right back- ground, orates his Belgian experiences
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