Blanche de Bruxelles with a boy on the label: two symbols in one bottle

If you ask any passerby what could be considered a symbol of Belgium, you will most likely be told two things: beer and a sculpture of a boy peeing. Blanche de Bruxelles is a combination of both: it is a traditional Belgian beer, famous all over the world, with the famous statue on the label. All in all, it is a perfect souvenir that also has a rich history. But first things first.

How it all began

The first Belgian beer Blanche de Bruxelles was brewed back in the XIV century. It was made by Flanders monks, and they approached the production in a creative way - instead of hops they used gruyte - a special mix of spices and herbs. The beer existed for several centuries and then yielded to lagers because they were easier to produce and therefore were cheaper.

The brewer Pierre Celis didn't let the drink go to waste. In the late eighties he recreated the old technology and set up production, and the drink suddenly caught the taste of modern Belgians. The name did not appear immediately, as well as the famous "appearance", but in time the beer with a boy on the label became exactly as we know it now.

Exploding

First of all, blanche differs from the classic lager in the absence of malt, instead of which brewers use wheat. Hops are not always present; they are replaced by a mixture of spices - orange peel, curacao, coriander - just like many centuries ago.

The second distinctive feature is the high carbonation. The fact is that Belgian Blanche De Bruxelles beers are bottled with yeast sludge. Simply put, they are left to ferment in the finished container, at the expense of which the drink is saturated with carbon dioxide.

Traditional blanc is produced by Lefebvre brewery, but every day there are more and more craftsmen who risk to repeat the famous drink. And some are even experimenting, creating other, darker varieties based on it.

The taste of the original Blanche de Bruxelles beer is very mild, without the traditional hop bitterness, with notes of citrus, vanilla and honey. It is also famous for its long pleasant aftertaste, so it can be enjoyed even without snacks.

For Belgian beer "with a peeing boy" to reach its peak, it is chilled to 5-10 degrees and served in tall glasses. True, there is another form of serving - in wooden mugs, and necessarily an even number. Tradition - you can't argue with it!

Want to taste the symbol of Belgium? Come to the beer restaurants of the Lambic chain - we have only original beer from the best Belgian producers, the right serving and all the necessary conditions for a pleasant meeting with your favorite drink!

Date : 01 March

Views : 644

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