Oud Beersel Beersel, Belgium
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Volume 18 Issue 2 Oud Beersel Beersel, Belgium Oude Geuze Vieille 2014 The historical Oud Beersel, located lambics and geuzes of Belgium eventually take the helm as brewer, about six miles from the city are some of the most expressive, before passing on the brewery to center of Brussels, is one of the out-there, delicious beers on the his own son, Henri Vandervelden II last remaining authentic lambic planet. We’re very grateful to (named after his brewery-founding breweries in Belgium. The have this lambic producer still grandfather), who would become the brewery first started way back in around. third generation brewmaster of Oud 1882, passing through multiple Beersel. The location’s farm and cart family generations, before Henri Vandervelden was a house were swapped out for a Bierhuis almost meeting its end in 2002. seasonal worker for the De Kroon and a spendy Mortier organ in the 1930s, Today, the brewery is one of brewery, with brewing usually and Egidius’ daughter Marie-Thérèse very few to still be employing taking place between October Vandervelden ran the Bierhuis until spontaneous fermentation and April, while his summers 1988, when her son Danny Draps took in this classic brewing and autumns had him buying over until the end of 2002. The brewery region—maturing lambic and picking fruit to prepare had survived many challenges over the for up to three years in for sale. Henri eventually years—including World War II rationing, barrels—which can in decided to combine when use of wheat was forbidden; turn be blended to go these efforts and begin an otherwise essential ingredient in into the brewery’s his own brewery. lambic, Oud Beersel substituted ground classic Oude Geuze. Purchasing land on (Continued on reverse page) For the brewery’s Kasteelstraat in Beersel Oude Kriek, sour and hiring brickmakers SPECIFICATIONS cherries go through a from Flanders, the primary fermentation Vandervelden facility— Style in lambic, as well as including a house, Oude Geuze refermentation in brewery, and cart Alcohol By Volume 6% the bottle. The local house—was finished microflora in the air around 1882, later to be Serving Temperature 46–54° F gives these beers their renamed Oud Beersel. Suggested Glassware unique fermentation Lambic Tumbler, Flute, or Tulip Glass characteristics, and, The eldest of Henri’s Special Instruction quite simply, the five sons, Egidius, would Pour gently to avoid rousing yeast. and kilned sugar beets and made a Geuze is an especially vibrant take on with a very subtle impact of herbaceous lower-alcoholic beer. But in 2002, the this style of spontaneously fermented, hops still present. This shows all the café and Mortier organ were sold, the blended lambic—particularly the 2014 hallmarks of exceptional geuze, with former being converted into a flower vintage we’ve picked out to feature hugely complex fermentation and no shop. And all of the remaining beer this month. And Oud Beersel continues rough edges. was acquired by the Boon brewery and to innovate with new products like sold by 3 Fonteinen. Lacking any clear their patented, pressure-resistant, There’s a firm impact of lemony line of succession within the family, the bag-in-box lambic packaging (typically acidity and tartness from the start, traditionally produced beers of Oud in three-liter sizes, which sounds like offering that expected, bold impact Beersel appeared gone for good. something we need, frankly). We’re of geuze—but this is a nicely aged very glad this brewery is still around— example that’s just so easy to dig into Henri Vandervelden II made one last and we think their 2014 Oude Geuze will with that first sip. Still: all the citrusy, effort in early 2003 to find a buyer for make you feel the same way. salty, funky complexity we’d hoped their brewery, which had now been run for. This beer feels like the kind of by four generations of Vanderveldens. Oude Geuze Vieille 2014 lambic that an entire village could get And he found the right fit with Gert into, rather than something for folks Christiaens. Gert Christianens had been Oud Beersel’s 2014 Oude Geuze is a who are looking for that jaw-clenching in the traditional beer bar Le Zageman spontaneously fermented, traditional impact of some of the more aggressive in central Brussels, where he often lambic beer that’s brewed with just lambics. Vibrant carbonation underpins went to drink his favorite beer with water, barley malt, wheat, and hops. everything, providing an effervescent friends—Oud Beersel’s Oude Geuze— This blended lambic combines lambic lift. The spontaneous ferment gives when he found out that the brewery beers from different years aged in this layers of citrus and complex had recently closed. He decided that wooden barrels, and blends younger acidities to unpack, while subtle notes this would not stand, and worked and older lambics to create an of vanilla and almond from the time with Henri to prepare plans to restart exceptionally balanced Oude Geuze spent in wood add additional layers. the brewery. The period of transition release. The 2014 vintage is drinking This is expressive lambic that’s aged took almost three years, as Gert perfectly right now, with an easy- beautifully: easy drinking, so endlessly collected the malting, brewing, and drinking poise that remains hugely satisfying. For us, it’s geuze at its very fermenting knowledge and experience expressive at the same time. best. that would be needed for such a vast undertaking, restarting one of the last This pours a bright golden color with Aging & Pairing Notes: lambic producers. Henri brewed with an amber tinge, with the pours getting him during this period—gradually slightly darker as one proceeds through Bottle gives a best-before date of passing on the brewing knowledge the the bottle. Per notes above: we’d 2034. This beer will probably outlast Vanderveldens had accumulated over suggest pouring this gently for the best us all. The brewery suggests pairing the past century-plus. results; rousing the yeast in later pours with chicory or brussel sprouts. No Today, Gert and his family manage made them a little less assertive for us. clue about chicory—so we’ll add the Oud Beersel and their production of Off-white foam with modest retention. traditional pairing of mussels and frites, traditional lambic beers—combining Hugely generous and smooth plus other rich seafood like lobster or respect for the brewery’s heritage aromatics from the start, leading with scallops. with modern technology and ongoing bold lemony citruses and subtle funk, research projects into spontaneous and a very light apparent salinity. fermentation. Their current Oude Mouthwatering, fruity throughout, MonthlyClubs.com® 800-625-8238 Volume 18 Issue 2 Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, Illinois Quad Radical (collab w/ 10 Barrel Brewing Co.’s Tonya Cornett) Two Brothers Brewing Company is a family- In 1996 they officially opened the brewery. water-conservation and energy-efficiency owned brewery located in Warrenville, Their goal was to bring fresh, high-quality measures are employed throughout the Two Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Prior to brews to the Chicagoland area. Brothers’ brewing process. starting the brewery, founders Jim Ebel and his brother Jason opened up The The core ethos of Two Brothers’ operation Over the past 24-plus years, Two Brothers has Brewer’s Coop, a homebrewing and home is Craft With A Conscience, which is grown in leaps and bounds, now inhabiting winemaking shop. Between the two of them, informed by their family’s farming history, a 40,000-sf brewing facility with a 50-barrel they were seasoned homebrewers, and for and their desire to contribute positively to system and 3,000 barrels of fermentor years, they talked the community space, with distribution of its higher-volume about starting a and environment products extending to over a dozen states. brewery. Jason around them. Should you be visiting the Chicago area moved out west Jim and Jason’s during less-pandemic times, you can check to hone his grandfather was a out the Two Brothers wares in greater detail brewing skills at dairy farmer, and at Two Brothers Tap House in Warrenville, the Tabernash his bulk milk tanks the Two Brothers Barrel House in Naperville, Brewery were passed down or the Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora— in Denver, to the brothers all within 25 minutes of one another. For their Colorado, and for the brewery’s latest news, hours of operation, and tour also gained some original fermenters. availability, head over to the Two Brothers experience at Whether donating website at twobrothersbrewing.com. Mickey Finn’s in spent grain to Libertyville, IL. local farms to feed (Continued on reverse page) But the two still cattle, using local talked about starting their own brewery. ingredients as much as possible, sourcing SPECIFICATIONS Eventually, they drove their families just American-made products as much as a little bit nuts with all the talk and finally possible, or prioritizing exceptional customer Style decided to go for it and start a brewpub. service and high-quality brewing ingredients, Oak-aged Belgian-style Quadrupel But with no real financing and no experience Two Brothers is mindful of the many ways w/ Two Brothers Rum-soaked fruit in restaurant management, they decided that the brewery can positively interact with Alcohol By Volume a brewery would be a better bet. While its surrounding communities. The brewery’s 10% planning, and working the shop, Jim earned organic and sustainability practices are also Serving Temperature his law degree and Jason earned his brewing evident throughout: their packaging includes 52–58° F degree at the famed Siebel Institute in recycled and recyclable materials, the Two Suggested Glassware Chicago.