Diversity, culture and quality with a nice beer head
Why Belgian beer received UNESCO recognition
Sofie Vanrafelghem - Beer sommelier
“There are several aspects that make Belgian beer unique. Firstly, there is the gigantic diversity. The whole palette of flavours is represented: from soft to sharp, from sweet to sour. That already distinguishes it from, say, the German beer culture.
Another distinctive element is the great wealth of stories, traditions, celebrations and social customs that are woven around the beer culture. For example, every beer has its own glass. Some pubs have their own customs and traditions. Take De Dulle Griet in Ghent, for example. There, you can only drink the house beer after you have placed your shoe in a basket, which is then hoisted up to the ceiling with a rope.
A third important reason for the recognition is the quality of our beers. This is of course based on our experience – we have been brewing beer here for centuries. That craftsmanship has continued to develop along the way. It’s through the mix of these elements – the diversity, the compelling stories and the quality – that our beer gains worldwide respect.”
Flemish beer cuisine as the basis of a new trend
Beer and gastronomy are no longer fire and water. Even though there’s still work to be done, the combination is becoming increasingly popular. And Sofie Vanrafelghem finds this an interesting development.
“Beer has an immensely rich field of flavour variations. You can still experiment with that, although you have to train just as hard as a wine sommelier. Because beer is unforgiving. If you combine the wrong beer with a dish, then the reaction is always: beer does not go well with food. That’s never said about wine. That's why it is important to get the combination right from the start.
But the combination of beer plus gastronomy has all the ingredients to become a trend. It brings together two assets that the world envies Flanders for. The original beer cuisine originates in Belgium. We should shout that a bit more from the rooftops.”
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