Belgium shares border with France, Netherlands, Germany & Luxembourg. The country is renowned for primitive towns, revived architectonics & as headquarters of European Union and NATO.
Belgium is an astounding example of unity in diversity with distinctive lingual regions. While Dutch-speaking Flanders occupies parts to the North, French-speaking Wallonia inhabits Southern parts of the country. German-speaking community fills the eastern-parts & bilingual Belgian capital, Brussels holds French and Dutch speaking population.
In addition to that, the Kingdom of Belgium is also famed for chocolates, waffles, French fries with mayonnaise & last, but not the least, beer. Belgium has always been illustrious for producing a great number of beer styles to extraordinary standards. A visa for Belgium can sanction you to savor the aroma of authentic Belgian beer. Apply for Belgium visa online now.
Glorious History of Traditional Belgian Beer:
The country holds long traditions of beer-brewing, dating back to 12th century, long before Belgium became an independent country. Local French & Flemish cloisters used to brew & distribute beer to raise funds under Catholic Church’s permission. During that time, people used to drink relatively low-alcohol beer as available drinking water was unhygienic.
In the middle Ages, wine became the daily drink for the locals, so monks of that time concentrated on growing grapes & winemaking. However, the climate of the region did not favor the production of wine, which paved a way to beer brewing by the locals. After the beer was brewed, monks would add herbal mixture known as gruit or hops, which also served as an efficacious preservative for beer.
This implies that beer brewing evolved from a domestic activity to a true, artisanal pursuit.
The traditional brewing methods evolved over the several centuries into what they are now. Notably, the exceptional beers of Belgium are the heady mix of beer tradition stretching back over centuries & passionate brewers of new generation who are keen on homegrown beer. With unique & innovative methods of brewing, the beer industry is cherishing the real restoration. Even you can behold this renaissance on your visit to Belgium with visa for Belgium. Get belgium visa online now.
Belgian Beer in UNESCO World Heritage List!
Beer has been an unmistakable part of Flanders’ rich & varied cultural history since times immemorial. UNESCO appreciated the efforts of special monitoring center that combats the excessive use of alcohol to protect the long-lived beer culture. The unparalleled diversity of art of brewing & identity of the entire country was recognized as “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO on 30 November 2016.
So, next time you raise a glass of Belgian beer on your Belgium visit, take delight & say cheers aloud: it is a cultural experience. Apply Visa for Belgium now to witness the full spectrum of Belgium’s incredible brewing history.
Types of Belgian Beer:
Belgium holds the greatest diversity of original & authentic beer styles on the planet with over 1100 varieties of beer. They differ on the grounds of colors, alcohol levels & brewing methods.
Belgian Trappist Beers:
The word “Trappist” has been derived from “La Trappe”, a French Abbey located in Normandy. Out of the 10 Trappist abbeys in the world, six are in Belgium.
In 1997, eight Trappist abbeys from Belgium, Netherlands & Germany founded the International Trappist Association & granted a logo to ensure authenticity of its products. It guarantees authentic Trappist beer to its customers.
Trappist beers are brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery either by a community of monks or under their control & strict supervision. The revenue collected from selling Trappist beers is ardent to social service.
Some of the honorary Trappist beers are: Westvleteren, Orval, Chimay Bleu, Rochefort & Westmall.
Belgian Abbey Beers:
Another monastic-style beer is the Abbey Beers that were officially introduced in 1991. With more generous standards of brewing, Abbey beers have become the most award-winning offering. The brand names of the Abbey Beers refer to the existing or crumbled Norbertine or Benedictine abbey.
Abbey Beers need not to be brewed close to an active monastery, rather there has to be an undeniable & historic connection with the abbey site the beer refers to. In order to maintain authenticity, the brewery created a legitimacy logo, which reads Erkend Belgisch Abdijber (Belgian Abbey Beer) & applies only to Belgian beers.
The crimson brown hued Belgian-style dubble is strong & luscious in flavor. The main ingredients include rich tones of caramel & chocolate, definitive Belgian yeast, waft off sweet- spicy aromas, dried cherries, burnt sugar & figs.
Best Abbey Beers include La Rulles Triple, St. Bernardus 12, De Dolle Oeral, De Ranke Guldenberg & De Ryck Arend Dubbel.
Apart from the renowned Trappist & Abbey beers, Belgium has a long list of elegant branded beers. You can explore the world of Belgian Beer with a valid visa for Belgium.