Back on the first weekend of February 2020 I was having a high old time at the 13th beer festival in the beautiful city of Bruges. The usual pre-fest bottle swap at De Bierboom, followed by a sore head on the morning of the fest. Hanging out with old friends, meeting new ones and enjoying delicious beers from around Belgium. Little did anyone know that it would be over two years before the next edition.
Well the 14th edition of the Brugs Bier Festival was going to be different. Firstly, it wasn’t held on the first weekend of February. De Brugse Autonome Bierproevers (or BAB) wisely pushed the date back to have more chance of reduced restrictions allowing the festival to take place. So the festival was held on the second weekend of April, just before Easter. Another change was a new venue! After years of moving around the city with the Markt, ‘t Zand and Belfry being used recently, the festival found a new home. The old Beursehalle just off the Zand square has been replaced with a state-of-the-art facility. The brand new Bruges Business and Convention Centre opened its doors in the New Year and is a perfect location for the festival. Lots of space, plenty of ventilation, truly outstanding food, many bathrooms (essential for a beer festival) and outside space for those who need a break. Upon entry you purchase a bier kaart with credit for beers. This can be easily topped up via a QR code which links you to a payment site. This system proved to be seamless and other festivals could learn from this.
What wasn’t different was the triumphant return of the international bottle swap at De Bierboom. Everyone’s favourite pre-fest party was once again awash with outstanding beers, great food and the best company you could wish for (including Kristof from Fort Lapin who stopped by with e delivery). Marshalled as always by Maitre D Rudy Vossen the evening was awash with brewers, retailers, beer tourists and enthusiasts from all over the world. And they bring their beers with them. Expect heavyweight Belgian classics, homebrews and one-offs from regional producers. I always champion UK breweries and pitched up with some faves from Boxcar, Boutilliers, Brew By Numbers and Skin Contact from London Beer Factory’s Barrel Project – so good that I was asked where in Belgium it had come from!
The great thing about this fest is that many of the smaller breweries get an opportunity to showcase their beers to a large audience. 80 brewers presented 500 beers, with many specially brewed for the occasion and 68 new beers being available for the first time. And we only had two days to work through that lot! I felt that hitting some Oude Bruin from Brouwerij ‘t Verzet at 11am was a tad on the early side but as always I’m up for a challenge. An Oude Bruin Harvest 2021 at 6% abv was a perfect start to a long day. Man these guys know their craft. Two more treats on show was the new nitro porter Ants Pants 4.9% abv and Naked Kameradski at 15% abv! I have always loved the company of the guys from the industrial park in Anzegem. Always on form, up for a laugh but forever taking their business extremely seriously. If like me you are a fan of roodbruin then join me at their Oude Bruin Fest in Kortrijk on the 7th and 8th October!
I always feel that the morning of a beer fest is the best time of day. Plenty of room, less queuing and the opportunity to speak and listen to friends in (relative) peace. I was delighted to bump into Lars Pillen, who along with Emmanuel Maertens runs the Bruges Beer Experience. Lars is a fellow beer nut and along with being a generous host is excellent company. Our quiet conversation was disturbed by the crew from Focus-WTV from West Flanders. It didn’t take long before I was being interviewed and asked for my British take on the festival and Belgian beer. You can watch it here.
Fellow guides were in attendance and it’s always great to catch up with Liselot who runs Beer Secret and hosts tastings and tours in Bruges, Brussels and Ghent. Another guide who was there was Katie Van de Weghe aka Queens of Hop. Katie not only hosts events, tastings and tours but she also works at Bourgogne des Flandres and has been honing her brewing skills. She recently launched her first beer. Drama Queen was brewed at Brouwerij Stokhove and is an English Porter weighing in at 6.7% abv.
Well what can I say? Hanging out with Jef Pirens of D’Oude Maalderij can be an experience. To put it mildly. Seriously it was great to catch up on all things D.O.M and his restaurant Mash. Never standing still he has a number of plans up his sleeve with further collabs with other like-minded brewers, events and a new initiative ‘Orde Der Domestieken’ – a selected group of beer enthusiasts will act as ambassadors for the brewery and be available to assist at various festivals. In return ‘Domestieken’ receive special beers, insight into the beers and brewery and can enjoy free beer at festivals when seen wearing the exclusive members t shirt. I jumped at the chance and can’t wait to get stuck in, maybe get involved in a little brewing….
One beer unique to the festival is the BAB Mystere, commissioned from Brouwerij Strubbe, Ichtegem which is brewed in the former kettle of brewery Aigle Belgica, the renowned but defunct brewery of the seventies in Bruges. The beer is produced in honour of former Bruges resident and World War One flying ace André de Meulemeester who was born into a brewing family and whose brewery merged with Belgica in Ghent to form Aigle Belgica. He also formed the Club Mystere where former pilots of the Great War were invited to his house for club dinners. He was also a painter and his works have been exhibited posthumously. The Mystere beer bottle is wrapped in paper depicting some of his art.
Around the time of the festival numerous restaurants and bars also participate, featuring beers that are poured during the festival and a special beer of the month. The fest also encourages donations to a. umber of charities, Pelicano which finances the basic needs of children in poverty; De Varens a special school for mentally and physically disabled children; BC Spermalie a special education primary school for children suffering from multiple disabilities; and Klub Tarnowski who support Ukranian refugees arriving at the Polish city of Tarnow. Donations are made in a number of ways, either directly at the infirmation booth or by donating your festival glass and/or remaining beer credits.
So another BAB Brugs Bier Festival drew to a close. And next year it will be the 15th edition. And guess what? It’s being held in the summer on the 10th – 11th June! See you there, Cheers!
Special thanks to Filip Geerts, Belgium Beer Board and Caitlin Mackesy Davies for their photos
Beer Sommelier Kew 