One of my favourite breweries, based in one of my favourite villages. Brouwerij Van Eecke is located just off the village square in Watou, located near the French border in West Flanders. The brewery was founded in 1862 and passed into the neighbouring brewers Leroy family in 1962 (the Leroy brewery is based in Boezinge and is called Het Sas). Since November 2016, both breweries have finally merged under the Leroy Breweries banner, with this site being re-named Leroy Watou. Famous for their range of Kapittel Abbey beers, a beer was developed in 1981 by Karel Leroy to celebrate the Poperingse Hoppefeesten which takes place every 3 years.
Hommelbier is a dark straw beer that pours with a thick white head of foam with a slight bead. The nose is a lovely mix of yeast, malt and hops. Two varieties of aromatic pale malts are used and 4 hop varieties which bring about the unique aroma and flavours (Hommel is the local dialect for hop). The taste is rounded and full-flavoured that is best when the beer warms up slightly and is rich, malty, spicy, slightly sweet with a hint of caramel and a little citrus. The finish is long, spicy, dry and bitter and very salivating. Personally, I find the 75cl bottles are better suited to this beer than the 33cl ones. ABV 7.5%
Since 2012, every year a limited edition new harvest beer is also made using the fresh local hops from that year’s harvest. These hops are harvested from the Poperinge area and are Saphir, Magnum, Challenger, and Brewers Gold. Brewing commences 3 days after the hops are picked. The beer once again pours a dark straw colour but the white head is much thicker. The nose is still malty and honey-sweet but much more floral. This citrus-hop aroma is joined by pepper spice and hints of pineapple and banana. The taste is creamier and richer than the regular Hommelbier and is full of pale malts and hop bitterness. Beneath the hop bitterness there are flavours of bread, fruit, honey and spice. The finish is much drier than the regular beer. ABV 7.5%
The 2015 edition was even fresher than the 2014, probably due to the lack of 12 months-plus ageing in the bottle. The same dark straw colour is topped off by a huge white head of foam. The yeasty, hoppy and floral nose is also spicy and sweet with vanilla and ripe pears and a hint of baking soda. The mouth is massively fizzy with citrus hops, herbs, malts, spices and more soda. A bitter and dry finish that is salivating and leaves you wanting more of this delicious beer. ABV 7.5%
Missing a bottle of the 2016 Vintage, I was keen as mustard to taste the 2017 version which didn’t disappoint. Pouring a hazy gold with a white rocky mountain of foam, this vintage is once again full bodied and refreshing. Aromas of aromatic flowers, honey, lemon, spices and yeast lead you to an amazingly spritzy mouth full of rich, sweet caramels, hops, oranges, spices and vanilla. A lovely, lingering bitterness reminiscent of orange peel leaves you with a salivating mouth that is ready for another. Delicious! ABV 7.5%
I always get excited to taste the new Vintage and this year proved no different. The familiar aroma of Belgian yeast developed into a boozy, floral nose both sweet and spicy with notes of melon and peach. A huge mouth is massively effervescent as showcased by the steady beading within the hazy amber/gold beer. The taste is very bitter and fresh with spicy notes from the recently harvested hops. Spicy notes and honey sweetness underly the huge hop flavours and the finish is a long and lingering bitterness. Once again the beer is thirst-quenching and quaffable – shame I only bought two bottles! ABV 7.5%
The 2019 vintage yet again pours a deep straw/light amber and is topped with a huge white rocky head of foam. Aromas are dominated by the local hops and Van Eecke’s Belgian yeast strain. The taste is rich and complex and showcases its complex malt bill with the gently bitter local hops providing balance. The mouth is refreshing and effervescent and you are left with a dry and bitter finish. Van Eecke has now been rebranded as Leroy Watou which makes sense. I managed to get hold of more of this vintage than normal but unfortunately two of those bottles were infected by Diacetyl. Hopefully this is a one off. Abv 7.5%
Wow, I think this vintage is the best yet and has a real ‘bite’ of freshness. Pouring with total clarity, a beautiful amber colour and its constant bead maintains a rocky head of foam. Aromas are familiar – Belgian yeast, spice, hay, green apple skin, a gentle Poperinge hop and a touch of bicarb. The mouth is full bodied, slightly sweet, a bit of hay, full of classic Belgian hop flavours which give it a bit of a ‘tang’ and very clean. This edition’s finish ends as clean but soon builds with a lovely lingering bitterness. Really effervescent and it leaves my mouth salivating for another sip – just as well as its a 75cl bottle. Wonderful.
Beer Sommelier Kew 