I first visited the Brasserie des Fagnes near the French border in Couvin, Province of Namur back in 2004. Set in beautiful countryside, the brasserie includes a brewery museum, a modern brewery and a tasting room which is large enough to host regular events which run from beer and music festivals to children’s days. The food is damn fine too.
Their beers are available in bottle but taste fresher on tap, where they are pumped directly from storage tanks in the brewery. The 50 plus beers produced each year include seasonal specials, celebration brews and recipes inspired by the local flora and harvests. To help with production, much of their beer is contract-brewed by Brasserie Du Bocq, in Purnode near Namur.
Christmas is surprisingly easy drinking for a strong beer and is deep brown in colour with a thick beige foam. Forest fruits, caramel, toffee and spice aroma with booze always evident. The beer is deliciously malty and hoppy with rich raisin and plum pudding flavours – cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The finish is long and very warming. Wifey has always had a soft spot for Brasserie des Fagnes and loved their Christmas beer. ABV 8.5%
Day 1, La Grelotte
La Grelotte, une bier de fetes is produced by the Brasserie de Grain-Dorge in Hombourg which opened in 2002. It is located near the border with Holland and located midway between Maastricht and Aachen.
‘The Shivering’ is a deep, dark beer with a beige and creamy head, the aroma is of port, raisins, bread, ripe apples, hops and is very boozy. The taste is earthy and bitter-chocolate, warming with spices including cumin and pepper. A long bitter and caramel finish with a satisfying brandy warmth at the end. A great start to Advent! ABV 9%
Beer Sommelier Kew 