Learning the Art of Belgian Beer--from Glenn

Last week, I took a tour with the Clemson students of Brewery Cantillon (founded in 1900), Brussels’ only remaining beer maker producing beer by traditional methods. Located in the south end of the city, Cantillon is housed in a crowded warehouse and hand crafts a small variety of artisan beers. I saw the huge mixing tanks, the air fermentation pit located on the top floor of the warehouse used for the primary fermentation, and hundreds of wooden barrels used for the second fermentation. Because of temperature requirements, the guide said, the Cantillon only makes brews between October and March and buys all natural ingredients. The brewery does not add sweeteners or coloring to its beers. As a result, it takes 2 to 3 years to produce a bottle of Cantillon beer.

Of course, at the end of the tour, there was a tasting. I sampled the Gueuze, a golden colored beer that taste nothing like Miller Light. It was full of flavor and smooth. I then sampled their Kriek, a beer flavored with cherries. Again, the taste was nothing like most mass-produced beers at home. The Kriek tastes of sour cherry punch. It was a fantastic tour, and I learn a lot about Belgium’s beer-making tradition. If you’re interested in beer, check out their website at www.cantillon .be

The beer ferments on the rooftop where nature's yeast can get to it.