{"id":3708,"date":"2019-01-21T18:21:34","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T16:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/?p=3708"},"modified":"2019-01-28T19:23:06","modified_gmt":"2019-01-28T17:23:06","slug":"discovering-the-secrets-of-the-distillerie-de-biercee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/discovering-the-secrets-of-the-distillerie-de-biercee\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovering the secrets of the Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e, Thuin<\/h2>\n
\n

\u2018Every day, I taste the products, I organise the production of alcohol and eaux-de-vie, I test new flavours, I give tours of the distillery… It\u2019s a great job\u2019, says Pierre G\u00e9rard, distiller at Bierc\u00e9e for more than 20 years.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

If you are not yet familiar with the products of the\u00a0Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e<\/a>, it is time to let yourself be seduced. Located close to Thuin, at the heart of Greater Charleroi, it sells eaux-de-vie and unique liqueurs, made with fresh fruit and spices. \u00a0Gastronomic heritage which has been a source of pride for the region for more than 70 years.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n
\"distillerie-visite-tourisme\"
The Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e welcomes more than 10,000 visitors per year<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using regional resources for a unique product<\/h2>\n

\u2018The distillery was launched in 1946, when a Normand visited his Belgian cousin and saw the orchards, identical to those in his region. He was surprised that the fruit wasn\u2019t being used. \u00a0His observation made his cousin think who was then inspired by French calvados to make the first regional alcohol from fruit. \u00a0And so, the Vieille Pomme was born. \u00a0This alcohol was similar to the \u2018trou normand\u2019 served fresh as an aperitif\u2019<\/em>, explains Pierre G\u00e9rard.<\/p>\n

The distillery has grown a lot in 70 years. \u00a0It has developed a range of alcohols and eaux-de-vie, always with the idea of producing drinks using the freshest ingredients possible, depending on the season. \u00a0\u2018In September and October, we work with apples and pears; in winter, citrus fruits; in May\/June, berries. \u00a0We directly transform the fruit\u2019, he says.<\/p>\n

The distillery is one of the last ones to make alcohol with fresh fruit<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The distiller also completes his range of flavours with spices and herbs which he adds at the maceration stage.<\/p>\n

Fruit is chosen according to its taste and depending on its availability, focusing on the local as much as possible. \u2018We are supplied with cherries, apples and pears from Belgium. We are forced to get the rest from further afield, in particular, plums and Mirabelle plums which we buy in France. \u00a0We get lemons from Murcia in Spain\u2019<\/em>, says the distiller. Pierre G\u00e9rard particularly values untreated and organic fruit.<\/p>\n

No flavourings are added to the alcohols. \u00a0He explain to us: \u00a0\u2018Sometimes, we put one or two drops of natural colouring in them to add colour to them\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n

To make it look attractive, after distillation, a little cherry juice is added to the Bierc\u00e9e Griotte<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Vill\u00e9e-citrons-distillerie-bierc\u00e9e\"
L\u2019Eau de Vill\u00e9e, made from lemons, is the Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e\u2019s flagship product<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Eau de Vill\u00e9e and other successful specialities<\/h2>\n

The distillery is particularly known for its flagship product made from lemons: l\u2019Eau de Vill\u00e9e, created in 1981. \u00a0This liqueur is the only one which can be stored in the freezer. \u00a0\u2018People enjoy this alcohol served fresh\u2019, he says.<\/p>\n

In addition to this bestseller, the gins and the Poire Williams have also been very successful. Followed by the Griotte (cherry aperitif) and the Noir d\u2019Ivoire (chocolate liqueur).<\/p>\n

L\u2019Eau de Vill\u00e9e is really the symbol of the distillery<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Every step is carried out here, at the distillery. \u00a0The distiller works on the maceration or the fermentation, the distillation, the ageing of certain alcohols, such as the Poire Williams for example, and bottles it. \u00a0\u2018The maceration of the alcohol lasts 4 weeks, on average. \u00a0We distil for about 120 days per year\u2019<\/em>, he explains.<\/p>\n

Changing tastes, from very sweet alcohol to gin<\/h2>\n

For a while, demand has been growing for gin, whisky and bitters. \u00a0As a result of this change, the Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e is innovating whilst respecting traditional distillation expertise. \u2018People enjoy alcohol that is a little more complex, with herbaceous or spiced notes. I\u2019m working on different flavours in this regard. \u00a0It\u2019s fun for me, it gives me new ideas every day\u2019<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Parallel to the production business, the distillery offers tours. In particular, it shows collectors\u2019 items which include some very nice stills (distillation equipment), the production premises, the cellars where you can find Belgium\u2019s first rye whisky. The tour ends with tasting specialities in the brasserie. It\u2019s all located in an old farm full of character.<\/p>\n

So, who said that beer was Belgium\u2019s only speciality?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Contact\u00a0:<\/strong>
\nDistillerie de Bierc\u00e9e
\nrue de la Roquette, 36
\n6532 Ragnies
\ninfo@distilleriedebiercee.com
\n+32 (0)71 59 11 06
\nhttps:\/\/www.bierceedistillery.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a9Video\/Reed & J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gobin<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Distillerie de Bierc\u00e9e, Thuin \u2018Every day, I taste the products, I organise the production of alcohol and eaux-de-vie, I test new flavours, I give tours of the distillery… It\u2019s a great job\u2019, says Pierre G\u00e9rard, distiller at Bierc\u00e9e for more than 20 years. If you are not yet familiar with the products of the\u00a0Distillerie […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1449,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[168,404],"tags":[141,45,331,293,256,379,294,284,34,113,22,43,115,31,114,116,48],"class_list":["post-3708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture-and-heritage","category-discovery","tag-alcohol","tag-artisan","tag-autres-en-28","tag-autres-en-20","tag-autres-en","tag-autres-en-45","tag-autres-en-21","tag-autres-en-17","tag-bar","tag-group","tag-local","tag-nature","tag-region","tag-restaurant","tag-sweet-treats","tag-tour","tag-tradition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3708"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4221,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3708\/revisions\/4221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}