{"id":7440,"date":"2021-02-23T17:45:54","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T15:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/2021\/02\/23\/in-deze-didactische-brouwerij-leert-u-bier-maken-met-lokale-hop\/"},"modified":"2021-04-08T12:24:54","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T10:24:54","slug":"in-this-educational-brewery-learn-how-to-make-beer-using-local-hops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/in-this-educational-brewery-learn-how-to-make-beer-using-local-hops\/","title":{"rendered":"In this educational brewery, learn how to make beer using local hops"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>Spend a Saturday at <a href=\"https:\/\/bierenaturelle.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brootcoorens Brewery<\/a>\u00a0in Erquelinnes and come and find out for yourself what makes this unusual and fun destination so special: a place that brings lovers of craft and local beers together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLots of people come here to learn the art of brewing. Recently, a Spanish man and his wife visited us every Saturday for 6 months to learn how a brewery works. They are hoping to open their own brewery in Spain,\u201d says Alain Brootcoorens, the man behind the Brootcoorens Brewery project. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s also important to get a feel for the product as it brews, observe the process and have the full experience of what really goes on in a brewery.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alain Brootcoorens has a particular fondness for products that use local small-scale and non-standard production methods, including those made from brewing. In 2000, he got together around fifteen friends to produce a beer that they named Ang\u00e9lus.<\/p>\n<p>The beer\u2019s name derives from the church standing just a few hundred metres away from the brewery: it has a namesake prayer, which the church bells ring out daily.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7067\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7067\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7067\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Charleroi-metropole-brasserie-deguster-visiter-groupe-e1614089414415-1600x1065.jpg\" alt=\"biere-naturelle-presentation\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7067\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ang\u00e9lus is a blonde beer made by hand.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>A 100% natural beer<\/h2>\n<p>Under the group name \u201cJurande de l\u2019Ang\u00e9lus\u201d (the Angelus Confraternity), the pals brew this delicious beer in a way that they enjoy drinking themselves. \u201cI call it a natural beer because it is made of just 4 basic elements: barley malt, hops, yeast and water,\u201d he explains. \u201cThe water isn\u2019t processed, there is no added sugar. The flavour comes entirely from the brewing process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The beer is only made on Saturdays by the volunteer friends. Depending on how many orders are coming in, brewing takes place every two to three weeks.<\/p>\n<p>The result is around 100 to 200 hectolitres of beer being brewed, bottled and labelled on site each year.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/buying-from-producers-via-a-cooperative-a-little-known-approach\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/la_botte_paysanne00071-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Buying from producers via a cooperative, a little-known approach\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">Buying from producers via a cooperative, a little-known approach<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>Learning the art of brewing<\/h2>\n<p>The brewery is open to the general public and visitors are invited to come and help out. Many people interested in finding out how beer is made come here to learn the art of brewing with Alain.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7061\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7061\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7061\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Charleroi-metropole-brasserie-artisan-e1614089492220-1600x1065.jpg\" alt=\"Alain en train de brasser\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7061\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This brewery can teach you the A to Z of brewing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Don\u2019t be fooled by the cheery, relaxed atmosphere; the beer is monitored rigorously throughout the process. \u201cBeer production requires you to keep a regular check on the temperature stages and degree of alcohol. It takes around 10 to 12 hours to brew approximately 800 litres. You can\u2019t afford to make mistakes. You really have to get a feel of how the product is changing throughout the process.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The commercial aspect of this brewery comes second to the brewing process itself. Beer sales help to make improvements in the brewery and organise events. \u201cWe make beer as a way of coming together and having fun. We set things up so that, if for whatever reason we decide we want to stop making it, we could do so overnight, without any debts, and owing nothing to anyone.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/beers-made-in-charleroi-metropole\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/charleroi-metropole-brasseurs-e1581970890269-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Beers made in Charleroi M\u00e9tropole\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">Beers made in Charleroi M\u00e9tropole<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<p>The finished product essentially goes to local clients who source it from the brewery shop or one of the select number of places that sell it.<\/p>\n<h2>The first educational hop field<\/h2>\n<p>In 2003, the \u2018Jurande de l\u2019Ang\u00e9lus\u2019 planted the first educational hop field in Wallonia. \u201cA century ago, every village would have its own brewery with a hop field. Hops have always grown here. We see them growing wild around the edges of fields, as relics of our brewing past. With our educational hop field, our aim is to reconnect with the past and showcase this crop which requires a particular growing technique.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7069\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7069\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7069\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Charleroi-metropole-brasserie-houblon-local-e1614089582528-1600x1065.jpg\" alt=\"Plant d houblon\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7069\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hops can grow up to 7 to 8 metres tall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The hop field has over 300 hop plants which grow up to 8 metres tall. They grow from February to September.\u00a0The field also grows the \u201cBuvrinnes hop\u201d, renowned as being one of the best Belgian hops and sought after by numerous brewers: their location in the hop field is a closely guarded secret.<\/p>\n<p>Many varieties of fruit trees, sometimes rare ones, have also been planted: vigorous apple trees, mulberry plane trees, quince trees, medlars\u2026\u00a0Aromatic plants have just been added to the existing stock; they are being used to create new beer recipes.<\/p>\n<p>For several years, the brewery has invited neighbouring schools from one side of the border or the other to come and discover the educational garden. During the harvest, the pupils help to pick flowers by hand.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/a-day-at-abbaye-de-chimay-a-company-unlike-no-other\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/02_chimay.00_00_23_06.still003-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"A day at Abbaye de Chimay, a company unlike no other\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">A day at Abbaye de Chimay, a company unlike no other<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>An excuse to get together<\/h2>\n<p>The brewery and hop field are first and foremost an excuse for getting together. \u201cWe don\u2019t take things too seriously. What we are mainly looking to do is to spend good times with interesting people. We realise we might seem somewhat surreal! But we\u2019ve been here for 20 years and are still going strong,\u201d he says, with a grin.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_7063\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7063\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-7063\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Charleroi-metropole-brasserie-artisanale-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"Fa\u00e7ade de cette brasserie pas comme les autres\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-7063\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This local and artisanal brewery serves primarily as a meeting place.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This brewery also allows people to brew their own beer. With guidance from the master brewer, enthusiasts make their own mash. They select the recipe, the bottle and the label.<\/p>\n<p>The site also hosts several events such as the \u2018hops festival\u2019, or the \u2018Beau V\u00e9lo de Ravel\u2019. \u201cA few years ago, we welcomed over 6,000 cyclists.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This unique brewery attracts amateurs and enthusiasts for hops alike, from Belgium and further afield.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Contact :<br \/>\n<\/strong>Brasserie Brootcoorens or Erquelinnes Brewery<br \/>\nRue de Maubeuge, 197<br \/>\n6560 Erquelinnes<br \/>\nT\u00e9l. +32 479 88 78 35<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/bierenaturelle.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/bierenaturelle.be\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spend a Saturday at Brootcoorens Brewery\u00a0in Erquelinnes and come and find out for yourself what makes this unusual and fun destination so special: a place that brings lovers of craft and local beers together. \u201cLots of people come here to learn the art of brewing. Recently, a Spanish man and his wife visited us every [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7071,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[400],"tags":[277,45,256,34,113,22,117,368,24,59],"class_list":["post-7440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eat-local","tag-ambacht-en","tag-artisan","tag-autres-en","tag-bar","tag-group","tag-local","tag-local-products","tag-origineel-en","tag-terroir","tag-unique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7440"}],"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=7440"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7445,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7440\/revisions\/7445"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7071"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}