home Pike Belgian beer “Blanche de Brussels. Lefebvre Brewery and their Blanche de Brussels beer

Belgian beer “Blanche de Brussels. Lefebvre Brewery and their Blanche de Brussels beer

Quenast is a village on the banks of the Seine in the Rebecq district of the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant (a French-speaking region of Belgium). It has been famous since ancient times, in addition to its luxurious forests, for the largest deposits of porphyry in Europe - a rock of a crimson-purple hue, popular since the time of Cleopatra in the manufacture of luxury items, such as bowls, statues, sarcophagi for noble persons and the like delights.

Where there are deposits, there are, of course, miners. And this indisputable fact was decided to be used wisely in 1876 by a wealthy and efficient local resident, Jules Lefebvre, a farmer, logger, owner of several economy-class hotels and a hereditary brewer. Having built a new brewery, he simultaneously developed a whole network of inexpensive pubs in the surrounding area (close to the porphyry quarries), where workers after a hard day in the quarries could quench their thirst and recover with a glass of fresh, cool Belgian beer.

The idea was doomed to success, and therefore the brewery and its owner flourished for quite a long time. This prosperity was disrupted in 1916 by the First World War: during the war, during the German requisition of metals, the plant was dismantled. But the Lefebvre family reacted to this blow of fate philosophically, deciding to accept the situation according to the principle “If there was no luck, but misfortune helped,” and immediately after the end of the First World War, in 1921, Jules’ son, Auguste and grandson, Gaston Lefebvre, restored the brewery , while equipping it with the latest technology. And at the same time, they are moving its location from the center of the village to a neighboring hill, firstly, to avoid the annual floods of the Seine, and secondly, taking advantage of the empty building of some bankrupt brewery. As you can see, the heirs have all taken after their ancestor’s commercial acumen.

The renewed Lefebvre brewery now began to produce draft beer (before this time, beer was sold only in 30-, 50- and 100-liter barrels for the needs of pubs), which significantly expanded the range of supplies of beer produced by this brewery. Of course, the energetic Lefebvres did not stop there: in 1932, cylindrical-conical tanks were installed in the brewery, which allowed both the brewery owners and its employees to enjoy certain technical progress in the field of brewing.

Between 1940 and 1945, the war and the death of Gaston's wife slow down the plant's activity. No, the brewery, of course, was not dismantled, but its development was suspended. But there was also Prohibition, which obligated Belgian brewers to produce only beer with a low alcohol level (no more than 0.8%)! But the Lefebvres also found bright sides in the state’s prohibitionist sanctions on alcoholic beverages: these tough measures also affected other breweries, and not everyone was able to get back on their feet. So the Lefebvre brewery considered this event as a great way to deal with many competitors “by the wrong hands.”

From 1953 to 1987, the plant became a major beverage trader. During this velvet revolution, in 1960, Pierre Lefebvre took matters at the plant into his own hands, and he had a very hard time, since at that time the neighboring quarries began to curtail their activities. Pierre has to look for new markets and worry about rebranding the product line, bringing it in line with the needs of new categories of potential buyers. This is how a new beer appeared - Porph-Ale. This beer gets its name from a local stone, porphyry (Greek πορφύρεος - purple, crimson). It contained 5% alcohol and was produced by top fermentation. 1966 saw the birth of a second brand: Super-Houblo, a Scottish-style beer containing 6% alcohol. With just these two varieties, the Lefebvre brewery was quite successful and lasted on the domestic market for more than 15 years.

In 1975, Philippe Lefebvre, a representative of the fifth generation of the dynasty of Belgian brewers, who by that time already had a marketing diploma, took responsibility for the fate of the family enterprise. The knowledge he acquired during his studies turned out to be very useful: it was time to add a fresh twist to the brewery’s assortment. This was encouraged by large international brewing companies that became active in Belgium. And local manufacturers were not asleep, so Philip had to withstand serious competition.

And the first step of the representative of the new generation was the creation in 1978 of the first yeast beer, developed according to a recipe and in close collaboration with representatives of the Abbey of Good Hope (Abbaye de Bonne-Espérance), the only abbey in Belgium that survived the era of the French Revolution. With this new beer, Bonne-Espérance, the Lefebvre brewery finally entered the international market in 1980. Exporting Bonne-Espérance beer to Italy, a feature of which was re-fermentation in bottles, quickly brought the company very tangible success, making the brand recognizable and popular. And already in 1983, the second Abbey of Floreffe trusted the Lefevre family with a license to produce its special beers. The range, which started with three beers, quickly expanded to five: Floreffe Blonde and Floreffe Blanche were added to Floreffe Double, Floreffe Triple and Floreffe Prima Melior.

And 1983 also became a memorable year for the company because representatives of the female half of the family were finally allowed into the company’s affairs: Flippa’s wife, Ann, took over the management and finances of the plant. And this unprecedented step for the Lefebvres could not but have a beneficial effect on the range of products and its design: in 1989, white beer la Student was added to the line of varieties, which, due to its popularity, was soon renamed Blanche de Bruxelles.

This beer is notable primarily for its label, thanks to which it bears the informal name “Pissing Boy of Brussels.” Manneken Pis (Dutch), or Petit Julien (French, “Little Julien, Little Julien”) is a miniature bronze fountain statue in the form of a naked baby relieving himself in a pool (fountain bowl) in the center of Brussels. Appearing presumably in the 14th century, today it is the most famous monument of the city, a real symbol of Brussels, and not a single city excursion for tourists is complete without visiting it. There are many urban legends about the appearance of this sculpture, but one of the most popular says that in the Middle Ages Brussels was surrounded by enemy troops. The townspeople never wanted to surrender to the mercy of the victors, and then they laid ammunition under the city walls. The little Brussels resident relieved himself against the wall, and it was his “fountain” that destroyed all the insidious plans of the enemies, soaking the gunpowder.

Lefebvre thought that such an original presentation would be appreciated by the numerous Belgian and foreign students for whom this type of beer was intended. However, they did not take into account the fact that the very contents of the bottle completely overturned the idea of many people about beer as a mediocre, highly diuretic drink. This top-fermented white unfiltered beer, which contains barley, wheat, coriander, orange zest, sugar, hops and yeast, owes its delicious taste primarily to the increased (40%) content of special wheat. Grown in unique regional climatic conditions (low temperatures, natural clouds and humidity), found almost nowhere else, it provides Blanche de Bruxelles beer with absolute exclusivity. Natural spice aromas from coriander and bitter orange are added during the brewing process. The actual brewing process, which includes infusion, is very slow. The beer is not filtered, it undergoes double fermentation - after bottling it is fermented thanks to the repeated addition of yeast and sugar. It only takes one sip of this delicious orange-tinged drink to fully appreciate the fresh and smooth taste that is truly unlike any other beer. So knowledgeable consumers quickly tasted la Student, and the prerogative was taken away from students.

In 1996, the brewery launched the innovative Barbãr (Barbar), honey, and soon its younger brother, Barbãr brassin d’hiver, limited editions of which are brewed from October to February. “Barbaras” are produced in special swing-top bottles with a flip-up cap.

In 1998, the brewery began producing another special beer - apple Newton. It would seem, what could an apple and white beer have in common? But here you go! The magnificent apple orchards, in the center of which the Lefebvre brewery is located, gave the family the idea of creating a new and refreshing product - a mixture of high quality white beer and juice from apples from their own orchards. Apparently, the idea came to the mind of one of the representatives of the dynasty just after a small incident repeating Newton’s. So this original drink is allowed to be consumed under the apple tree... because it is truly a refreshing experience.

In 2002, it was the turn of Paul Lefebvre, Philippe’s son, to take the helm of the brewery. His name has become synonymous with innovation for the company. After all, it was thanks to Paul’s efforts that in 2003 cherry beer “Belgian Kriek”, as well as peach beer, Belgian Pêches, were released onto the market, and a year later, in 2004, Belgian Framboises (raspberry beer).

In 2008, Céline, Paul's sister, came to Anne's aid, which led to the strengthening of the administrative and commercial divisions. And today, after the unfailing leadership of six generations, the Lefebvre brewery can still be proud of the consistently young and truly family spirit of the enterprise. It is constantly expanding and mainly operates on the foreign market, which accounts for 80% of total production.

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Beer "Blanche de Brussels" came to us from Belgium. This unfiltered light wheat beer has an original taste and a refreshing citrus aroma.

Beer Blanche de Brussels

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Belgium is a country of beer. Wheat varieties began to be produced there back in the Middle Ages. Or rather, at first it was ale. Germany is considered its homeland. Varieties made from a mixture of wheat and barley even received the special name “Weissbier”. The wheat malt made the beer opaque.

Belgian white ales have a long history, albeit interrupted for almost 30 years. By 1950, they had practically stopped being cooked, but production subsequently resumed. Despite the break, the traditions of Belgian brewers have been preserved.

2 Modern brewing

In Belgium, the tradition of church brewing is still preserved. This is explained by the fact that, despite all the revolutionary upheavals of recent times, beer is still brewed in many abbeys. The Lefebvre brewery was not without church beer. In 1983, she received a license from Floreff Abbey to produce several types of beer, the brewing recipes of which are kept in the strictest confidence.

Brewery Lefebvre

When making wheat beer, light malt and wheat are used, and during brewing, bitter orange zest and coriander are added to the drink. Some varieties also contain cumin and cinnamon, and other aromatic herbs may be present. Beer "Blanche de Bruxelles" comes out cloudy and very light, with a lot of foam. Its originality lies in its delicate aroma, combining spices with the sweet smell of citrus fruits. It is customary to drink it from glasses that taper towards the top, after having been cooled to 60°C.

3 Beer festival

Beer is taken very seriously in Belgium. Since 1998, Brussels has hosted the Belgian Beer Weekend at the beginning of September. It is held on the Grand Place, the central square of Brussels. The festival is organized by the city administration, the Confederation of Belgian Brewers and the Knightly Order, which unites honorary brewers.

The festival begins mid-day on Friday. The first part of the holiday is closed. First, professional brewers gathered for the festival must attend a mass in the Cathedral of Saints Michael and Gudula. At the mass, the patron saint of all brewers, Saint Arnold, is remembered. The celebration then moves to the Brussels City Hall. Celebrations on the square begin later, but still behind closed doors.

Beer at the Belgian Beer Festival

By noon, everyone is allowed into the festival. At this time, a tent camp opens on the central square, which is set up by brewers who have arrived for the weekend. You can get to the festival for free, but you have to pay for beer. It’s interesting that they pay for beer not with money, but with bottle caps. They are bought right away, after standing in a long line.

The festival is not complete without a parade of brewers. This colorful spectacle takes place on Saturday morning. Until lunchtime, elegant carts, carts and trucks delight spectators with their unusual appearance.

At the festival you can try up to 400 types of beer, among which pride of place is occupied by the varieties produced by the Lefebvre brewery, the same one that produces Blanche de Brussels.

There are other beer festivals in Belgium, for example, the February festival in Bruges, and also the Christmas beer festival in Essen. The national beer festival Oktoberfesten takes place in October in Leuven. And they, too, cannot do without the famous and popular “Blanche de Brussels”. And in Brussels there is a beer museum owned by the Brewers Guild. There are many foam exhibits to try.

Although “Blanche de Bruxelles” or “Bruxelles”, to accurately render this word in Russian letters, appeared only in 1989, this unusual beer has become a symbol of Belgium. There is no Belgian brasserie that does not serve Blanche de Brussels. And the Manneken Pis depicted on the label only emphasizes the inextricable connection of this beer with Belgian culture.

True, these days most of the products of the Brabant brewery Lefebvre are exported. The famous drink first left Belgium in the 80s of the last century, and since then its popularity throughout the world has only been growing.

Beer is produced in bottles of 0.33 liters, 0.75 liters and in large kegs of 15 and 30 liters. 0.75 liter bottles are closed in the same way as sparkling wines. This must be done because the final fermentation of beer occurs in a sealed bottle and the cork can be knocked out by gas pressure. The Lefebvre brewery also produces the famous “Blanche de Namur”.

4 Beer drinking culture in Belgium

Belgium is rightfully famous for its beer. The country produces more than 600 varieties, while brewing traditions have been preserved for 400 years.

Belgian varieties are quite dense and strong; in addition, rice, sugar, fruit and honey are often added to local beer. They drink beer and also use it in preparing local dishes.

Variety of Belgian beers

Once upon a time, every, even the smallest Belgian town had its own brewery. There were as many of them as there were temples. And each brewery brewed beer according to special recipes, carefully preserving the secrets of producing their varieties. And even now, only a few brands of Belgian beer can be bought in other countries, and to try the rest, you have to go to Belgium.

The Belgians drink 100 liters of beer per person per year and treat this drink with great respect.

Bottles are often sealed with stoppers made from real cork, and when purchased, the bottle is wrapped in elegant wrapping paper. And the drinking process has its own traditions: under no circumstances should you drink an odd number of glasses.

Each type of beer must be drunk from a specific container. Beer glasses can be pot-bellied with long stems, tall with a thick bottom, and even those that cannot be placed on the table, but only on a special stand. Some varieties are drunk exclusively from wooden mugs. There are also special knives for cutting foam. Needless to say, the appetizer served with each type of beer is different.

5 Blanche de Brussels

The light, slightly watery beer "Blanche de Bruxelles" with a slight sourness is completely devoid of bitterness, and there is no noticeable alcohol either. Thanks to its very fresh taste and aroma, it is pleasant to drink on a hot summer day.
It’s good to snack on “Blanche de Brussels” with traditional cheese, as well as poultry, especially duck.
Beer in Belgium is often used in cooking. It is stewed and boiled in it, and is also used to prepare dressings and sauces. A traditional Belgian dish, braised beef tails and ears are served in a beer-based sauce with celery and garlic.

Bottled beer Blanche de Brussels

Beer is a very popular drink, but you shouldn’t get carried away with it. Recently, doctors have begun to assure us that the beer belly is a myth, and it’s all about the appetite that any alcohol causes. However, everyone knows that peoples who drink mainly natural grape wine cannot boast of beer bellies. It is beer that causes the formation of fat deposits around the abdomen. But besides a “beer” belly, there is also a “beer” heart. Forced to pump excess fluid, the heart becomes larger.

In addition, hops used to make beer pose a certain danger. It contains phytoestrogen, a hormone close to the human female hormone estrogen. Thanks to it, the production of the male sex hormone in the male body decreases, and the figure acquires feminine features.
Beer, like moonshine, contains byproducts of alcoholic fermentation. This means that fusel oils, ethers, methanol, aldehydes and other poisons are present in beer in quantities that cannot be found in highly purified vodka.

Low-alcohol, unfiltered beer "Blanche de Brussels" perfectly quenches thirst and improves your mood. Due to its high carbonation, this beer produces a high, stable, creamy foam. A head forms even if you pour it very carefully. Sip it and you will feel an unobtrusive spicy aftertaste.

One of the best Belgian witbiers can compete on equal terms with German varieties.

Beer "Blanche de Brussels" came to us from Belgium. This unfiltered light wheat beer has an original taste and a refreshing citrus aroma.

1

Blanche de Brussels is produced by the Lefebvre brewery, founded in 1876 by Jules Lefebvre. It is located in Brabant, in the city of Kuenast.

Beer Blanche de Brussels

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2

Brewery Lefebvre

3

Beer at the Belgian Beer Festival

At the festival you can try up to 400 types of beer, among which pride of place is occupied by the varieties produced by the Lefebvre brewery, the same one that produces Blanche de Brussels.

4

Belgium is rightfully famous for its beer. The country produces more than 600 varieties, while brewing traditions have been preserved for 400 years.

Belgian varieties are quite dense and strong; in addition, rice, sugar, fruit and honey are often added to local beer. They drink beer and also use it in preparing local dishes.

Variety of Belgian beers

The Belgians drink 100 liters of beer per person per year and treat this drink with great respect.

5

The light, slightly watery beer "Blanche de Bruxelles" with a slight sourness is completely devoid of bitterness, and there is no noticeable alcohol either. Thanks to its very fresh taste and aroma, it is pleasant to drink on a hot summer day.
It’s good to snack on “Blanche de Brussels” with traditional cheese, as well as poultry, especially duck.
Beer in Belgium is often used in cooking. It is stewed and boiled in it, and is also used to prepare dressings and sauces. A traditional Belgian dish - stewed beef tails and ears - served in a beer-based sauce with the addition of celery and garlic.

Bottled beer Blanche de Brussels

One of the best Belgian witbiers can compete on equal terms with German varieties.

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The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Dutch: Heilig-Bloedbasiliek, French: Basilique du Saint-Sang) is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Bruges, Belgium. Originally built in the 12th century as the chapel of the residence of the Count of Flanders, the church houses a venerated relic of the Holy Blood allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea and brought from the Holy Land by Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders. Built between 1134 and 1157, it was promoted to minor basilica in 1923.

Markt

The Markt ("Market Square") of Bruges is located in the heart of the city and covers an area of about 1 hectare. Some historical highlights around the square include the 12th-century belfry and the Provincial Court (originally the Waterhall, which in 1787 was demolished and replaced by a classicist building that from 1850 served as provincial court and after a fire in 1878 was rebuilt in a neo -Gothic style in 1887. In the center of the market stands the statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck.

Fort Napoleon

Fort Napoleon in Ostend is a polygonal fort built in the Napoleonic era. It has recently been restored and is open to the public.

It is famous far beyond the borders of the country. The choice is simply incredible, according to the latest data, more than 900 varieties. Drinks for every taste, and most of them have a history of 500 years. New developments, such as Blanche de Bruxelles, were created on the basis of old recipes, kept in the deepest secrecy.

Story

The village of Quenast on the banks of the Seine (Brabant, French-speaking part of Belgium) has been famous since ancient times not only for its forests. In its vicinity there were the largest porphyry deposits in Europe. The crimson-colored rock was widely used for making sculptures, luxury items, sarcophagi, and more.

An enterprising local resident, Jules Lefebvre, figured out how to make money from the mines. He owned several hotels, was engaged in forestry and farming, and most importantly, was a hereditary brewer. Having built Lefebvre, he developed an extensive network of inexpensive beer establishments - pubs. Things quickly went uphill. 1876 was the year the famous Lefebvre brewery was founded. Today the sixth generation of the family works there.

In 1983, female family members were allowed to work in the company. This yielded results - the product design changed for the better and its range expanded. In 1989, la Student white beer was introduced to consumers. The incredible popularity of the drink led to its renaming to Blanche de Bruxelles. It is known by this name all over the world. The company is more focused on foreign consumers, 80% of the goods are exported.

Production

The production technology has been known to the Belgians since the eighteenth century. Using its secrets, the “Blanche de Brussels” variety was created. . It falls into the category of unfiltered, top-fermented. The brewing process itself is slow and also includes an infusion procedure.

After double fermentation, the product is bottled, where it gradually matures. This is achieved by repeatedly adding sugar and yeast. This technology allows you to preserve the unique taste of Blanche de Bruxelles for more than one year. On the label is the famous “pissing boy”, a symbol of Brussels.

Beer is bottled in 0.33 and 0.75 liter bottles and in kegs (15 and 30 liters). Small containers are closed with a regular crown cap (crown cap). The fermentation process creates serious pressure on the walls of the bottles. That is why the glass for 0.75 liter vessels is made of thickened glass.

The corks are also not simple - they are made of oak bark, secured like champagne (you can “shoot” them) or with special clamps. The Blanche de Bruxelles gift set with a glass is popular. Colorful packaging attracts attention. After emptying the bottles, you will be left with excellent containers. A stylish, tall glass with a matte finish will remind you of the great taste of beer. The name will not be forgotten, since the variety's logo is printed on the glass.

Description

Beer "Blanche de Brussels" has fans in many countries around the world. Description of the drink:

The natural turbidity of the drink is due to the high wheat content - 40%. The composition includes coriander, orange peels, barley, hops, sugar, yeast.

Peculiarities

De Bruxelles stands out among its peers in the line of light wheat drinks. Its ingredients are very interesting:

The unique aroma of beer and its taste are widely used in cooking. The drink is included in sauces; white sauce for fish is especially popular.