Take an armchair visit to a unique brewery, pub or other intoxicating venue that has a story you’ll love.
Brouwerij Boon:
Today’s armchair visit takes us to the small town of Halle, Belgium located just southwest of Brussels. Brouwerij Boon has an amazing story that includes the rebirth of a style of beer that was endangered. Founded by Frank Boon, Brouwerij Boon is a must visit for any fan of lambic beer.
Since 2008, just one brewery has won the World Beer Cup (WBC) Gold Medal in the category “Belgian Style Sour Ale”. With 6 consecutive WBC Gold Medals, that brewery is Brouwerij Boon. And that accomplishment provides just one demonstration of the skill, quality, consistency and dedication that Frank Boon and his sons, Jos and Karel, bring to their craft. [Note: the 2020 World Beer Cup was canceled this year due to COVID-19].
Graphic courtesy of Brouwerij Boon
Brouwerij Boon makes lambic beer. Lambic beers—whether straight lambic, faro, geuze (also spelled gueuze) or fruit based—are indigenous to Brussels and to the rural Zenne (or Senne) River Valley in Belgium. The beer is made through open, spontaneous fermentation and relies upon the unique microorganisms from this region. Of course, spontaneous fermentation can take place anywhere with the proper conditions but lambic is unique to an area of Belgium through which the Zenne River passes.
To many craft beer lovers, the unique complexity and funky flavors of lambic offer an unparalleled drinking experience. And to properly shepherd this spontaneously fermented beverage from infancy to a delicious work of drinkable art requires tremendous skill. At the peak of this artful skill is the making of geuze. Geuze (pronounced with a hard ‘g’ and rhymes with ‘firs’) is made by blending one, two and three year old lambic that has aged in oak barrels or vats (known as foeders). Legendary beer writer Michael Jackson wrote that geuze “can have the toasty and Chardonnay-like notes found in Champagne”.
However, today’s popularity of lambic beers is relatively recent. In the 1970’s lambic style beers had spiraled towards beer obscurity and even teetered on the edge of obsolescence. During that time frame, a young Frank Boon embraced brewing lambic beer. Over time his tireless efforts and leadership helped to revive the popularity of lambic beer as well as protect the traditional processes associated with making lambic. And today Frank Boon is an icon in the world of lambic brewing.
I first met Frank Boon in 2017. What struck me within 5 minutes of meeting Frank was not only his dedication to producing quality lambic but also his passion for the cultural significance and history of this unique Belgian beer classic.
Meeting Frank Boon and his son Karel
In September 2018 my wife and I traveled to Belgium and toured Boon brewery with Karel Boon as our personal guide. You can read all about that experience in my article: Brouwerij Boon – A Journey from Passion to Greatness. Just click here: https://firkinbeer.com/2019/01/11/brouwerij-boon/
I hope all my beer lover friends will someday visit Brouwerij Boon. In the meantime, just enjoy these photographs, go read my article, and look for Brouwerij Boon beers in your better liquor stores.
