Rudi Ghequire

What makes Rodenbach’s barrels special is the fact that they stand upright. The vertical vessels cannot be filled all the way. At the top, the beer is exposed to the air, allowing it to become inoculated with lactic acids. Ageing converts these into delicate malic acids, giving the beer the sophistication of a young wine. “This type of red-brown beer is sometimes referred to as Flemish Burgundy,” says Rudi Ghequire, who has headed Rodenbach for forty years and is a fount of beer-related knowledge. “The beer is aged in barrels for at least two years. Each barrel has its own culture, which imparts a specific flavour.

Bottles of Rodenbach are always filled with a blend of beer from different barrels, adding further complexity.” Rodenbach also contains a small amount of hops. The hops are not there to add bitterness, but to ensure a nice thick head of foam. “We consciously work to avoid the bitter taste of hops, as tart and bitter don’t go well together at all.”

With its rich history, Rodenbach also cares about investing in the future. “The newest part of our brewery is fitted with solar panels. Thanks to this investment, we can generate a quarter of the electricity we need ourselves. Circularity is important to us as well. The sediment that’s left after brewing goes to farmers to be used as animal feed, for example.” Rudi is proud of Rodenbach’s many international awards. These serve to attract many visitors from all over the world. “This style of beer is not brewed anywhere else.From Australians to Japanese, everyone is impressed when they see our historic brewing halls.”