Bruery Radio™: Train to Beersel

Jeremy and Keith from Bruery Terreux join me in discussing Train to Beersel, one of my favorite beers we’ve released this year.

The idea was to make a lambic-inspired sour blonde that was a bit bigger than Rueuze with a greater emphasis on oak flavor. Upon tasting this beer in barrel, it brought me back to visiting Drie Fonteinen for the first time. Drie Fonteinen was the first lambic brewery I had visited, and since then holds the title of my favorite lambic producer. The pronounced funk, moderate tartness and round texture reminds me of their Oude Gueuze.

I admit it is a stretch to compare Train to Beersel with traditional lambic in that the process is so different. We are using cultured forms of brettanomyces, lactobacillus and pediococcus, which gives us some predictability in the end result. Traditional lambic uses a great deal more organisms (more than 300!) that are introduced by the air and the surrounding environment. There are many more variables that the producers don’t have control over. It’s an amazing, mysterious process, one that we don’t claim to replicate.

Where does the name come from? More details in the episode, but the short version is Rachel and I visited Drie Fonteinen in 2006, got lost on Belgium’s train system, and eventually made it to Beersel, the town where Drie Fonteinen is located. Visiting this fantastic brewery gave me an appreciation for traditional lambic, and influenced the beers we make. Below are some pictures of my pilgrimage to Beersel. We named the cow “Gueuzie”.

If you’re a fan of funk, I suggest you pick up some bottles! Train to Beersel will be available for a limited time on http://www.thebruerystore.com/

Cheers,
Patrick

Didn’t expect graffiti in the middle of the countryside in Belgium