Hoegaarden Brewery
Encyclopedia
Hoegaarden Brewery (ˈɦuʝardə(n), ˈhuːɡɑrdən) is a brewery
in Hoegaarden, Belgium, and the producer of a well-known wheat beer
.
Hoegaarden is named after the village in which it was first brewed, a small town in the wheat-growing Brabant
farmlands close to Leuven
. Its origins date back to 1445 and it is generally regarded as the original classic of its style, as defined by the Brewers Association
guidelines.
(white beers) since the Middle Ages
. In the nineteenth century, the village had thirteen breweries and 9 distilleries; however, around 1955, the last local witbier brewery, Tomsin, closed its doors. Pierre Celis
, a milkman, decided some ten years later to try to revive the style. He began the new brewery in his hay loft.
Celis used the traditional ingredients of water, yeast
, wheat
, hops
, coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel
known as Laraha
. With demand for the product continuing to grow, Celis bought, in the 1980s, Hougardia, a former distillery to expand his brewing operations.
After a fire in 1985, several brewers offered their help - as is traditional in Belgium. One of these was the largest brewer in the country, called Interbrew
(after a merger with AmBev
, renamed InBev
). Interbrew lent money for the purchase of other buildings to rebuild the brewery. Over time, Celis felt very strongly that the company used the loan to pressure him to change the recipe to make the beer more "mass market".
Brewery in Austin, Texas
, to continue making witbier to what he described as the original Hoegaarden recipe. It was later acquired by Miller Brewing. Celis never fully relocated to Texas, but his daughter and son-in-law, who operated the brewery, did. Miller ultimately closed the brewery and sold the equipment and brand names to Michigan Brewing Company
.
The witbier he brewed in Texas, which he (Pierre Celis) described as the original Hoegaarden recipe, was at the same time brewed in Belgium, first by Brouwerij De Smedt and then later by Brouwerij van Steenberge. This beer (Celis White) is still being brewed in Belgium (by Brouwerij van Steenberge) and in the U.S. by Michigan Brewing Company.
. The beer 'Julius' is said to have been an immediate casualty, and worries were that all beers that were bottle conditioned would be changed. The closure sparked protests from Hoegaarden locals, upset at the loss of the town's most famous symbol (and largest employer).
The move was never completed. The brewers in Jupille remained unsatisfied with local production of the witbier, so on September 10, 2007, Inbev decided to keep the production in Hoegaarden. Inbev also decided to invest part of a 60 million Euro budget in the Hoegaarden site to upgrade the facilities.
. It is unfiltered and therefore cloudy in appearance.
.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in Hoegaarden, Belgium, and the producer of a well-known wheat beer
Wheat beer
Wheat beer is a beer that is brewed with a large proportion of wheat. Wheat beers often also contain a significant proportion of malted barley. Wheat beers are usually top-fermented...
.
Hoegaarden is named after the village in which it was first brewed, a small town in the wheat-growing Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
farmlands close to Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
. Its origins date back to 1445 and it is generally regarded as the original classic of its style, as defined by the Brewers Association
Brewers Association
The Brewers Association is an American trade group of over 1,000 brewers, particularly concerned with the promotion of craft beer and homebrewing....
guidelines.
Early and recent history
The village of Hoegaarden had been known for its witbierenWheat beer
Wheat beer is a beer that is brewed with a large proportion of wheat. Wheat beers often also contain a significant proportion of malted barley. Wheat beers are usually top-fermented...
(white beers) since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. In the nineteenth century, the village had thirteen breweries and 9 distilleries; however, around 1955, the last local witbier brewery, Tomsin, closed its doors. Pierre Celis
Pierre Celis
Pierre Celis was a Belgian brewer who opened his first brewery in 1966 to revive the wit beer style in his hometown of Hoegaarden.-Early life:...
, a milkman, decided some ten years later to try to revive the style. He began the new brewery in his hay loft.
Celis used the traditional ingredients of water, yeast
Yeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, hops
Hops
Hops are the female flower clusters , of a hop species, Humulus lupulus. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor, though hops are also used for various purposes in other beverages and herbal medicine...
, coriander and dried Curaçao orange peel
Zest (ingredient)
Zest is a food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting from the outer, colorful skin of citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, citron, and lime. Zest is used to add flavor to foods....
known as Laraha
Laraha
Laraha refers to a citrus tree that grows on the island of Curaçao, and the fruits of this tree. A relative of the orange, the fruit of the Laraha is even more bitter than their other citrus cousins and generally considered inedible.-History and use:Valencia orange trees transplanted on Curaçao...
. With demand for the product continuing to grow, Celis bought, in the 1980s, Hougardia, a former distillery to expand his brewing operations.
After a fire in 1985, several brewers offered their help - as is traditional in Belgium. One of these was the largest brewer in the country, called Interbrew
Interbrew
Interbrew was a large Belgium-based brewing company which owned many internationally known beers, as well as some smaller local beers. In 2004 Interbrew merged with Brazilian brewer AmBev to form InBev, which is the now largest brewer in the world by volume, with a 13% global market share now...
(after a merger with AmBev
AmBev
Ambev formally Companhia de Bebidas das Américas is a subsidiary of global brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev and is the biggest brewery in South America and the fifth in the world...
, renamed InBev
InBev
InBev is a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The company existed independently for several years - since the merger between Interbrew and AmBev and until the acquisition of Anheuser-Busch. InBev has operations in over 30 countries and sales in over 130 countries...
). Interbrew lent money for the purchase of other buildings to rebuild the brewery. Over time, Celis felt very strongly that the company used the loan to pressure him to change the recipe to make the beer more "mass market".
Celis goes to Texas
Celis decided instead to sell them the brewery, and with the proceeds, he moved to the United States, where he set up the CelisCelis
Celis is a beer brand. Originally an independent based in Austin, Texas, it is now owned by Michigan Brewing Company.HistoryIn 1966, a milkman named Pierre Celis in the town of Hoegaarden decided to revive witbier, a regional beer style that had become extinct almost a decade earlier when the...
Brewery in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, to continue making witbier to what he described as the original Hoegaarden recipe. It was later acquired by Miller Brewing. Celis never fully relocated to Texas, but his daughter and son-in-law, who operated the brewery, did. Miller ultimately closed the brewery and sold the equipment and brand names to Michigan Brewing Company
Michigan Brewing Company
The Michigan Brewing Company is a brewery operating in Webberville, Michigan. It produces craft beers.-History:The brewery started in 1996. Celis was purchased by Michigan Brewing in 2002...
.
The witbier he brewed in Texas, which he (Pierre Celis) described as the original Hoegaarden recipe, was at the same time brewed in Belgium, first by Brouwerij De Smedt and then later by Brouwerij van Steenberge. This beer (Celis White) is still being brewed in Belgium (by Brouwerij van Steenberge) and in the U.S. by Michigan Brewing Company.
Hoegaarden since InBev takeover
In November 2005, InBev announced the forthcoming closure of the brewery in Hoegaarden, among other changes in Belgium. The brewery was to close in late 2006 with production moving to InBev's larger brewery in JupilleJupille
Jupille is a former Belgian municipality. It is now a part of the city of Liège.Jupille is the location of the brewery Piedbœuf , where Jupiler is made. It is also the death place of Pepin of Herstal...
. The beer 'Julius' is said to have been an immediate casualty, and worries were that all beers that were bottle conditioned would be changed. The closure sparked protests from Hoegaarden locals, upset at the loss of the town's most famous symbol (and largest employer).
The move was never completed. The brewers in Jupille remained unsatisfied with local production of the witbier, so on September 10, 2007, Inbev decided to keep the production in Hoegaarden. Inbev also decided to invest part of a 60 million Euro budget in the Hoegaarden site to upgrade the facilities.
Types of Hoegaarden beer
Wheat beer
First brewed in 1445 Hoegaarden is a witbier and is spiced with coriander and orange peelZest (ingredient)
Zest is a food ingredient that is prepared by scraping or cutting from the outer, colorful skin of citrus fruits such as lemon, orange, citron, and lime. Zest is used to add flavor to foods....
. It is unfiltered and therefore cloudy in appearance.
Rosée
Launched in 2007, 4.5% ABV. A full fruity raspberry flavour with subtle floral and woody notes. Rosée is refreshing with a sweet and slightly sour taste, low bitterness and almost no aftertaste. Available in the BeneluxBenelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
.
Citron
Launched in 2008, 3% ABV. A fruity citrus character and fresh sweet taste. Interlaced with gentle spices, Citron has undertones of clove and coriander and a balanced sweet and sour character. It has low bitterness and leaves no aftertaste. Low in alcohol, Citron offers alternative refreshment for any time of day.Grand Cru
Launched in 1985, 8.5% ABV. Hoegaarden Grand Cru has a full fruity flavour balanced with delicate hints of citrus and vanilla. It has a spicy, clove aroma and is a hazy, peach colour in appearance. Its sweeter notes are balanced by its full body and relative bitterness.Forbidden fruit
(French: Fruit Defendu. Flemish: Verboden Vrucht) An 8.8% dark ale, with complex spicing.Spéciale
Launched in 1995, 6.7% ABV. Hoegaarden Spéciale is a full-bodied, rich Belgian-style wheat beer. It has a characteristic fruity taste and clear spicy notes of clove and coriander. Slightly citrus and rounded off by a smoky, sweet vanilla quality, its sweet and sour flavour is well balanced. Spéciale is averagely bitter but with hardly any aftertaste. It is available from October to January.International Awards
- 2009 Highest appreciation from chefs and sommeliers of the iTQi, the International Taste & Quality Institute in Brussels
- 2008 Gold medal Belgian-style Wheat/White beer
- 2006 Gold medal Belgian-style Wheat/White beer
- 2004 Gold medal Belgian-style Wheat/White beer
- 2002 Gold medal Belgian-style Wheat/White beer
- 2000 Silver medal Belgian-style Wheat/White beer
- 1999 Gold award in the “specialty ales” section at the Australian International Beer Awards
- 1998 Platinum award at the World Beer Championship in the US
- 1997 Supreme Champion at the International Food Exhibition in the UK
1st Prize at the Stockholm Beer Festival - 1996 Gold medal in the category “Belgian style wheat beer” at the World Beer Cup in the US
- 1995 Silver medal at the World Beer Championships in the USA