Beer of Belgium is famous far beyond the borders of the country. The choice is simply unbelievable, according to recent 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, which are kept in the deepest secrecy.
History
The village of Kenast on the banks of the Seine (Brabant, the French-speaking part of Belgium) since ancient times was famous not only for forests. In its vicinity were the largest porphyry deposits in Europe. The crimson shade was widely used for the manufacture of sculptures, luxury goods, sarcophagi and other things.
The enterprising local resident Jules Lefebvre figured out how to make money from mines. He owned several hotels, was engaged in forestry and farming, and most importantly - was a hereditary brewer. Having built a brewery, Lefebvre deployed an extensive network of inexpensive beer establishments - pubs. Things quickly went uphill. 1876 was the year of the founding of the famous Lefebvre brewery. Today the sixth generation of the family is working on it.
In 1983, representatives of a female family were allowed to work in the company. This gave its result - product design changed for the better, its product range expanded. In 1989, la Student white beer was introduced to consumers. The incredible popularity of the drink led to its renaming as Blanche de Bruxelles. Under this name, it is known throughout the world. The company is more focused on foreign consumers, 80% of the goods are exported.
Production
The technology for the production of wheat beer has been known to the Belgians since the eighteenth century. Using its secrets, the Blanche de Brussels variety was also created . It belongs to the category of unfiltered, top fermentation. The brewing process itself is slow, it also includes a brewing procedure.
After double fermentation, the product is bottled, where it is gradually fermented. This is achieved by re-adding sugar and yeast. This technology allows you to maintain 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 an ordinary crown plug (crown cap). The fermentation process creates serious pressure on the walls of the bottles. That is why glass for 0.75-liter vessels is made of thickened glass.
Corks are also not simple - they are made of oak bark, fixed by the type of 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, excellent packaging will remain. Stylish, tall, frosted glass will remind you of the great taste of beer. The name will not be forgotten, since the grade logo is applied to the glass.
Description
Blanche de Brussels beer has fans in many countries around the world. Description of the drink:
- unfiltered;
- light wheat;
- fortress - 4.5%;
- density - 10%;
- unclear;
- no sediment;
- strong foam, snow-white;
- nice yellow color;
- delicate spicy aroma with hints of citrus;
- the taste is sour, refreshing.
Natural turbidity of the drink gives a high wheat content - 40%. The composition includes coriander, orange peels, barley, hops, sugar, yeast.
Features
Blanche de Bruxelles beer stands out among its brethren in the line of light wheat drinks. Its ingredients are very curious:
- Wheat Its content reaches 40%. The eastern part of Brabant has been considered the breadbasket of the country for centuries. The unique regional climatic conditions allow you to grow a special variety of soft wheat, which is not found anywhere else. It gives the drink an iridescent light yellow hue and some turbidity, without sediment.
- Oranges . In the south of the Caribbean is the island of Curacao. An unusual variety of orange laraha grows on it. The first immigrants tried to breed ordinary oranges, but bad weather conditions did not give the desired result. The low productivity of acidic small fruits forced the Spaniards to abandon attempts to cultivate fruit on the island. It was accidentally discovered that sun-dried peel of larah oranges is rich in essential oils with a delicate pleasant aroma. They began to be used as seasoning. The fruits are picked green, ripe peel is too thin. Oranges grow mainly in the eastern part of the island on tall (up to 3 meters) trees. Pieces of the peel of this particular orange are added to the Blanche de Bruxelles. They give a unique sweet and sour, with a delicate hint of citrus flavor and light spice. This drink is great refreshing in hot weather.
The unique aroma of beer and its taste are widely used in cooking. The drink is part of the sauces, white fish sauce is especially popular.