A adventure flavor tradition
If there is a place in Brussels where time seems to have stopped, that is, without a doubt, the Brasserie Cantillon. Founded in 1900 by the daring Paul Cantillon, this corner of Anderlecht is proud to make family beers with a distinctive touch: spontaneous fermentation! 1700 annual hectoliters of love and dedication that mix the old with the modern, using machinery that could star in a period film.
The heirs of a beer legacy
After World War II, the baton passed to the children of Paul, Marcel and Robert, who took production to an impressive apogee in 1958, just for the universal exhibition. But not everything was a path of roses; Already in the 70s, when the wind blew against, Marcel had to join forces with his son-in-law Jean-Pierre Van Roy to keep the factory afloat. “Or car strips, or I close completely,” it was his firm promise. And so, between yearnings and challenges, a new phase began.
The Gueuze Revolution
The fate of the brewery took a crucial turn in 1978 when Jean-Pierre decided to open the Cantillon doors to the public, transforming it into the Brussels Museum Van de Gueuze. This tribute to the history of beer not only celebrates tradition, but also educates visitors about the laborious process behind each drop of Lambic, a drink that challenges time.
How is magic doing?
The elaboration of the Lambic is an art that begins in the mixing room, where cereals become fermentable sugars. From there, the trip begins through cooking boilers that poetically reduce the liquid, a cooling tub that acts as an old magician, and barrels that give life to ferment in a wild. Science and nature are intertwined in a fascinating ballet that takes years to culminate in what comes to us in the bottle.
Production steps
1. ** Mixing room: ** Combine wheat and barley at high temperatures.
2. ** Cooking boilers: ** Boil the must, concentrating sugars.
3. ** Cooling tub: ** This is where air enters and nature does its job.
4. ** Fermentation in barrels: ** The magical gas exchange occurs.
5. ** Bottling: ** Where beer goes from being a liquid to a small gift inside a bottle.
6. ** Winery: ** The Staranja’s home, where beer transforms and evolves.
An unparalleled brewer menu
After all this process, Cantillon offers us a select menu of beers that are a delight for the senses. From the Gueuze, with its mixture of Lambic of different vigns, to the elegant kriek, loaded with icing. Each sip is a celebration of the beer inheritance that respects its past while making winks to the future. There is even a section dedicated to cheeses and jams that take advantage of the acidity of their beers, inviting us to enjoy a complete gastronomic experience.
Bitter and sweet reflections
So, if you are ever found in Brussels, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Cantillon Brasserie. More than a brewery, it is a trip to a world where tradition is mixed with love for beer, a place where each drop tells a story, a story that has endured over more than a century. Therefore, the next time they face a cold Lambic, remember the extraordinary trip he has made until he reaches his hands.
