Instagram Hoppiness Brussels
Duivelsbier Wild (6.3%) brewed by Brouwerij Boon in Lembeek (Belgium)
‘Lead us into temptation!’ This beer from Brouwerij Boon is an ode to the original Duivelsbier from 1883, that was so good they thought it devilish. Duivelsbier Wild is fermented in stainless steel tanks with carefully selected wild yeasts from old wooden lambic barrels. It has a well rounded taste with smooth and slightly sour notes from the brettanomyces yeast. The bitterness from the hops is mild but perceptible on top of the malty body. The sour almost wild wine-like taste lingers nicely.
#brettanomyces #duivelsbier #duivelsbierwild #beerlovers #brouwerijboon
17 hours ago
Game Over Blast West-Coast Ipa (6.1%) brewed by Funky Fluid in Warsaw (Poland).
Brewed with Citra, Simcoe and Centennial hops. The result is a beer with a pronounced bitterness, freshness, and a traditional hop character with mainly zesty citrus notes. Very drinkable for sure!#ipalovers #beersofinsta #gameoverblast #westcoastipa #beerlovers
2 days ago
Tasting Chibuku Umqombothi – Cape Town (South Africa) at Woodstock Brewery.
One more post about my time in Cape Town for the African Beer Cup 🙂 During one of our brewery visits with the group of judges we got to taste Umqombothi.
Fellow judgeApiwe Nxusani-Mawela (Tolokazi brewing) had brought us some Chibuku, a commercial version of this traditional South African beer. This type of beer is made from corn, corn malt, sorghum malt, yeast and water. It is quite low in alcohol (less than 3% normally). It is traditionally brewed by women, for which they actually distance themselves from the rest of the village during the whole brewing process.
This beer has probably been made for thousands of years and is brewed in each tribe/ village according to a recipe that has been passed down for generations. Apiwe is actively trying to keep this traditional beer and the traditions surrounding it alive by organizing talks, masterclasses and brewing competitions. Beer heritage like this is important to keep alive for future generations.
Now for the tasting. As you can see in the photo Umqombothi looks nothing like any modern beer at all. The beer looks grey-white and milk-like and has a heavy and quite sour aroma. The mouth feel is quite thick, creamy and even a little gritty, reminding me a bit of slightly sour thin yogurt, followed by some grainy, corn-like flavours and a little fruitiness. Surprising for sure, but also refreshing and after a few sips to get used to it, I definitely enjoyed it. For me it was very special to taste such a different beer and to learn about its heritage.
A must-try when you visit South-Africa. I surely will try to find some more Umqombothi on my next visit to Cape Town.#africanbeercup #umqombothi #beertradions #beerlovers #southafricanbeers
3 days ago
Limbo Riesling alcohol-free ale (0.3%) brewed by Mikkeler (Denmark) at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium).
This Flemish primitive ale has Riesling juice added during the brewing process. The result is light and fresh, with notes of sweet grape juice but also a nice acidity and hints of lemon and lime. The wine-like taste lingers quite long in the aftertaste. Something different and refreshing for sure!👍#limboriesling #mikkeler #alcoholfree #alcoholfreebeer #beersofinstagram
6 days ago
Duvel Tripel Hop Krush (8.4%) brewed by Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat in Puurs (Belgium).
A very nice variation on the normal Duvel beer, same style, same hops (Saaz and Styrian folding) but with the addition of dry hopping with the Krush hop.
The result is quite like the original (a malty and full bodied blonde with a soft bitterness) but with the intended difference: a nice fresh hop flavour of tropical fruits, mainly mango and passion fruit, with notes of pine. Dangerous for sure as it drinks like a thirst quencher. Yum 👌#duvelmoortgat #duveltripelhop #belgianbeer #beersofinstagram #beerlovers
7 days ago
When in Berlin, you visit #Eschenbräu
A lovely beer garden, great vibes, tasty beer and of course delicious flammkuchen. Proost!#goodmemories #biergarten
#beersofinstagram #beertravel1 week ago
Dirty Boots coffee IPA (6%) brewed by Stroom Brouwers in Gent (Belgium).
This beer has a fresh and fruity aroma with a mild hint of coffee. When tasting it at first I get a lot of fruity hoppiness, then a malty base followed by a strong coffee flavour that lingers quite intensely.
Made with a kick of Vandekerckhove coffee.#belgianbeer #stroombrouwers #ipalovers #beersofinsta #dirtyboots
1 week ago
Sion Dubbel (7%) kloosterbier brewed by Brouwerij Sion within the walls of the New Sion monastery in Diepenveen (the Netherlands).
A proper dubbel beer, ruby red brown in colour and with a nice aroma of roasted malts. In the taste: slightly sweet, but also with some bitterness from the toasted grains and nice hints of caramel, syrup and chocolate. Yum! Brewed according to the trappist tradition with local ingredients.#kloosterbier #dutchbeer
#abbeybeer #brownbeer
#beersofinstagram2 weeks ago
Vat 93 gueze brewed, blended and aged by Brouwerij Boon in Lembeek (Belgium).
The lambic for this gueze was brewed in 2019 and bottled in 2021. Most lambic in this mono blend gueze comes from Vat 93 supplemented with some fresh lambic beer.
A delicious and balanced gueze, aged for 5 years already, and only mildly acidic. Warm notes of oak and a nice fruitiness. Cheers!#vat93 #brouwerijboon #gueze
#lambiclovers #belgianbeerlover2 weeks agoInstagram
Duivelsbier Wild (6.3%) brewed by Brouwerij Boon in Lembeek (Belgium)
‘Lead us into temptation!’ This beer from Brouwerij Boon is an ode to the original Duivelsbier from 1883, that was so good they thought it devilish. Duivelsbier Wild is fermented in stainless steel tanks with carefully selected wild yeasts from old wooden lambic barrels. It has a well rounded taste with smooth and slightly sour notes from the brettanomyces yeast. The bitterness from the hops is mild but perceptible on top of the malty body. The sour almost wild wine-like taste lingers nicely.
#brettanomyces #duivelsbier #duivelsbierwild #beerlovers #brouwerijboon
17 hours ago
Game Over Blast West-Coast Ipa (6.1%) brewed by Funky Fluid in Warsaw (Poland).
Brewed with Citra, Simcoe and Centennial hops. The result is a beer with a pronounced bitterness, freshness, and a traditional hop character with mainly zesty citrus notes. Very drinkable for sure!#ipalovers #beersofinsta #gameoverblast #westcoastipa #beerlovers
2 days ago
Tasting Chibuku Umqombothi – Cape Town (South Africa) at Woodstock Brewery.
One more post about my time in Cape Town for the African Beer Cup 🙂 During one of our brewery visits with the group of judges we got to taste Umqombothi.
Fellow judgeApiwe Nxusani-Mawela (Tolokazi brewing) had brought us some Chibuku, a commercial version of this traditional South African beer. This type of beer is made from corn, corn malt, sorghum malt, yeast and water. It is quite low in alcohol (less than 3% normally). It is traditionally brewed by women, for which they actually distance themselves from the rest of the village during the whole brewing process.
This beer has probably been made for thousands of years and is brewed in each tribe/ village according to a recipe that has been passed down for generations. Apiwe is actively trying to keep this traditional beer and the traditions surrounding it alive by organizing talks, masterclasses and brewing competitions. Beer heritage like this is important to keep alive for future generations.
Now for the tasting. As you can see in the photo Umqombothi looks nothing like any modern beer at all. The beer looks grey-white and milk-like and has a heavy and quite sour aroma. The mouth feel is quite thick, creamy and even a little gritty, reminding me a bit of slightly sour thin yogurt, followed by some grainy, corn-like flavours and a little fruitiness. Surprising for sure, but also refreshing and after a few sips to get used to it, I definitely enjoyed it. For me it was very special to taste such a different beer and to learn about its heritage.
A must-try when you visit South-Africa. I surely will try to find some more Umqombothi on my next visit to Cape Town.#africanbeercup #umqombothi #beertradions #beerlovers #southafricanbeers
3 days ago
Limbo Riesling alcohol-free ale (0.3%) brewed by Mikkeler (Denmark) at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium).
This Flemish primitive ale has Riesling juice added during the brewing process. The result is light and fresh, with notes of sweet grape juice but also a nice acidity and hints of lemon and lime. The wine-like taste lingers quite long in the aftertaste. Something different and refreshing for sure!👍#limboriesling #mikkeler #alcoholfree #alcoholfreebeer #beersofinstagram
6 days ago
Duvel Tripel Hop Krush (8.4%) brewed by Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat in Puurs (Belgium).
A very nice variation on the normal Duvel beer, same style, same hops (Saaz and Styrian folding) but with the addition of dry hopping with the Krush hop.
The result is quite like the original (a malty and full bodied blonde with a soft bitterness) but with the intended difference: a nice fresh hop flavour of tropical fruits, mainly mango and passion fruit, with notes of pine. Dangerous for sure as it drinks like a thirst quencher. Yum 👌#duvelmoortgat #duveltripelhop #belgianbeer #beersofinstagram #beerlovers
7 days ago
When in Berlin, you visit #Eschenbräu
A lovely beer garden, great vibes, tasty beer and of course delicious flammkuchen. Proost!#goodmemories #biergarten
#beersofinstagram #beertravel1 week ago
Dirty Boots coffee IPA (6%) brewed by Stroom Brouwers in Gent (Belgium).
This beer has a fresh and fruity aroma with a mild hint of coffee. When tasting it at first I get a lot of fruity hoppiness, then a malty base followed by a strong coffee flavour that lingers quite intensely.
Made with a kick of Vandekerckhove coffee.#belgianbeer #stroombrouwers #ipalovers #beersofinsta #dirtyboots
1 week ago
Sion Dubbel (7%) kloosterbier brewed by Brouwerij Sion within the walls of the New Sion monastery in Diepenveen (the Netherlands).
A proper dubbel beer, ruby red brown in colour and with a nice aroma of roasted malts. In the taste: slightly sweet, but also with some bitterness from the toasted grains and nice hints of caramel, syrup and chocolate. Yum! Brewed according to the trappist tradition with local ingredients.#kloosterbier #dutchbeer
#abbeybeer #brownbeer
#beersofinstagram2 weeks ago
Vat 93 gueze brewed, blended and aged by Brouwerij Boon in Lembeek (Belgium).
The lambic for this gueze was brewed in 2019 and bottled in 2021. Most lambic in this mono blend gueze comes from Vat 93 supplemented with some fresh lambic beer.
A delicious and balanced gueze, aged for 5 years already, and only mildly acidic. Warm notes of oak and a nice fruitiness. Cheers!#vat93 #brouwerijboon #gueze
#lambiclovers #belgianbeerlover2 weeks ago
Bartolome Pasas de Malaga Brut IPA (7.2%) brewed by Brouwerij Hophemel in Hasselt (Belgium).
Blond beer with an infusion of sundried Moscatel grape raisins from the Malaga region. The beer has a nice maltiness with notes of white wine and raisins and some alcohol sweetness. A delicious and surprising beer👌#hophemel #belgianbeerlover #belgianbeer #instabeer #brutbeer
2 weeks ago
Bon Secours Blonde (6.5%) brewed by Brasserie Caulier in Peruwelz (Belgium)
2026 marks the 30 year anniversary of the brewery, founded in 1996 by Linda and Roger Caulier, the parents of the current director Vincent Caulier.
To celebrate they have brewed this new blonde ale for the Bon Secours range. The beer has a fresh, yeasty and hoppy citrus aroma, on the taste I get creamy cereals followed by a strong bitterness and a dry, long lasting finish with notes of grapefruit. Tasty and thirst quenching!#brasseriecaulier #bonsecours #bonsecoursblonde #beersofinsta
#instabeer2 weeks ago
In June I had the pleasure of visiting Brasserie Illegaal in Brussels. We were welcomed by the brewer and one of the founders and enjoyed a great tour and tasting.😊 We were all very impressed with their beers. The brewery hosts parties, concerts and events every weekend and is definitely worth visiting!
You can find my article about Brasserie Illegaal on www.hoppiness.brussels#breweryvisit #brasserieillegaal #bruxellesmabelle #drinklocalbeer #supportlocalbreweries
3 weeks ago
Author Archives: Carien
Tasting Chibuku Umqombothi
Tasting Chibuku Umqombothi – Cape Town South Africa (Woodstock brewery) One more post about my time in Cape Town for the African Beer Cup During one of our brewery visits with the group of judges we got to taste Umqombothi. … Continue reading
Brasserie Illegaal – Brewery visit
Brasserie Illegaal – Brewery visit In June I had the pleasure of visiting Brasserie Illegaal. This brewery is located in Brussels, to be more precise, in the commune of Forest, close to the Ring-road and Flanders. To get there you … Continue reading
Beer History Workshop
This Sunday is the premiere of our brand new workshop around the history of Belgian beer. With examples of beers from the past and present, we will show you how beer changed throughout the 20th and 21st century. Belgium is … Continue reading
African Beer Cup- Cape Town
Wow! What an incredible honour and privilege to have been part of the team of beer judges for the African Beer Cup. I’ve had a fabulous time in Cape Town and am feeling very lucky and incredibly thankful for all … Continue reading
Hoppiness Newsletter May
We just send out our newsletter of May to all subscribers! This is how it starts 🙂 Hello everyone! Last weekend was perfect for the Tour de Geuze, so beautiful and sunny! On Saturday I joined a bus full of Beer Idiots to … Continue reading
Tour de geuze 2026
Tour de Geuze 2026 was amazing. Such beautiful weather and well arranged stops by the guys from the Beer Idiots. It was a pleasure to be on board of their bus and visit six different places: Hanssens, Ambreus, Boerenerf, Sako, … Continue reading
Judging in the African Beer Cup
I’m very proud and excited to go to my beloved Cape Town later this week to judge African beers for the African Beer Cup!
Hoppiness Newsletter April 2026
Hello everyone! This April newsletter is quite late, as I just returned from a lovely two-week Easter holiday without my laptop. It was great to disconnect and just be for a while, but now I’m definitely ready to go again. … Continue reading
Beer judging in Lyon
Lyon you were amazing! Just came back from two days of judging beer for Concours de Lyon. Had five very interesting categories to judge and worked hard to get all beers a fair evaluation.As always with these events, it’s so … Continue reading
International Women’s Day – my thoughts
International Women’s Day – my thoughts While my social media starts to overflow with cheerful posts and happy pictures about International Women’s Day my thoughts are going everywhere. Spring has started and sunshine and colourful blossoms are everywhere, but to … Continue reading
