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Blended beers, such as Bourgogne des Flandres, were created in Bruges. Historically, brewers added freshly brewed beer to older beer in barrels which had become acidic after maturing. This made it possible to keep it for longer, and to also make it accessible to all palates. This is where the old Flemish browns were born with a taste so distinctly “sweet and sour”.

Bourgogne des Flandres

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Bruges, the home of Flemish red beers with a fruity nose and sweet and sour flavours.

Bourgogne des Flandres was born in 1911 of a judicious mix of young and old beers so as to achieve a perfect balance between the fruit and the acidity of these beers. This tradition was born in West Flanders, and especially in Bruges. At the time, Bourgogne des Flandres beer was only available in bottles, a sign of exceptional beer and a testament to the brewer’s expertise. Indeed, the Van Houtryve family was greatly admired in Bruges at the time and owned 3 breweries: La Marine, Den Ezele and the Den Os brewery, where Bourgogne des Flandres beer took root.

The 1900s were very difficult for the Belgian brewing community. And all the more so following the Second World War, during which many breweries were looted by German troops in search of metal for their artillery. The Den Os brewery finally closed its doors in 1957 - the last brewery to leave Bruges. The Van Houtryve family then turned to the Timmermans brewery, a stone’s throw from Brussels and well known for its lambic beer, in order to perpetuate their fabulous Bourgogne des Flandres beer. They then created a high fermentation brown beer, the Bruinen Os, using young lambic from the Timmermans brewery so as to restore this balance between the fruit in the new beer and the acidity of the older beer matured in wooden barrels. Lambic is a spontaneous fermentation beer that can only be brewed in the Senne valley. That used for Bourgogne des Flandres has spent more than 12 months ageing in oak barrels to give it its characteristic aromas of brett, citrus, green apples and wood.

It was not until the 21st century that the Bourgogne des Flandres beer was brewed again in the very heart of Bruges, thanks to Anthony Martin. Under the roofs of his protected building, the brewer is busy at his vats brewing this fruity Flemish brown beer. By deciding to use an open fermentation tank, Anthony Martin’s team honours ancestral techniques. In an open vat, yeasts work differently and are less stressed, resulting in more fruity aromas. A real spectacle for the eyes to contemplate the evolution of the wort...

It was in the early 2020s that brewers from the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery broke new ground with a blonde version by creating a high fermentation blonde beer, the Blonden Os, using the famous lambic from the Timmermans brewery. Once again, it is a remarkable balance between the acidity of the lambic and the fruity and spicy aromas of the Blonden Os. This beer is unique!

the authentic taste of Bruges .