FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Oud Beersel is a historic lambic producer and geuze blendery in Beersel, 10 km south-west of Brussels. We preserve traditional lambic culture by letting lambic wort ferment spontaneously, maturing the lambic in wooden casks, and blending lambics from different casks and ages into Oude Geuze. Oude Kriek is also one of our protected traditional beers: cherries ferment and macerate in lambic, after which the beer is blended, bottled and refermented in the bottle. At the same time we renew that tradition with unique fruit lambics, innovative infusions and special cask maturations.

The story began in 1882 with Henri Vandervelden I. Four generations of the Vandervelden family built up the brewery and blendery. Activities ceased at the end of 2002. In 2003 Gert Christiaens took the initiative to save Oud Beersel, and officially restarted it in November 2005.

Gert Christiaens is the owner and master blender of Oud Beersel. He sets the direction of the blends and, together with the production team, safeguards the quality and the recognisable style: complex, refined and balanced.

Oud Beersel began in 1882 as a geuze blendery. In 1940 Egidius Vandervelden, a second-generation brewer, installed a small brewhouse of his own. It was expanded in 1954, but never fundamentally renewed after that. In 1991 Danny Draps, a cousin of Henri Vandervelden, took over the brewery. Because the brewhouse had become badly outdated, from 1992 onwards roughly half of the lambic wort was brewed externally to Oud Beersel's recipe, and the other half still in-house. When the house restarted in 2005, the old aluminium brewing installation could no longer be used for beer production. Since then all lambic wort has been brewed to our recipe at a specialised partner brewery. The long, flavour-defining core of the work happens at Oud Beersel in Beersel: spontaneous fermentation, maturation in wood, selection, blending, fruit maceration and infusions, bottling and monitoring the refermentation in the bottle. That is why "geuze blendery" is technically the most precise description of how we work today, while "brewery" refers to the historic site and to Oud Beersel as a beer producer.

The lambic wort is brewed to Oud Beersel's recipe and quality requirements at a specialised partner brewery. This has been the case since 1992. After cooling overnight, the wort travels to Beersel, where it ferments and matures for years in our wooden casks. Selection, blending, fruit maceration, infusions, bottling and bottle maturation all follow there. That is why "geuze blendery" is the most precise description of what we do.

Oud Beersel still has parts of the historic coolship, but it is no longer operational. One section was converted into the bar in the brewery shop. Another section can be seen on the first floor, in the Winderickx room above the shop. Today the lambic wort is cooled in an open coolship at the partner brewery, where it is naturally inoculated. The next morning the wort is brought to Beersel and filled into wooden casks.

A coolship is a wide, shallow open vessel. The hot wort cools in it during a cold night and comes into contact with micro-organisms from the surrounding air. No selected yeast culture is added, unlike most other beers. The wooden casks at Oud Beersel then contribute further to a stable and complex spontaneous fermentation.

The site holds around thirty large foeders. In addition we use some 80 to 100 smaller wooden casks for lambic, fruit lambics, infusions and special cask maturations. The exact number changes as casks are added, repaired or taken out of service.

Most of the large maturation vessels are old oak wine foeders. The foeders in the attic came from Italy and were previously used for Brunello di Montalcino. Oud Beersel also uses French demi-muids, Bordeaux barrels and old pipes that historically held port. For ordinary lambic we deliberately use old, neutral casks: we want neither tannins from young wood nor a recognisable wine flavour in the beer. Harsh tannic bitterness does not suit the tart, refreshing character of lambic. For special cask maturations, however, the character of a cask that previously held cognac, calvados, rum, whisky, port or madeira can be a deliberate part of the flavour profile.

Lambic is the still, flat base beer that ferments spontaneously and matures in wooden casks. Oude Geuze is created by blending different lambics and bottling them. Thanks to the residual fermentable sugars in the younger lambic, a natural refermentation follows in the bottle. That does more than make the beer sparkling: during refermentation and bottle maturation an additional dimension of flavour develops. Oude Geuze is therefore more than the sum of the lambics in the blend.

There is no fixed standard proportion that applies to every blend. The master blender decides for each batch on the basis of taste, aroma, cask character, age and residual fermentable sugars. The new PGI specification provides for minimums of 25% lambic at least two years old and 5% lambic at least three years old. That protection is still being finalised; today the Traditional Speciality Guaranteed recognition applies. The young lambic provides enough fermentable sugars for the refermentation; older lambic brings depth and complexity.

We add around 400 kg of whole sour cherries — skin and stone included — to 1,000 litres of young lambic. The cherries ferment and macerate in the lambic for about six months. The stone contributes to the characteristic almond note. We then remove the fruit, blend the cherry lambic with other lambic, and a natural refermentation in the bottle follows. No artificial flavourings, preservatives or added sugars are used in the finished beer.

For the classic Oude Kriek we use carefully selected sour cherries. For the separate Schaarbeekse Oude Kriek we use Schaerbeek cherries, the small dark local variety known for its intense fruitiness and its fine almond and vanilla notes. Oud Beersel also grows this variety in its own cherry orchard behind the brewery.

During refermentation in the bottle, Oude Geuze and Oude Kriek develop their sparkle and an additional dimension of flavour. Oud Beersel usually lets these beers mature in the bottle for six to eight months before release. After that period the beer reaches its recognisable character. Certain blends and special editions are deliberately given longer.

"Oude" does not simply refer to age, but to the traditional production method. The names are protected at European level as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG). Among other things they stand for spontaneous fermentation, maturation and blending according to the product specification, and refermentation in the bottle.

Oud Beersel recommends storing bottles upright. Our current corks are made of ground, compressed cork and seal the bottle well in a vertical position too. Stored upright, the natural yeast gathers at the bottom, which makes it easier to pour the beer clear. Lying down remains possible, for instance in a wine cellar. In that case, stand the bottle carefully upright well before opening so the sediment can settle back to the bottom.

A cool, dark cellar at around 10 to 15 °C is ideal. More important than an exact figure is a stable temperature. Avoid prolonged heat, direct sunlight and sharp fluctuations, and preferably always keep the beer below 20 °C.

A guide temperature of around 8 to 12 °C works well, but the moment and the experience you are after both play a part. On a warm day the beer may be served a little colder, which brings out its fresher, tarter character. If you want to explore the full complexity and all the aromas at leisure, serve it slightly warmer and let it develop further in the glass. Use a clean glass and pour gently. If you prefer clear beer, leave the last drop with the sediment in the bottle; if you enjoy the full yeast character, pour it separately.

Well-stored Oude Geuze can mature for twenty to thirty years, and sometimes longer. The taste changes: young bottles are generally livelier and fresher, while older bottles can become softer, rounder and more complex and develop different aromas and flavour nuances. A very old geuze is a beer to discover slowly and preferably in company, much as you would enjoy a very old cheese in small portions. Maturation is an evolution of flavour, not a guarantee that everyone will prefer an older bottle.

For the classic Oude Geuze and most traditional lambic beers, Oud Beersel states a shelf life of twenty years. The exact date on the bottle is always the reference. "Best before" is not an expiry date: a properly sealed and stored bottle does not become unsafe simply because that date has passed. The beer can continue to evolve; quality and taste depend above all on storage conditions.

Individual visits normally take place every Saturday: at 11 am and 4 pm in Dutch, and at 12 noon and 5 pm in English. The guided tour lasts about 45 to 60 minutes and is followed by a tasting in the Bierhuis; allow around an hour and a half in total. Always check the current calendar and availability on the website.

The current public reference price for the standard visit is € 14 per person. That includes a taste of lambic, the guided tour and a beer of your choice in an 18 cl glass. The premium visit, with a tasting board of three 15 cl beers, currently costs € 19.50. Children under 12 may join an adult free of charge on the standard visit; a drink is not included in that case. A premium tasting with three different small glasses of juice can also be arranged for children.

Yes. Group visits are possible from 8 people and can be requested in Dutch, French or English. Please book at least two weeks in advance where possible. Current prices are the same as the published visit prices: € 14 for the standard visit and € 19.50 for the premium visit. Always check the most recent rates on the website. One guide normally looks after around 25 people, with a small practical margin; larger groups are divided across several guides. The online request form accepts groups of up to 100 adults.

Accessibility is limited, but an adapted visit is possible. The ground floor of the brewery and the Bierhuis are wheelchair accessible; the rear entrance of the Bierhuis is level, while the front door and the shop door each have one small step. On request we adapt the tour so that it takes place entirely on the ground floor. The standard tour runs across three floors connected only by stairs with handrails; there is no lift. The toilets are not adapted and are not wheelchair accessible. Drop-offs are possible next to the brewery shop and in front of the Bierhuis; the car parks opposite the brewery have no designated accessible spaces. For all details, see our accessibility page, or contact us in advance at visit@oudbeersel.com.

Please arrive at least five minutes before the start. On Saturdays and during the Bierhuis opening hours, the easiest place to check in is the Bierhuis at Laarheidestraat 230 in Beersel. If the Bierhuis is closed, for instance for a tour during the week, ring the bell at the brewery shop. There is free parking across the street; the first car park, at Laarheidestraat 237, has two public charging points for electric cars. Coaches can drop the group at the brewery and park further along the street at "Lobbos", 650 m away or a 9-minute walk.

Yes. Oud Beersel is an official cyclists’ café (fietscafé) on the Flemish cycle node network, between nodes 63 and 82. We are on the Lambiek-Geuzeroute, the node route past the geuze blenders of the Pajottenland and the Zenne valley, and on the Gravel World Championships route. There are power sockets at the bicycle rack for charging electric bikes, and you can use a bicycle pump and a repair kit on site. Inside you can charge your phone. We also lend out bicycle locks and phone chargers.

Yes. The tasting takes place in the Bierhuis. In our beer kitchen we prepare warm and cold dishes with Oud Beersel beers, and snacks are available as well. For lunch or dinner we recommend booking a table. The brewery shop stocks the core range, special editions, gifts and souvenirs.

The webshop ships to most countries within the European Union. Enter your full delivery address in the webshop: the checkout will immediately show whether delivery to that address is possible. Outside the delivery area you can arrange your own courier collection by prior agreement. Please contact shop@oudbeersel.com for that.

Shipping costs depend on weight and destination and are calculated at checkout before final payment. Free shipping applies only during specific promotions and under the conditions stated with them. A minimum order value may apply for local delivery in Beersel. Collection at the brewery is free. Orders are normally dispatched on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Yes. If you want to collect a webshop order at the brewery, enter the address of the Bierhuis as the delivery address at checkout: Laarheidestraat 230, 1650 Beersel. That way we recognise the order as a collection and no shipping costs are charged.

The webshop currently offers iDEAL, Visa, Mastercard and Bancontact. Only the payment methods shown at checkout for your country and order apply. Payment by bank transfer is possible in exceptional cases only, and after prior confirmation by Oud Beersel.

Consumers are in principle entitled to fourteen days from receipt to withdraw from the purchase without giving a reason. Please report the return first at shop@oudbeersel.com with the word "Retour", then send the goods back in good time. Opened or unsealed bottles, specially ordered items and certain products with a short shelf life cannot be taken back. Return costs and the risk of the return shipment are borne by the customer. This right of withdrawal does not apply to business customers.

We pack bottles carefully for transport. Please check the parcel immediately on arrival. A parcel containing broken bottles is often visibly damaged or wet. In that case, refuse the parcel and have the courier register the damage straight away. Take clear photographs of the box, the shipping label, the packaging and the damaged bottles, and send them together with your order number to shop@oudbeersel.com. If you only notice the breakage after accepting the parcel, report it immediately with photographs to Oud Beersel and preferably to the courier as well. Keep the packaging until the report has been settled.