Advent Calendar 10/24 - Grisette Blonde Beer

Grisette blonde is a perfect beer to illustrate the uninterrupted innovation of Belgian breweries and their difficulties in recent years.

Grisette blonde refers above all to a little-known style of beer, grisette.

The grisette is native to the mining regions of southern Belgium and northern France. Its name undoubtedly refers to firedamp, a mortal danger from coal mines in our regions. A firedamp occurs when gas trapped among rocks is released and ignited causing an explosion.

Tonight's grisette style beers and grisette blonde have a little herbaceous side typical of saison style beers, which distinguishes it from classic blonde beers.

We therefore find an easy-to-drink blonde beer which has a little extra in the mouth and nose which makes you want to have another one. Its quality is perceptible during tasting but also in its sourcing.

Grisette blonde is brewed by the Saint-Feuillien brewery and is part of the grisette range which is also available in white and triple. They are all gluten-free and organic.

The Saint-Feuillien brewery is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and the 5th generation is currently in charge. It is in continuous expansion with large investments underway.

Like many other family breweries, the beer is still brewed in the historic factory right in the center of the village while the bottling unit and stock are located next to the highway to facilitate logistics.

The Saint-Feuillien brewery has resisted the COVID crisis and its current consequences on the Horeca sector well. Like many other Belgian breweries, its turnover is divided between bars (20%), mass distribution (35%) and export (45%), two thirds of which in France. The decline in bars demand was able to be offset by mass distribution and export.

The brewery is growing slowly but surely with its production doubling in 20 years. Although very well known to the general public with the presence of its range of "St-Feuillien" abbey beer in all major retail stores, it remains a medium-sized family brewery with 40,000 hectoliters produced per year.

Health !

Florian