Brouwerijen Alken-Maes

Commercial Brewery in Alken, Limburg, Belgium 🇧🇪
Owned by Brouwerijen Alken-Maes NV/SA - Heineken Belgium

Established in 1988

Contact
Stationsstraat 2, Alken, 3570, Belgium
Subsidiaries
Brouwerijen Alken-Maes owns 3 breweries:
Description
Winning innovator on the Belgian beer market with brands such as Maes, Cristal, Desperados, Grimbergen, Affligem, Strongbow and Mort Subite.

De “Brouwerijen Alken-Maes NV” ontstond officieel in 1988, als gevolg van de fusie van de brouwerijen Maes en Cristal Alken. Maar de roots van beide entiteiten gaat terug tot omstreeks 1880. In Waarloos kocht Egied Maes toen nl. de brouwerij Sint-Michaël, terwijl korte tijd later Arthur Boes een brouwerij startte in Alken, zo’n 100 km verderop.

Beide brouwerijen ontwikkelen zich stelselmatig, met bv. Cristal dat in 1928 als eerste Belgische pils het licht ziet. Maes Pils volgt in 1946. Nadien vervoegen Grimbergen, Ciney en andere bieren de portfolio, tot aan de fusie in 1988. Na onderdeel te hebben uitgemaakt van Danone en Scottish & Newcastle, wordt Alken-Maes in 2008 eigendom van Heineken.

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5/10 Appearance 5 Aroma 5 Flavor 5 Texture 5 Overall 5
25cl bottle from Carrefour Market Cours St. Michel in Brussels.
F: thin, white, quick gone.
C: pale gold, clear.
A: malty, bit mineral, caramel, bit papery.
T: mineral water, bit herbal hoppy, light bready, some bitterness, soft carbonation, drinkable yet nothing that I would like to buy again.
Tried from Bottle on 16 Jul 2025 at 09:35

6.3/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6.5 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
33cl bottle from Carrefour Market Cours St. Michel in Brussels.
F: medium, white, quick gone.
C: gold, hazy!
A: malty, vaguely fruity, spicy, peach, toast, banana.
T: full malty base, banana, spicy, peach, apples, toast, spicy touch, medium carbonation, prestige yet bit boring all together, drinkable.
Tried from Bottle on 15 Jul 2025 at 19:02

7.3/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 8
Old Review from 11/05/2014. A 330ml bottle from Sainsburys in Pontypridd, Wales. Pours a clear dark amber colour with one finger of off white head. It has a cherry aroma. Taste is mainly dried dark fruits. Light body with low carbonation. Amazing lacing. Smooth finish. A very nice beer.
Tried from Bottle on 05 Jul 2025 at 16:17

5.1/10 Appearance 5 Aroma 5 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 5
Watery, some crisp middle . End notes of cooked veggies
Tried from Can on 30 Jun 2025 at 12:48

6.6/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 6 Texture 7 Overall 6.5
Tap at a place in Grande Place, Brussels. It pours slightly hazy golden - blonde with a thick, fluffy white head. The aroma is soft, sweetish, bready, rich tea biscuit, sponge cake, melon, pear, apple and a touch of banana. The taste is crisp, dry, snappy, hearty malts, white bread, digestive biscuit, sponge cake, grass, damp herbal accents, cereal, coriander seeds and muted alcohol presence with a bready finish. Medium body and moderate, fluffy carbonation. A decent enough blonde ale. Drinks easy.
Tried from Draft on 21 Jun 2025 at 19:05

6.5/10
Tried from Draft on 14 Jun 2025 at 17:36

7.3/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 7 Overall 8
From Del Haize . While watching the euros final. I hope that overhyped England team loses .
Apricot,malts, a bit of citrus.
White head. Average body.
Drinkable, pleasant,not remarkable.

Update. That overhyped English team did lose and the beer is quite nice. Shor lasting white head. Bread, melon, lychee, apricot.Quite nice
Tried on 05 Jun 2025 at 13:16

5.4/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 6 Texture 4 Overall 5.5
On a pub in Mechelen. Tried a few sips. Dark brown colour. The kind of beer that you notice that sugar or syrup was added. Never tried a scotch ale so I cannot judge it well. Just didn't like it as a beer
Tried from Can on 05 Jun 2025 at 13:12

6.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Blonde. Coriander, orange peel ,sugar , malts. Persistent medium white head. Medium to high sweetness.
Tried on 05 Jun 2025 at 13:11

6/10
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Tried on 05 Jun 2025 at 12:56