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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7.6
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Classical Belgium beer, the taste is overall malty, bready, some touch of apricot, some hop, a bit watery.
28.06.2017, buying it at De Siebenthal beverage market at Montagny.

Tried from Bottle on 23 Mar 2025 at 16:48


A typical Belgian dubbel with all the qualities that you could expect, malty, caramel, plum, also dry, final of hop. 27.09.2018, drinking it at Bonfol, buying it at Delle, in one supermarket.

Tried from Bottle on 22 Mar 2025 at 18:21

gave a cheers!

7
Appearance - 7 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

It is a regular Belgian ale. For a macrobrewery, it is ok, yellow body, white foam, average carbonation, malty, sugar, a bit metalic. 23.04.2016

Tried on 21 Mar 2025 at 16:01

gave a cheers!

6.8
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

0.33 l bottle from a random Spanish supermarket. Deep golden color, no head (didnt expect any tho). Wheat, orange and alcoholic scents in the aroma (the alcohol got stronger with warming). Wheat, orange, citrus and alcoholic sweet taste with short, sweet finish. Medium body, lively carbonation. Decent.

Tried from Bottle on 17 Mar 2025 at 12:06


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

0.33 l bottle. Deep amber, or rather brown color with no head. Fruits, bread and malts in aroma. The taste is just like the aroma, pleasant fruity, and leaves a warm mouthfeel. Flat carbonation, medium body, easily drinkable. Could be a bit heavier on body, otherwise it’s fine.

Tried from Bottle on 17 Mar 2025 at 12:06


6.1
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5.5

Bottled, shared with my dad. Pours hazy, deep golden with thick head. Floral, fruity, usual blond ale aroma, with the same sweet notes in its taste. Short to medium sweet finish, lively carbonation and light body. Not bad.

Tried from Bottle on 17 Mar 2025 at 12:05


6.6
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

Old rating from 2017 - 330ml bottle brought back from my Belgium road trip. Pours clear golden with a white foamy head. Aromas & tastes of fruits, vanilla, hay, spice & alcohol. Moderate body. Dry sweet finish

Tried from Bottle on 13 Mar 2025 at 21:38


5.1
Appearance - 5 | Aroma - 5.5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 5 | Overall - 5

A clear golden yellow beer with a white lacing. Aroma of dry grainy malt, straw, cereals. Taste of dusty dry grainy malt, straw, cereals, moderate bitterness.

Tried from Bottle on 12 Mar 2025 at 10:43


6.4
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 6.5

Tapped version, fresh in Barcelona at the Football Bar. A well-hop hop, a little more carbonated than it should be, tapped in a very delicious "Belgian pilsner". Alcohol points are good, bitterness is good, whole beer is a good drinking beer.
***
Csapolt verzió, frissen Barcelonaban a Futballáriumban. Egy jól komlózott, picit a kelleténél szénsavasabb, csapolva nagyon finom "belga pilsner". Alkoholfok pont jó, keserűség pont jó, az egész sör egy pont jó ívó sör.

Tried from Draft on 09 Mar 2025 at 19:11

gave a cheers!

4.3
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4

Trockener, wenig getreidiger Beginn. Leichte Süße, etwas bitter, trockene Herbe, muffig. Kurzer Abgang. 9/6/6/6/7/6

Tried from Bottle on 08 Mar 2025 at 14:38