Of course a brewery focusing on German style beers (unique for Belgium at least in a contemporary craft beer context!) cannot ignore the one style that indirectly gave rise to a global flood of – often fruited – kettle sours: the old Berliner Weisse, once almost extinct, now very alive and kicking (also in Berlin, see Schneeeule and others). This Mule interpretation had a snow white, moussy, creamy, slowly breaking head and milky pale straw blonde robe with greenish tinge. Aroma of overripe cucumber, kefir, raw gherkin, wood sorrel, sourdough, green pear, sweaty socks somewhere, chalk, white soap, sugared white celery. Crisp sour onset with lime, sorrel and green apple associations, hint of cucumber too, medium carbonated with slick, light but rounded mouthfeel; sourdoughy lactic acidity dominates the finish with a gentle wheat sourishness clearly underneath, all remaining crisp and fresh, with growing wheat soapiness towards the end and lingering lime and cucumber ‘greenness’ next to notes of celery and – very classic in a Berliner Weisse – chalk. Solid and very quenching, a bit ‘off’ perhaps in comparison with the historical standards of the style but this typifies (and, frankly, graces) Mule’s house style I guess. In spite of this odd character, still very credible as a Berliner Weisse, ticking all the boxes. Better than expected, even.

This Schaarbeek microbrewery took it upon itself to tackle all the traditional German beer styles – and that includes, of course, the oldest of the Bavarian Weissbier variants. Pale greyish white, moussy, stable, shred-lacing head, misty caramelly bronze-brown robe with mahogany glow. Aroma of hard caramel, ground hazelnuts, a smoky accent (smoked bacon even!), dried medlar, clove, tea, hints of cigar leaf and unripe banana. Sourish and sweetish onset, medlar and banana with a dash of apple peel but not as fruity as I would expect from the style; fizzy carb, slick mouthfeel. ‘Deep’ wheaty sourishness and smoothness, caramelly barley on the edges quickly turning gently toasted-bitterish and showing again this smoky aspect which has nothing to do with real Dunkelweizen, but somehow fits in well. Light tea- and clove-like spicy elements in the end too, caramelly maltiness and wheaty sourishness remaining the backbone of it all. Bit odd due to that smoky element, but strangely – I guess the wheat does this – I still had the feeling I was drinking a Dunkelweizen somehow. Solid and easily drinkable, as intended – good one.

This sympathetic new brewery in Schaarbeek specializes in exploring German beer traditions so a Kölsch comes as no surprise – and even if Mule is not the first Belgian brewery to tackle this old regional style, I do expect them to do it right, considering their business plan… Snow white, stable, moussy, membrane-like lacing head, misty deep and pure ‘old’ golden robe. Aroma of raw potatoes, green banana, old bread, a sulfuric touch, grass, raw cereals, green tree leaves, mugwort, vague hint of matcha tea. Clean, crisp onset, sharply and very minerally carbonated; slick cereally malt body, restrained white-bready and grainy sweetishness with lingering minerality, in the end bittered by grassy, floral and slightly peppery hops while that sulfuric aspect returns retronasally. Moderately long, dryish, quenching finish maintaining a good balance between malts and hops. Easygoing, pleasant and indeed credible enough as a Kölsch, or at least no less so than the few other Belgian examples I had (including two by Dok Brewing Company in Ghent).

Pale lager brewed with Vienna malt, from tap at the brewery during Jens Skrubbe’s reception there. Snow white, creamy, membrane-lacing, stable head on a clear yellow-glowing golden beer with visible sparkling. Aroma of white bread slices, field flowers, dry cereals, minerals, dry hay, freshly cut grass, unripe banana, raw potato and a vague sulfuric touch. Clean, crisp onset, hints of unripe banana and hard green pear, minerally carbonation, slick mouthfeel; cereally and white-bready pale maltiness, grassy hop bitterness gently and very gradually growing, floral and peppery in the end and quite long-lasting – as long as a vague green apple-like sourish aspect keeping things interesting till the last drop. Well-made Lager as is to be expected from a Lager specialist – but I would personally come up with another name, as I got very confused at the beginning and though I was going to receive a Wiener style Lager (amber-coloured and much more malt-forward); the classification of this beer here as a Wiener is therefore to be seen as a classification by default.

33cl can from Etre Gourmet web shop. F: medium, white, average retention. C: pale gold, hazy. A: malty, bready, bit grassy, grainy touch. T: medium malty base, bready, bit herbal, nice balanced peppery bitterness, floral touch, medium carbonation, good one, enjoyed but not for the style as the name claims.

Tap. Moeder Original. Haze pale gold. Decent white swede. Nose has semi sweet malt. Lightly floral hop. Taste is dry and lightly sour. Modicum of grassy bitterness. Easy drinking and refreshing. Moderate bitterness to finish. Good logger bier.

Keg at Moeder Lambic Fontainas, Brussels. Pours clear pale yellow with a white cap. Aroma: grains, grassy, light floral. Taste: light to moderate sweet & bitter, grains, grassy, earthy, straw. Light to medium body with soft carbonation. Cracking Pils.

Perfekt Name. Straight, clear Saison. No fruits, no Brett, no Nonsens. Malty, grainy nose, yeasty. Dry to the bone. Wheaty-yesty. Hoppy. Nice.

Can 33cl. @home poured into a footed pilsner glass. Clear deep golden colour, good frothy off-white to white head, good retention and lacing. Aroma pilsner malt, grain, butter, lemon peel, hay. Taste medium sweet and light bitter, malty, grain, light spicy notes, light iron on the tongue. Medium body, oily texture, average carbonation, relatively short, semi-dry sweetbitter aftertaste, some cardboard, clean, crisp, solid helles, very nice.