About
It is often said about racing car drivers that they have several lives. Belgium’s Dirk Vermeersch, a former driver himself, is living proof that they do. An erstwhile taxi driver, he soon shifted gears, opting for a career on the racing track. Due to a serious accident, however, his career came to a screeching halt, and he was forced to live at nature’s pace, under the French sun, surrounded by vineyards. Recently, he has switched his allegiance from Bacchus to the nectar of barley, launching into a new career as a brewer.
1977 Barely two years after starting his career as a racing driver, Dirk had already climbed to the highest step of the podium, winning the first 24 Hours of Zolder. His life in the fast lane, however, would come to a grinding halt after a rally accident in 1986. Dirk was forced to leave the racing track and take up a more sedentary life as a car dealer, selling mostly top Italian makes such as Lancia and Maserati.Returning to his roots: 2020 With the new generation at the helm, Dirk knew that his wine business was in good hands and that it was time to contemplate another plan. Retirement maybe? Dirk returned to Belgium and soon started to get bored. So, what is there to do in Belgium? Make beer of course!
The beer industry was not entirely uncharted territory for someone who had the colours of Carling Beer on his first ever podium at 24 hours Spa-Francorchamps and had the logo of Westmalle Trappist on his Racesuit in Daytona. His circle of friends also includes former Witkap brewer (Brasschaat), Gunther Luyten. But to become a brewer oneself is a whole new ball game. After six months of self-teaching, an online brewing course – due to Covid – and some experiments, he was ready to release his LePlan Triple.
The LePlan Brewery? You can now find it in Westmalle. After brewing our beloved "gypsy" recipes at friendly breweries for a while, we finally decided to open our own brewery in Westmalle.
At this brewery, LePlan produces a wide range of specialty artisanal craft beers, perfectly in line with the world-famous Belgian beers. Inspired by tradition, but with a unique twist: ready to try it?
1977 Barely two years after starting his career as a racing driver, Dirk had already climbed to the highest step of the podium, winning the first 24 Hours of Zolder. His life in the fast lane, however, would come to a grinding halt after a rally accident in 1986. Dirk was forced to leave the racing track and take up a more sedentary life as a car dealer, selling mostly top Italian makes such as Lancia and Maserati.Returning to his roots: 2020 With the new generation at the helm, Dirk knew that his wine business was in good hands and that it was time to contemplate another plan. Retirement maybe? Dirk returned to Belgium and soon started to get bored. So, what is there to do in Belgium? Make beer of course!
The beer industry was not entirely uncharted territory for someone who had the colours of Carling Beer on his first ever podium at 24 hours Spa-Francorchamps and had the logo of Westmalle Trappist on his Racesuit in Daytona. His circle of friends also includes former Witkap brewer (Brasschaat), Gunther Luyten. But to become a brewer oneself is a whole new ball game. After six months of self-teaching, an online brewing course – due to Covid – and some experiments, he was ready to release his LePlan Triple.
The LePlan Brewery? You can now find it in Westmalle. After brewing our beloved "gypsy" recipes at friendly breweries for a while, we finally decided to open our own brewery in Westmalle.
At this brewery, LePlan produces a wide range of specialty artisanal craft beers, perfectly in line with the world-famous Belgian beers. Inspired by tradition, but with a unique twist: ready to try it?
5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 5.5
Flavor 5.5
Texture 1
Overall 4.5
Shortlived white head fast reduced to rim; clear, rather big-bubbled orange tinted golden beer with a slight haze. Very aromatic, almost perfumey nose with hopesters, exotic fruit, musk, sharp asafoetida and getting really catty after some time. Empty flavour, short onset with citrus and exotic fruit wafts, a short whiff of amandine, then petering out in some faint hop-like notes hovering above the carbonation. Utterly empty MF, dry in the way that there's nowt to taste. Apart from CO². Not very good - not even for a NABLAB these days. And do tell me. Is it graffiti beer or grafiti blond? Seems to depend from which side you're emptying the can...
Tried
from Can
on 26 Jan 2026
at 21:56
6.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Thick, persistent pinkish head over brownish red-purple beer. Sweet cherry nose, childrens' cherrysweets. The fruit, but also the leaves of the tree. Again sweet cherries, but with a background that faintly refers to the gin indeed, even just a tad juniper. Feels very slick to viscous; cherrysyrupy, good carbonation. Way too sweet for its own good. The gin doesn't help, really. Txs to Stef!
Tried
from Bottle
on 18 Jan 2026
at 10:20
5.5/10
Tried
from Can
on 21 Oct 2025
at 22:55
7/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottle 33cl @home poured into a tulip glass. Hazy deep golden colour, tall rocky white head, good retention and lacing. Aroma sweet malt, lemon, peach, red apple, strawberry marmalade. Taste medium sweet and light bitter, malty, grain, bread, peach, red apple, light strawberries, spicy notes. Medium body, oily texture, soft carbonation, fruity sweetbitter aftertaste, quite fruity for a tripel which makes it different in the realm of tripels, fruitiness till the end, also more bitterness toward the end, interesting brew, very nice.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Wijnhuis Mana
on 03 Oct 2025
at 21:24
7/10
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Sep 2025
at 15:42
6.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
13 September 2025. At 17de Brugs Bierfestival. Cheers to the whole crew!
Marzipan, maraschino cherry, fruit jenever. Sour cherry & raspberry, almond & marzipan. Tart cherry pit. Not bad but it doesn't really resonate.
Marzipan, maraschino cherry, fruit jenever. Sour cherry & raspberry, almond & marzipan. Tart cherry pit. Not bad but it doesn't really resonate.
Tried
on 13 Sep 2025
at 12:19
5.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5
25/VI/25 - 33cl bottle from Hopduvel (Gent) I think, not sure though, shared @ post last choir rehearsal of the year drink, BB: 21/III/25 (2025-582)
Little cloudy orange to amber beer, small creamy off-white head, a little stable, a bit adhesive. Aroma: very oxidized, malty, grains, caramel, floral touch, a bit yeasty, soapy impression. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: pretty bitter, caramel malts, grains, hoppy, sweet, more hops, a bit chemical, oxidized. Aftertaste: yeasty, oxidized, caramel, sweet, sugary, bleh, too old and oxidized, don’t like it.
Little cloudy orange to amber beer, small creamy off-white head, a little stable, a bit adhesive. Aroma: very oxidized, malty, grains, caramel, floral touch, a bit yeasty, soapy impression. MF: ok carbon, medium body. Taste: pretty bitter, caramel malts, grains, hoppy, sweet, more hops, a bit chemical, oxidized. Aftertaste: yeasty, oxidized, caramel, sweet, sugary, bleh, too old and oxidized, don’t like it.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Bierwinkel De Hopduvel
on 25 Jun 2025
at 20:30
7.9/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 7
Overall 8
Fles thuis geprobeerd met Koenzie. Het is een diep donkerbruin bier met een volle bruinige schuimkraag. Het heeft een aroma van Bourbon en hout. De smaak is gebrand moutig, rozijnen en Bourbon.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Apr 2025
at 23:38
6.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Fles gedeeld met Koenzie. Het is een troebel amberkleurig bier met een medium beige schuim. Het heeft een aroma van thee en hop. De smaak is fruitig, droog en hoppig.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Apr 2025
at 23:07
6.8/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 6
Overall 7
Fles gekocht in Durbuy, thuis geprobeerd met TomvV. Het is een troebel geel biermr met een witte schuimkraag. Het heeft een aroma van mout en gist. De smaak is moutig, citrusachtig en hoppig.
Tried
from Bottle
on 29 Mar 2025
at 18:51