The last brewery in Hoegaarden, Tomsin, closed shop in 1957. Soon after, in 1965, the villagers decided to take action to preserve the original recipe. Milkman Pierre Celis decided to grasp the nettle and started brewing up a batch in his milk shed, using only a copper boiler. Because of the great success he quickly expanded his operation and moved into a bigger building – ‘De Kluis’ (The Vault) – a subtle nod to the monks. By 1985 the nod was no longer subtle as he was making more than 75.000 hectolitres per year. Just as he was about to start exporting to the United States, a large fire shattered his dreams (and the beer). The brewery was destroyed.
Since 1985, the brand has been part of Artois brewery, which provided fresh capital, after the fire. After the takeover, the recipe was changed to appeal to a wider audience and save on raw materials. The Artois brewery, which had already been absorbed into InBev (nowadays Aneuser-Busch InBev) for some time, decided in 2006 to close the brewery and move production to Jupille. On September 10, 2007, it was announced that Hoegaarden would once again be brewed in Hoegaarden. The brewery in Jupille didn't manage to imitate the typical taste of Hoegaarden...
Pours a dark amber colour with a moderate ammount of sediment resulting in a fair amount of off-white head. Slightly spicey aroma and a similar taste, a slight taste of hops with some malt flavours and a little dried fruit. It’s a little watery, particularly considering the style and the after-taste is limited. not bad, but not great.
Bottle from Hollingshead Deli and my son-in-law Colin; Nose of citrus, sweetness, spices, and yeastiness; hazy yellow with a big white head; flavor of citrus, spices, and a little fruity melon.
Hazy straw color with a medium foamy white head. Aroma is nice. Spices, yeast, banana, malt. Flavor is similar to the aroma with the cirus and banana really coming through. Finishes with some yeast spiciness and a somewhat alcoholic finish. Mouth is sorta thin. Well hidden alcohol. Pretty solid, a winner.