Bourgogne des Flandres Flemish Red Ale 11.2 oz bottle

Bourgogne des Flandres Flemish Red Ale 

Brewed by: Bourgogne des Flandres
Country: Belgium
Style: Flanders Red Ale

ABV: 5%
BeerAdvocate.com rating: 80

Bourgogne des Flandres occupies a very special place in the Belgian beer landscape. It is a typical example of the Flemish beer blending tradition with old and young beer being mixed judiciously to achieve a perfect balance.

Den Bruinen Os is brewed on site in the loft and blended with lambic from Timmermans Brewery. This lambic has aged for over twelve months in wooden barrels. The result is a surprising red-brown beer with a low alcohol content and a complex flavour.

Brewery Information:

Bourgogne des Flandres is an authentic West Flemish red-brown beer that has survived the long-term competition from the hugely popular lager beers since WWI as well as the destruction caused by WWII. However, Den Os Brewery finally had to close down in 1957. 

The Van Houtryve brewing dynasty, made up of no fewer than three breweries, has left its mark on the Bruges brewing tradition. Records from 1765 mention a farm-brewery in Loppem belonging to Pierre-Jacques Van Houtryve. However, it was his son who obtained permission from the representative of the States of Flanders to set up a brewery within the city walls of Bruges in 1825. Den Os Brewery was born.

On the eve of WWI, three members of the Van Houtryve family stood at the helm of their respective breweries: Den Os, La Marine and Ten Ezele. This is no surprise as the number of breweries in Bruges peaked in this period with 34 active breweries, only two of which remain today. It was during this heyday just before the First World War that the flagship beer of Den Os Brewery came into being.