It is difficult to imagine store shelves and bar counters without many bottles of the drink, the color range of which ranges from light brown to almost black - without beer. Filtered and unfiltered, ale and lager, wheat
and lambic, more or less strong - in a word, there is a huge variety, and every connoisseur of good alcohol has certainly already discovered several favorite varieties of the foamy drink.
A little history...
Fans of unfiltered beer with a soft and at the same time rich taste should certainly appreciate Hoegaarden beer. This drink is difficult to confuse with others because of its original taste and wonderful aftertaste. However, before moving directly to the taste characteristics of "Hoegaarden", a few words about the history of its origin. In fact, Hoegaarden beer is very, very old, over 500 years old; it was first brewed in 1445 in a small Belgian village in the Hoegaarden district, hence the name of the drink. Brewing in Belgium flourished for centuries, but suffered greatly during the Second World War, and as a result, the last brewery supplying Hoegaarden closed in 1957. Fortunately, less than ten years later, production of the foamy drink in Hoegaarden was restored and Hoegaarden beer began to reappear in pubs
and taverns, and later - bottled and sold in shops. The first country to begin producing "Hoegaarden" under license was Russia, which opened the doors to the production of this drink.
Glass with sun
Hoegaarden beer is sold in 0.33 liter dark glass bottles of a unique and recognizable shape. The vessel looks impressive: a little stocky, with a slight thickening closer to the bottom, and also slightly widening in the place where the bottle itself meets the neck. The silver-gray label and the same cap contrast favorably with the dark background of the glass. However, despite the attractiveness of the bottle, do not deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying "Hoegaarden" in the bar - and you will not regret it. First of all, you will certainly be surprised by traditional Hoegaarden glasses: thick-walled, similar to a small bucket with faceted walls, they perfectly transmit light and preserve the temperature of the drink inside. The fact is that Hoegaarden beer, the price of which is not cheap, but not exorbitant, is recommended to be drunk very chilled - this way you will better taste all the notes
of this drink. The unique and unique taste is given to the drink by non-traditional ingredients: (Curosao variety) and coriander. The intricacy of flavors and aromas makes “Hoegaarden” truly remarkable and memorable. Moreover, if you order it in that classic glass, you will certainly understand why lovers call it “cold sun.” The color of Hoegaarden is light yellow, quite bright, and taking into account the recommendations for consumption, it is served exclusively cold. In addition, the beer itself is unfiltered, so it seems that in your hands you are holding a glass with thick smoke, illuminated by the rays of the sun.
If you really love discovering new quality drinks, be sure to try Hoegaarden beer. Reviews for it are mostly positive, despite the fact that it has a rather mild taste - not bitter enough for beer, as some drinkers of stronger lagers or ales might say. However, it doesn’t matter what others say: try it yourself and draw your own conclusion about the “cold sun”.
Hoegaarden is a Belgian beer brand owned by the alcohol giant, the international corporation Anheuser-Busch InBev. The brand is present in more than 70 national markets. Russia became the first country where Hoegaarden is bottled under a license agreement. According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, Hoegaarden contains components (orange peel, coriander) that do not allow it to be classified as “beer”, therefore the labels indicate that it is a “beer drink”.
Historical reference. The very name of the beer clearly indicates its place of origin: the monks of the monasteries located in the Hoegaarden district have been brewing the drink since the 14th century. The first documentary mention of this “white” beer dates back to 1445. Thanks to established trade ties between the Netherlands, which then included this area, and the Danish colonies of the East Indies, brewers were able to experiment with adding various exotic ingredients to beer. Thus were born recipes including herbs, coriander seeds, and crushed peel of sweet and bitter Laraha oranges.
Over the centuries, Hoegaarden flourished, becoming a major brewing center. However, in the second half of the 20th century, the well-being of the industry was greatly shaken: the reasons for this were the post-war economic decline and the development of lager beer production technologies. At the end of the 50s, the last brewery in the city, Tomsin, which produced unfiltered wheat beer, ceased to exist.
The revival of “white beer” is associated with the name of a native of Hoegaarden, Pierre Cely, who, as a high school student, worked part-time during the holidays at the Tomsin brewery. He brewed the first batch of beer for himself and friends, reconstructing the recipe bit by bit. The product was received with a bang and Seli, who worked as a milkman, decided to change his profession. Production at the brewery, called De Kluis, grew at a record pace and began exporting beer to the United States in 1984. However, a major fire destroyed all the plant's facilities.
After several intermediate transactions, Celi sold his stake in the company to the Interbrew concern. Today, all rights to the brand belong to the world's largest brewing corporation, Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Awards
World beer cup, Philadelphia:
- 1996 – gold (Hoegaarden) medal;
- 1998 – Bronze (Hoegaarden White Ale) medal;
- 2000 – silver (Hoegaarden Wit) medal;
- 2002, 2004, 2006 – gold (Hoegaarden) medal;
- 2008 – gold (Hoegaarden Wit) medal;
- 2012 – silver (Hoegaarden) medal;
- 2016 – gold (Hoegaarden Wit) medal.
World Beer Championship, Chicago:
- 1998 – Platinum (Hoegaarden Original White) medal.
Beer Festival, Helsinki:
- 2001 – Silver (Hoegaarden Wit) medal.
Australian International Beer Awards, Ballarat:
- 1998 – Gold and silver medals;
- 1999 – Gold (Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit) medal;
- 2000 – Gold (Hoegaarden Original White) medal and titles Grand Champion Beer, Grand Champion Specialty Ale, Best Wheat Beer, Best Specialty Ale;
- 2008 – Bronze (Hoegaarden White) medal.
International Taste & Quality Institute, Brussels:
- 2000 – Silver medal;
- 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 – Gold medal;
- 2015 – 5 silver (Hoegaarden White, Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit, Hoegaarden Radler Agrum, Hoegaarden Speciale, Hoegaarden Radler Lemon & Lime) and bronze (Hoegaarden Grand Cru) medals.
San Diego International Beer competition:
- 2015 – Bronze (Hoegaarden White Ale) medal;
- 2016 – Silver (Hoegaarden Wit) medal.
North American Beer Awards, Idaho:
- 2015 – Silver (Hoegaarden Wit) medal;
- 2017 – Gold (Hoegaarden White Ale) medal.
Beer and Whiskey Festival, Stockholm:
- 2010 – silver (Hoegaarden Wit) medal;
- 2013, 2016 – silver (Hoegaarden) medal.
Brussels Beer Challenge:
- 2015 – Gold (Hoegaarden Grand Cru) medal;
- 2017 – silver (Hoegaarden White) medal.
How to drink Hoegaarden beer
The manufacturer recommends cooling the drink to an unusually low temperature of 2–3 °C before serving in order to appreciate all the flavor characteristics of Hoegaarden. It is recommended to drink it from branded hexagonal glasses: it is believed that their tulip-shaped shape and thick glass cut allow you to keep the beer cold for as long as possible.
The right glass The Belgians themselves prefer to add a lemon wedge to the container - bars even serve special pestles so that you can press it to the bottom of the glass to squeeze out the juice.
Types of beer Hoegaarden
Hoegaarden Original White, 4.9%
The brand's most famous and award-winning beer, awarded with many international awards. It is brewed according to a traditional monastery recipe, whose history dates back to the 15th century. It is a classic Belgian wit with a dense head of foam that rises above the edge of the glass. This type of unfiltered beer is called “white” because of its light color and natural turbidity. It has a rich wheat aroma with notes of apple, banana, baking, coriander and other spices. The composition also includes special ingredients that provide citrus tones in the taste: dried peel of Curaçao bitter oranges and sweet orange zest.
Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit (Hoegaarden Verboden Vrucht), 8.5%
One of the most difficult varieties to produce and unique in taste, brewed according to an ancient recipe. It is distinguished by a dark copper-red color and a lush head of foam two fingers high. The bouquet is filled with natural freshness and beautiful tones of sun-warmed cherries, prunes, applesauce and cloves. The taste reveals dense liqueur sweetness, ripe figs, chocolate, lots of raisins and nuts. The bottle label is decorated with a paraphrase of Rubens' painting, in which Adam hands Eve a glass of Forbidden Fruit. Because of this, the US authorities for a long time did not allow the sale of beer in the country, regarding the plot as obscene.
Hoegaarden Grand Cru, 8.5%
An unfiltered beer for which there is no consensus among experts regarding its style. You can see it classified as a classic witbier, a blonde, and even a tripel (triple beer). In fact, the drink contains characteristics of all three styles, but in strength and composition it is closest to the Belgian golden strong ales. Despite the rather high declared strength, Grand Cru is soft and easy to drink. Has an initial malty sweetness with toasted biscuit and candied orange flavors. It is recommended to serve in branded hexagonal glasses or tulip-shaped glasses.
Hoegaarden Rosee, 3%
Fruit beer joined the brand's lineup in 2007. The commercial says that the brewers were inspired to create it by a legend about how in the old days, in remote villages where there were no special glasses, beer was drunk from jars of jams and preserves. The sweet residue on the bottoms of the cans gave the drink unexpected and piquant flavors. Like other wheat beers, Hoegaarden Rosee is unfiltered, but differs from them in its delicate pinkish-orange hue. It has a fresh aroma with notes of raspberry and strawberry, as well as typical Belgian yeast esters, which capture raisins, cloves and bread notes. The taste is fresh, with dominant tones of berries and a bittersweet aftertaste.
Hoegaarden Julius, 8.7%
After a short break in production, Julius began to be produced again in 2012, in the wake of increased consumer interest in unfiltered beer. It is a classic example of Belgian ale with impressive strength and a rich bouquet of spices. Brewed using three types of hops, barley malt and a special strain of yeast. Excellent for long-term storage, as it undergoes secondary fermentation after bottling. The recommended drinking temperature is 4-6 °C; it is customary to serve the drink with a slice of lemon.
Are you a beer connoisseur? Have you already tried the Belgian intoxicating drink called Hoegaarden? If not, you should definitely buy a couple of bottles of this magical beer. We are sure that you will want to enjoy its taste again. What's special about it and how much does it cost?
Belgian beer "Hoegaarden": composition, taste, history
Locals love this drink and today its popularity has spread beyond the borders of Belgium. It can be bought in our country, but its cost is slightly higher than for a domestic product.
When did this beer first begin to be produced? The drink began to be produced back in the 14th century, based on wheat. But then he was not so popular. Everything changed later when monasteries were built in Flanders, located near Hoegaarden. Since 1445, it was the monks who brewed Hoegaarden beer using wheat, malt, and oats. What is special about the drink and how is it different from other varieties? It can be recognized by its light citrus-coriander aroma and taste, as it contains orange zest and coriander. Unfortunately, the original beer recipe was lost during World War II, and breweries in the area were closed.
But the story of Hoegaarden beer did not end there. One day, a young guy, Pierre Celis, decided to experiment and make beer according to an old recipe at home. And he made a very tasty drink! After this, Pierre bought a mini-brewery and began making beer in large quantities. The guy decided to name the drink the same as the town where he lived. Over time, orders became more and more and his beer was distributed throughout Belgium. Pierre expanded production and over time the drink became popular in many European countries. Then the young man decided to supply the drink to America, but misfortune happened - there was a fire at the factory, as a result of which the production completely burned down. To restore the factory, he had to give half of his shares to Stella Artois. But in 1988 the company merged with another brand, as a result of cooperation the Interbrew holding was created. The company decided to completely change the recipe, but Pierre was not happy with this, he sold all his shares and opened his own brewery in Texas. But he again had to merge with a large company, history repeated itself. Pierre returned to his homeland and stopped brewing beer. Today, the intoxicating drink is produced in Leuven, and InBev has the production rights.
What is Hoegaarden beer and what is special about it? This is an unfiltered beer that can be identified by its whitish, cloudy hue. It undergoes double fermentation, due to which the drink has a particularly bright taste that is difficult to confuse with other varieties. You may also recognize a slight taste of fruit and spice.
It’s a pity, but in our country you can only buy Hoegaarden beer that is produced in domestic production. If you compare it with the original, it still differs in taste. Therefore, if you are passing through Belgium, be sure to try a real locally produced Hoegaarden. Domestic beer has a different composition, which negatively affects the taste. As a result, the beer has completely different taste qualities.
You can recognize beer by its pale yellow color and cloudy consistency.
Hoegaarden beers
If previously only one type of drink was made, today you can find as many as 3 varieties on sale - Original White, Grand Cru and Forbidden Fruit. The first option will appeal to those who prefer a classic taste, the second variety has a brighter taste, and the third (fruit) can be recognized by its bright red color and fruity notes.
The leader in terms of sales is the classic version - Original White, which can be recognized by its pale color and cloudy consistency. The drink has a very thick foam, the alcohol% is 4.9%.
How to drink Hoegaarden beer correctly?
Real Belgian beer can be tasted in some Belgian bars. The drink is served in a hexagonal glass or in a glass cooled to a temperature of +2 or +3 degrees. Also, when served with beer, a slice of lemon is served. Place the slice in a glass and crush it to release the juice.
Another option for serving Belgian beer is with caraway seeds. They are sprinkled onto the foam, then you need to take a sip and chew a couple of seeds, take a few more sips.
For lovers of Hoegaarden beer, a special
the glass from which to drink it
Beer "Hoegaarden": price, photo
The domestic analogue will cost you less; its cost for 1 bottle does not exceed 100 rubles. But for the Belgian original you will have to pay about 3-4 euros for a small bottle of 0.33 liters.
Photo of the original Belgian drink we will present below. As you can see, the layer of foam is quite thick, the drink itself is light and cloudy.
According to reviews from beer connoisseurs, it is better to fork out for the Belgian original and enjoy its great taste. The domestic version of beer is inferior in taste; it has not too thick foam.
Hoegaarden beer is a Belgian unfiltered beer made from unsprouted wheat. Produced by inBev, the largest beer producer in the world.
Hoegaarden Original beer has a bright, light hue, with a slight haze characteristic of unfiltered beer. The taste is soft, coriander and orange are pronounced. The strength of the drink is about 5 degrees.
Types of beer Hoegaarden
There are several varieties of Hoegaarden beer
- Hoegaarden White Original - original recipe described just above. It has a strength of about 5 degrees, a soft and dense taste and a pronounced hop aroma. Hoegaarden White Original beer is somewhat sour, however, this acidity does not spoil the taste of the final drink. A classic option for lovers of light, unfiltered wine.
- Hoegaarden Grand Cru is a stronger version of beer, the alcohol content of which can reach 8.5 degrees. The drink has a lot of spices, herbs and sulfur, the body is very dense and thick.
- Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit is a fruity, unfiltered beer that expresses fruity notes as well as spices. The beer has a bright hop flavor. It is worth noting that this drink is practically not widespread in Russia.
Beer or beer drink?
In accordance with the peculiarities of domestic lawmaking in Russia, Hoegaarden beer is sold as a beer drink. Reason: the presence of orange zest and coriander, which are not allowed as beer components in Russia. In Russia, Hoegaarden beer is produced by SUN InBev, a subsidiary of the Belgian brewery established in 1999.
History of Hoegaarden beer
The beer was originally brewed in Flanders, in the district of Hoegaarden, where it got its name. Beer gained particular popularity after the construction of two monasteries in Hoegaarden in the 15th century. Until 1957, beer was brewed in this village, however, then production was closed.
In 1966, a certain Peter Selis decided to revive beer production in this place, which he succeeded in doing. In 1989, the company became Interbrew, after which Hoegaarden beer began to spread around the world.
Later, the company inBev began producing beer in the Hoegaarden district.
About the manufacturer SUN InBev
The domestic representative office of the Belgian company is headed by Dmitry Shpakov. The company occupies about a fifth of the entire domestic beer market. The SUN InBev company produces the following brands of beer:
- (Bad)
- Stella Artois (Stella Artois)
- Brahma (Brahma)
- Hoegaarden
- Staropramen (Staropramen)
- Löwenbrau
- Klinskoye
- Fat man
- BagBier (“BagBir”)
- Siberian crown
- Tinkoff Copyright
- Volzhanin
- Picourt
- Rifey
- Golden Angara
- Chernigovskoe
- Zhigulevskoe
Hoegaarden- this is not just beer, but an old classic of Belgian brewers who gave the world such an exquisite, delicious and aromatic alcohol.
It is called not only by the name given by the manufacturer, but also by other names, for example, “white”, “Belgian wheat”, but most importantly – “cold sun” or “glass with the sun”.
Description
Hoegaarden is a mystery beer, it is not filtered, but it has a clear difference from other types of unfiltered beer.
The color of the drink is light, but pronounced, with yellowness. It is not transparent, as if shrouded in haze, through which the timid rays of the sun break through. These characteristics are very successfully complemented by white dense foam.
The taste is without excessive bitterness, soft, refreshing, with a slight sourness, but quite rich.
The aroma is amazing. It tastes of ripe wheat and the sweetness of southern oranges.
Its strength ranges from 4.9 to 8.5%
The composition of Hoegaarden is unique - it does not combine sprouted wheat and barley malt, unmalted oats and orange zest, but complements all this with oriental coriander. Some types allow the introduction of hops and sugar, but for any of the varieties only mineral water is used.
Beer is stored maintaining its characteristics for a year.
History of Hoegaarden beer
At the beginning of the 14th century, an unusual beer was brewed in one of the districts of Flanders, the residents of those places liked it, and by the middle of the 15th century it became simply insanely popular. At that time, two monasteries were opened here, and according to the Belgians, it was the monks who were brewing beer here at that time.
The Second World War led to the fact that the production of the drink came to naught, but just 9 years later, in 1966, it was revived by either Peter or Pierre (translations of the name vary) Selis, who opened a brewery in a small village.
Since childhood, he had seen how beer was brewed, but in the 1950s he had to work on a dairy farm. He brewed the first batch of his beer from memory, but it turned out to be simply luxurious, and the production of the drink was transferred to a commercial scale.
Not only the Belgians, but also the Dutch and the French began to buy Hoegaarden. By the end of the 1980s, Americans appreciated his taste.
The name of the brewery changed twice; in the latest version it was called “monastic”.
In 1989, this brewery was sold for the first time. But its owner, Interbrew, eventually moved the brewery to Leuven, InBev.
Another Celis brewery (in Texas) was acquired by the Miller company, which soon stopped producing beer.
For the first time, in addition to Belgium, Hoegaarden was produced in Russia, but due to the 2011 law, it could not be called beer (due to the fact that it contains zest and coriander), and therefore was called the beer drink “Hoegaarden White”.
Where is it prepared, by whom and how?
You've already guessed the country where the brewing masterpiece Hoegaarden is made. Of course this is Belgium. It is there, south of the city of Tienen, that there is a small village with a worldwide reputation - Hoegaarden. Here stood the famous brewery of the InBev company, which in the new century was moved to the crowded Leuven.
Beer is prepared according to the principle of top fermentation using an ancient recipe and technology hidden from prying eyes, which involves double fermentation (with the introduction of live yeast cultures into the beer already bottled and keged).
Species of Hoegaarden
Currently there are three of them:
Hoegaarden Original White is a Hoegaarden classic: unfiltered, light, wheat, with dense foam, a taste softened by a fruity undertone and a delicate citrus aroma. Its strength is 4.9%, calorie content is 44 kcal per 100 grams of drink. It is prepared from mineral water, barley (light) and wheat malt, wheat, hops, orange zest and coriander seeds with the addition of ascorbic acid.
Hoegaarden Grand Cru— this beer differs from the classic white beer in its richness of color, taste and aroma, in which fruits clearly dominate. Some compare it to mulled wine - tender, spicy, with no beer bitterness. Its strength is 8.5%, calorie content is 69 kcal per 100 grams of drink.
"Hoegaarden Forbidden Fruit"- the difference from the classics in this drink is not difficult to notice - the beer has a red color, a bright fruity - wheat aroma and beer bitterness in the taste. This bitterness, of course, is complemented by spicy and citrus shades, but it still dominates. Sometimes this beer is associated with wine, but this is not entirely correct. Its strength is 8.5%.
How to drink Hoegaarden correctly
Hoegaarden beer is sold in 0.33, 0.5 or 0.75 liter bottles in original glass bottles with a thickening at the bottom and an expansion at the top. Sometimes the brand can be found in a half-liter can, but connoisseurs say that the best Hoegaarden beer is on draft.
Traditionally, it is poured into a thick-walled glass with six (or eight) sides, after first cooling the drink to 2°C. Although in bars most often Hoegaarden is not cooled below 8°C.
It is served with sliced lemon, which is pressed against the glass with a small pestle.
Homemade Hoegaarden Beer Recipe
There are no traditional classics in this matter - everyone “perverts” as best they can. If you want to cook something close to the famous brand at home, we recommend that you go two ways:
- Purchase a brewing kit, and with it a concentrate that matches the desired taste. You cook it according to the instructions and it won't be bad.
- Brew beer according to all rules. This requires experience. But you will get it quickly if you try to brew beer 1-2 times. We will not describe in detail the entire process of brewing beer, since we have it in detail in another article.
Since we have not found an adequate recipe for the Belgian drink, we recommend that you prepare the drink using standard technology for brewing wheat beer, focusing on the original composition.
This means that 50% of your wort will be unsprouted wheat, the remaining 50% will be malted barley and unmalted oats. You will cook with either still mineral water or bottled water. Orange zest and coriander are added 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
If desired, you can add hops to the composition in the usual proportions for beer and carbonate it with dextrose syrup or sugar after fermentation is complete.
Good luck in your endeavors!