Go Light!
Despite being surrounded by scores of beer breweries, the City of Brussels itself has only a handful of breweries. Cantillon is perhaps the most famous, and never gets old. However, a close second for many beer lovers is Brasserie De La Senne, named for the Senne river, which runs through the city. Fairly new by Belgian standards, De La Senne has made quite a name for itself among beer critics and beer enthusiasts both in Belgium and beyond the country’s borders.
Founders Bernard Leboucq and Yvan De Baets opened the brewery in Brussels in 2010. They are committed to traditional methods and still do all the brewing themselves. They have received considerable critical acclaim and in 2021 went fully organic. In 2022, they moved to a new location – still in Brussels – and still dedicated to maintaining a presence in Brussels bars, which is important to their local identity While Brasserie de la Senne has 38 active beers, the focus is on the core year-round beers, of which there are seven – each organic.
The Seven Core Beers
Taras Boulba is the most critically acclaimed of De La Senne’s beers. It is basically a hoppy pale ale that is described as a noble hop session beer. At 4.5% ABV, is truly a great table beer.
Zinnebier is the “Brussels People’s Beer.” It is a 5.8% pale ale.
Zenne Pils is an unfiltered, unpasteurized craft lager of 4.9% ABV.
Jambe-du-Bois Belgian Revolution Tripel is fruity, spicy and dry with a dangerous 8.0% alcohol.
Stouterik is a roasty and smooth stout in the Irish style. It has notes of coffee and chocolate with a refreshing bitterness. 5.0% ABV.
Brusseleir is a smooth and flavorful dark IPA with notes of coffee, caramel and dark chocolate. It finishes dry and bitter with alcohol of 8.0%.
Bruxellensis is a pale ale that is blended with a local wild Brettanomyces yeast (Cantillon) beer to create a unique offering that is hoppy and complex with fruit notes. It is dry, tart and distinctively bitter and comes in at 6.5% ABV.
Bruz Brussels Table Beer
Brussels Table Beer was inspired by De La Senne’s Taras Boulba. It pours a lightly hazy medium golden color with a big dense white head. Floral and grassy hops come through in the aroma, along with a light graininess and earthiness. On the palate, the hops are beautifully balanced. Light grains and a pleasant fruitiness complement the hops. The overall mouthfeel can be described as crisp. It is light-bodied and dry with prominent carbonation and a bitter finish. Brussels Table Beer is clean, refreshing and very drinkable. At 5.0% alcohol, you can certainly enjoy more than one!
