453: Gert Christiaens of Oud Beersel Is Preserving Oude Gueuze Heritage by Building New Flavor Bridges

Gert Christiaens loved the beers of Oud Beersel so much that he couldn’t abide the brewery closing in 2003. So, he bought the brewery, learned to brew, and for the past 20 years has focused on preserving the legacy of traditional oude gueuze and kriek. But that mission to preserve doesn’t mean sealing beers in a time capsule. Instead, it involves finding new ways to make these classic styles relevant to drinkers wherever they may be—from the Senne Valley to South America.

In this episode, Christiaens discusses:

• learning how to produce beer in order to continue the lambic and gueuze tradition
• the challeges of producing oude kriek with Schaerbeekse cherries
• the four main phases of lambic fermentation
• micro-oxygenation through wood-aging
• the impact of wood and barrel types on culture
• centering blends with refined components
• incorporating interesting and localized ingredients such as Chilean peppers and Japanese bamboo leaf as bridges between cultures
• protecting the definition of oude gueuze and oude kriek

And more.

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