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Belgian Beer

Although small, Belgium has an surprisingly wide range of breweries and beer styles.

Belgian beer styles vary from the popular pale lager and White beer to the esoteric appeal of Lambic beer and Flemish red. Belgium’s rich brewing history dates back to the Middle Ages, when monasteries began producing beer. Belgian beer production was assisted by the 1919 Belgian "Vandervelde Act" that prohibited the sale of spirits in pubs, inducing the market to produce beers with a higher level of alcohol. The act was lifted in 1983.

Although beer production in Belgium is now dominated by two major brewers, there are approximately 125 breweries in the country, producing about 500 standard beers. When special one-off beers are included, the total number of brands of Belgian beer exceeds 1000.