HORAL Oude Geuze Megablend Wins Gold at the Brussels Beer Challenge 2024

On Monday, the annual Brussels Beer Challenge Awards were presented at the Horeca Expo trade fair in Ghent. The HORAL Megablend 2024 was a notable winner and took home a gold medal. “This Oude Geuze was not made by an individual brewer or blender but is the result of close collaboration between 13 producers from the Pajottenland and the Senne Valley,” says Gert Christiaens, chairman of the High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers (HORAL).

“Sixteen years ago, the then HORAL members decided to make an Oude Geuze together on the popular open brewery event Toer de Geuze. It was such a great success that it has become a tradition, repeated every two years,” says Christiaens.

A few months ago, all board members supported the proposal to let the Megablend 2024 compete for a Brussels Beer Challenge award. This international beer competition has grown into one of the most important in the world in 12 years.

The Megablend shares the highest podium with the Oude Gueuze Cuvée René from the Lindemans brewery. The Oude Gueuze from Gueuzerie Tilquin won a silver medal. The bronze went to the Oude Geuze Devillé from the Den Herberg brewery in Buizingen and the Parrain Oude Geuze from Geuzestekerij Parrain in Beersel. Lindemans, Tilquin, and Den Herberg are all members of the High Council.

Gert Christiaens: “HORAL had never sent a Megablend to a competition before. To immediately win one of the highest prizes is, therefore, the greatest possible honor for a beer, which results from the excellence of the collaboration between different companies. Although we are competitors, it shows we have enough ‘common grounds’ within HORAL to work on great projects together. The Toer de Geuze weekend and the Megablend perfectly illustrate that positive vibe between colleagues.”

Co-operation

All HORAL members contributed to the Megablend 2024. Each producer supplied a certain amount of lambic, which former HORAL chairman Frank Boon used to make a beautiful, balanced blend. This Oude Geuze has a soft, fresh-sour taste and a fine effervescence.

HORAL introduced this ‘collaboration beer’ par excellence to the public earlier this year. The 2024 edition is already the ninth in the Megablend series. In total, 37,300 bottles of 75 cl were filled. The HORAL Oude Geuze Megablend 2024 is available from the participating producers and in specialist drinks stores. Here and there, a few bottles from previous editions are also still available.

The High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers (HORAL) was founded in 1997. The non-profit organisation unites the majority of lambic breweries and gueuze blenders in Flemish and Walloon Brabant. The association’s main objective is promoting and protecting artisanal lambic beers, particularly Oude Geuze and Oude Kriek. At present, 13 producers are members of the High Council: Boon, De Cam, De Troch, Den Herberg, Eylenbosch, Hanssens, Kestemont, Lambiek Fabriek, Lindemans, Mort Subite, Oud Beersel, Tilquin and Timmermans. Together, they account for over 90 percent of all lambic beers produced.
​www.horal.be

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