Chatting and Drinking with the Fourth-Generation Brewer of Cantillon

🍷Visited Cantillon with family, a historic brewery located in Brussels, Belgium, established in 1900, renowned for producing traditional Lambic beer and a pilgrimage site for sour beer enthusiasts worldwide. 🍷Lambic beer is a type of beer brewed through spontaneous fermentation. Cantillon uses the traditional open-cooling vessel (coolship), allowing wild yeast and bacteria from the air to naturally enter the wort for fermentation. Brussels and the surrounding Senne River valley are famous for their rich wild microorganisms in the air, which are crucial for brewing Lambic. 🍷I had an appointment with the head of Cantillon, Jean Van Roy, who is the fourth-generation brewer in the family since its founding. When we met, he was busy with the staff in the brewery. I thought we’d only have time for a quick ten-minute chat and a few questions, but we ended up talking for nearly an hour at the brewery’s bar, where Jean shared three bottles of wild fermentation beer with us. 🍷Jean shared the story of Cantillon, its highs and lows over the years, and its unwavering commitment and philosophy. It’s not just a brewery but a cultural symbol. In my conversation with Jean, I heard a philosophy of respecting nature, befriending time, honoring tradition, and maintaining independence and freedom, preserving a taste of history for people in this rapidly industrializing era. 🍷As we were leaving, I managed to snap a photo of Jean riding his bike to run errands. He said that protecting the natural environment and choosing low-carbon transportation is not about judging others or just talking about it; it’s about practicing what he and his team preach. #Lambic #Cantillon #BelgianSourBeer #BrusselsBelgium #BreweryTour #SpontaneousFermentation #WildFermentationBeer #PreservingTraditionalCraftsmanship