A visit to Cantillon Brewery

 

A short walk northwards from the architectural monstrosity that is Brussels South/Midi/Zuid station, ignoring the pickpockets, beggars and other North African flotsam that infest the Anderlecht municipality of Brussels, one arrives at the historic Cantillon Brewery and museum which was undergoing an enlargement of the premise on my visit. Luckily it was open for self-guided tours for €8 per person with a booklet and tasting of 3 of their beers

Above and below: the mash tun

Up a floor to the grist mill

Below: the copper

Upstairs again to the coolship, wide flat-bottomed vessels to allow cooling of the wort

Barrels for primary fermentation

The bar at the end of the tour

Cantillon Iris, brewed entirely with Pale Malt (Lambics usually have a percentage of wheat malt, around 35%), aged for two years in barrels and dry-hopped with both fresh and aged Hallertau hops, then cold-hopped with Saaz

Lambics are not to everyone's taste but I enjoy them, far more sour than the kettle-sours of craft breweries. I could have stayed longer at Cantillon but my Deutsche-Bahn train was waiting to take me across the border into Germany

Best Beers in Wales 2023

 Time for the annual run-down of the best beers in Wales, a month late this year due to visiting Bamberg!

Before I start, at a guess Tiny Rebel and Polly's will be in the lead? Let's see, as recorded by various on-line sites

As in traditional, we begin with Ratebeer

1        Polly's Brew Spectrum QIPA IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                 13.0%        

2        Polly's Brew Fallow Plans IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)            8.2% 

3        Tiny Rebel Imperial Puft Porter - Imperial Flavored             9.0% 

4        Loka Polly Souvenirs IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)                6.8% 

5        Polly's Brew Farrago IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)                6.7% 

6        Polly's Brew DDH Rosa IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                10.0%         

7        Polly's Brew DDH Oh My IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)    17      8.5% 

8        Polly's Brew Finding Dark Magic Stout - Extra / Foreign / Tropical                   7.0%           

9        Polly's Brew Lo-Fi IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)     8.0% 

10      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Chocolate Porter - Imperial Flavoured              9.0%           

11      Loka Polly Rosa IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)        62      8.5%  3.76  

12      Polly's Brew DDH Pines IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                10.0%                   

13      Polly's Brew This Never Happened IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                 13.0%                  

14      Polly's Brew Livewire IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)               6.7% 

15      Tiny Rebel / Siren Dark Cherry & Chocolate Barley Wine Barley Wine / Wheat Wine / Rye Wine              11.0%        

16      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Praline Porter - Imperial Flavored            9.0% 

17      Polly’s Brew Every Piece Matters IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)               6.7%           

18      Polly's Brew Fickle IPA 6.8%           

19      Loka Polly Double IPA Mosaic Simcoe IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA                  8.2%           

20      Polly's Brew Rock The Bit IPA        6.4% 

21      Polly's Brew Ghost Voices IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)           8.2%           

22      Polly's Brew What Did You Feel IPA IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)           6.8%           

23      Polly's Brew Avery IPA - Black / Brown / Cascadian Dark              7.2%           

24      Polly's Brew B-Side: Rosa IPA - Black / Brown / Cascadian Dark            8.5% 

25      Polly's Brew Double IPA Azacca Mosaic IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                    7.8% 

26      Polly's Brew Mylar IPA           6.3%           

27      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Irish Cream Porter - Imperial Flavored              9.0%           

28      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Espresso Martini Porter - Imperial Flavored               9.0%           

29      Loka Polly Spur IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)              7.2%           

30      Tiny Rebel Stay Out Porter - Imperial Flavored           18.0%                  

31      Tiny Rebel Dooms Night Stout - Imperial           11.5%                  

32      Polly's Brew Nada IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)              8.0% 

33      Polly's Brew Naive Melody IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)           8.2%           

34      Tiny Rebel Wood Aged Belgian Birthday Cake Belgian Ale - Strong Dark                  11.0%                  

35      Polly's Brew Wave Mix IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                 7.8% 

36      Polly's Brew Discount Jazz Hour IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)           8.0% 

37      Polly's Brew Cahb IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA            8.0% 

38      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Imperial Salted Caramel Porter - Imperial Flavored                 9.0%           

39      Tiny Rebel Stay Puft Amplified Imperial Porter - Imperial Flavoured               12.8%         

40      Tiny Rebel 10 For 10 Porter - Flavored               10.0%                  

41      Tiny Rebel Double 99 Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry      9.9% 

42      Polly's Brew India Pale Ale Simcoe Mosaic IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)                  6.5%           

43      Tiny Rebel / Deya NEIPA IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)                   6.8%           

44      Polly's Brew India Pale Ale El Dorado Deluxe Edition IPA             7.0%           

45      Loka Polly Petal IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)    7.0%           

46      Polly's Brew DDH Spur IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double Hazy (NEIPA)                 10.0%                   

47      Polly's Brew Surface Edition IPA              7.0% 

48      Tiny Rebel Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive and Dulce Stout - Imperial Flavored / Pastry                11.0%                  

49      Polly's Brew An Original Mix IPA - Hazy / New England (NEIPA)             6.4%           

50      Polly's Brew DDH Patternist IIPA DIPA - Imperial / Double IPA               10.0%

Top places to buy or drink beer in Wales according to Ratebeer are:

1. Tiny Rebel Cardiff (91)
2. BrewDog Cardiff (87)
3. City Arms (Brains) (84)
4. Tiny Rebel Newport (83)
5. Fire & Ice (81)
6. Clytha Arms (80)
7. Stori Beer & Wine (79)
8. Albion Ale House (79)
9. Vinomondo (79)
10. Discount Supermarket (77)     

Over to my favourite beer app, Untappd

NB, a beer must have 150 ratings or more to appear on this list:

1. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Spur IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
2. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Pines IPA - Triple New England / Hazy
3. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Patternist IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
4. Polly's Brew Co. Birthday Beer IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
5. Polly's Brew Co. Five Years IPA - Quadruple 13.2% ABV
6. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Every Piece Matters IPA - Triple 10% ABV
7. Polly's Brew Co. Positively Unattached I PA - Triple New England / Hazy
8. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Rosa IPA - Triple 10% ABV
9. Polly's Brew Co. Deep Fake IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
10. Polly's Brew Co. 58 BPM 8% ABV
11. Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum QIPA IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
12. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Super Hero Landing Stout - Imperial / Double Milk 13% ABV
13. Polly's Brew Co. This Never Happened IPA - Quadruple 13% ABV
14. Polly's Brew Co. DDH Oh My… IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5% ABV
15. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Salted Caramel Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
16. Polly's Brew Co. Nada IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
17. Polly's Brew Co. Everything We Dream Of IPA - Imperial / Double 8.7% ABV
18. Polly's Brew Co. Quinquennium Stout - Imperial / Double. Whisky Sherry Cask Imperial Stout 13.2%
19. Polly's Brew Co. Good Nature IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 7.8% ABV
20. Polly's Brew Co. Acapella IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
21. Polly's Brew Co. Fallow Plans IPA - Imperial / Double 8.2% ABV
22. Polly's Brew Co. Keeler IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.5%
23. Polly's Brew Co. A Fleeting Sound IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 11%
24. Polly's Brew Co. Ghost Voices 8.2% ABV
25. Polly's Brew Co. Controversy Between Deep IPA - Triple 10% ABV
26. Polly's Brew Co. Cahb IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
27. Polly's Brew Co. Lo-Fi IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
28. Polly's Brew Co. The New Renassaince IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
29. Polly's Brew Co. Spur IPA - New England / Hazy  7.2% ABV
30. Polly's Brew Co. Chameleon IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
31. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Imperial Chocolate Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 9% ABV
32. Polly's Brew Co. Amateur Dance IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.1% ABV
33. Polly's Brew Co. Floating Through the Surface IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.3% ABV
34. Polly's Brew Co. Wallow IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%
35. Polly's Brew Co. Does It Matter How Far? IPA - New England / Hazy 7.2%
36. Polly's Brew Co. Spectrum TIPA IPA - Triple New England / Hazy 10% ABV
37. Polly's Brew Co. Rosa IPA - Imperial / Double 8.5% ABV
38. Polly's Brew Co. Circadian Rhythm IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
39. Polly's Brew Co. The Feels Vol. 3 IPA - Milkshake 6.2%
40. Polly's Brew Co. Every Piece Matters IPA - New England / Hazy 6.7% ABV
41. Polly's Brew Co. Retrorenegade IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.9% ABV
42. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co Amplified Imperial Stay Puft Porter - Imperial / Double 12.8% ABV
43. Polly's Brew Co. Farrago IPA - American 6.7% ABV
44. Polly's Brew Co. Hi, Everything’s Great IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8% ABV
45. Polly's Brew Co. Mylar IPA - New England / Hazy 6.3% ABV
46. Polly's Brew Co. Naive Melody IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8.2% ABV
47. Polly's Brew Co. Dream Like Sequence IPA - Imperial / Double 8% ABV
48. Polly's Brew Co. Brand New Only IPA - American 7.2% ABV
49. Polly's Brew Co. Chinook Mosaic Double IPA IPA - Imperial / Double 8.6%
50. Polly's Brew Co. Jennasea IPA - Imperial / Double New England / Hazy 8%

      

Well, that's a resounding success for Polly's from Mold in Flintshire   

The Untappd list of Top-Rated Breweries in Wales is:

1.  Polly's Brew Co. Mold, Flintshire
2. Black Cloak Brewing, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
3. Dog's Window Brewery, Nant-yr-adar, Bridgend
4. The Coach Brewing Co, Bridgend,
5.  Lucky 7 Beer Co, Hay on Wye, Powys
6. Wild Horse Brewing Co, Llandudno, Conwy
7. BeerRiff, Swansea,
8. Bragdy Mona Gaerwen, Isle of Anglesey
9. Wilderness Brewery, Newtown, Powys
10. Tenby Brewing Co, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
11. Flowerhorn Cardiff,
12. Tiny Rebel Brewing Co, Newport
13. Brew Monster, Caerphilly,
14. PIPES™Cardiff,
15. Grey Trees Brewery, Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taff
16. Lines Brew Co., Usk, Monmouthshire
17. Geipel BrewingLlangwm, Conwy
18.  Anglesey Brewhouse, Isle of Anglesey
19. Gwynt y Ddraig, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
20. Otley, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
21. Purple Moose Brewery (Bragdy Mŵs Piws) Porthmadog, Gwynedd
22.  Cwrw Cader Dolgellau, Gwynedd
23. Wye Valley Meadery Caldicot, Monmouthshire
24. Tinworks Brewing Co.Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
25. Mantle Cardigan, Ceredigion
26. Mad Dog Brewery Co, Cardiff,
27. Well Drawn Brewing Company, Caerphilly,
28. Cwrw Llŷn, Ffordd Dewi Sant, Gwynedd
29. Gower Brewery, Swansea
30. Tenby Harbwr Brewery, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
31. Glamorgan Brewing Co, Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf,
32. Bragdy Twt Lol / The Trefforest Brewery, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf
33. Cwrw Iâl Community Brewing Company, Eryrys, Denbighshire
34. Big Hand Brewing, Wrexham,
35. Hafod Brewing Company, Mold, Flintshire
36. Snowdon Craft Beer, Colwyn Bay, Conwy
37. Hallets, Mynedd Maen, Newbridge, Caerphilly
38. Magic Dragon Brewing, Wrexham,
39. Bragdy Lleu, Penygroes, Gwynedd
40. Lithic Brewing, Brynmenyn, Bridgend
41. Kingstone Brewery, Tintern, Monmouthshire
42. VOG Brewery, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan
43. Mumbles Brewery, Swansea,
44. Coles Family Brewers, Llanddarog, Carmarthenshire
45. Conwy Brewery, Llysfaen, Conwy
46.  Tomos & Lilford, Llandow, Vale of Glamorgan
47. Cold Black Label, Bridgend,
48. Gwaun Valley Brewery, Pontfaen, Pembrokeshire

 Over to Beer Advocate where the Welsh list is somewhat different to the others:

 

1        Hadouken Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. Imperial IPA | 7.40%     

2        Stay Puft Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Porter | 5.20%

3        Cali Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 5.60%               

4        Dark Side Of The Moose (Ochr Tywyll Y Mws) Purple Moose Brewery English Bitter | 4.60%        

5        Dutty Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

American Pale Ale | 4.20%    

6        Dirty Stop Out Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

Oatmeal Stout | 5.00% 

7        Clwb Tropica Tiny Rebel Brewing Co.

New England IPA | 5.50%      

8        Brains Dark English Dark Mild Ale | 3.50%        

9        Cwtch, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Amber / Red Ale | 4.60%      

10      Brains Bitter English Bitter | 3.70%         

11      The Full Nelson, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 4.80%    

12      FUBAR, Tiny Rebel Brewing Co. American Pale Ale | 4.40%        

13      Snowdonia Ale (Cwrw Eryri) Purple Moose Brewery English Pale Mild Ale | 3.60% 

14      Brains Craft Brewery Boilermaker English IPA | 6.50%                

15      Brains The Rev. James English Bitter | 4.50%            

16      Brains SA English Bitter | 4.20%    

17      Brains Black English Stout | 4.10%

18      Brains SA Gold English Pale Ale | 4.30%           

19      Brains Craft Brewery Barry Island IPAAmerican IPA | 6.00%       

20      Double Dragon Felinfoel Brewery Co.

The Untappd app copy, Pint Please, does not list best beers by country

No CAMRA awards for real ales brewed in Wales

Once again, beers from the Llandeilo Village Idiot failed to get a mention in any of the lists