Today in 1831, Belgium gained their Independence from the Netherlands.
Belgium
Belgium Breweries
- Abbaye de Leffe
- Abbaye Notre Dame du St Remy
- Alvinne Picobrouwerij
- Brasserie Artisanale de Rulles
- Brasserie Artisanale La Frasnoise
- Brasserie Augrenoise
- Brasserie Authentique
- Brasserie à Vapeur
- Brasserie Brootcoorens
- Brasserie Caulier
- Brasserie Cosse
- Brasserie D’Achouffe
- Brasserie de Bellevaux
- Brasserie d’Ecaussinnes
- Brasserie de Cazeau sprl
- Brasserie De L’Abbaye Des Rocs
- Brasserie de l’Abbaye Val-Dieu
- Brasserie de la Senne
- Brasserie des Géants
- Brasserie de Silly
- Brasserie des Legendes
- Brasserie de l’Abbaye de Scourmont
- Brasserie Domus
- Brasserie d’Orval
- Brasserie Dubuisson
- Brasserie Dupont
- Brasserie Fantôme
- Brasserie La Caracole
- Brasserie Lefebvre
- Brasserie Les 3 Fourquets
- Brasserie Piedboeuf
- Brasserie-Brouwerij Cantillon
- Brasserie de Blaugies
- Brasserie De Brunehaut
- Brasserie de l’Imprimerie
- Brasserie des Fagnes
- Brasserie De Silenrieux
- Brasserie du Bocq
- Brasserie La Binchoise
- Brasserie Saint-Monon
- Brasserie Ste Hélène
- Brasserie Val de Sambre
- Brennerei-Distillerie Radermacher
- Brewery Belle-Vue
- Brewery De Troch
- Brouwerij & Alcoholstokerij Wilderen
- Brouwerij Abdij der Trappisten van Westmalle
- Brouwerij Abdij Saint Sixtus
- Brouwerij Affligem
- Brouwerij Artois
- Brouwerij Bavik
- Brouwerij Bockor
- Brouwerij Boon
- Brouwerij Bosteels
- Brouwerij Contreras
- Brouwerij Corsendonk
- Brouwerij De Achelse Kluis
- Brouwerij De Bie
- Brouwerij De Block
- Brouwerij De Cock
- Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar
- Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers
- Brouwerij de Halve Maan
- Brouwerij De Ryck
- Brouwerijen Alken-Maes
- Brouwerij De Graal
- Brouwerij De Koninck
- Brouwerij De Ranke
- Brouwerij de Regenboog
- Brouwerij De Schuur
- Brouwerij Dilewyns
- Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat
- Brouwerij Haacht
- Brouwerij Het Anker
- Brouwerij Huyghe
- Brouwerij Kerkom
- Brouwerij Liefmans
- Brouwerij Lindemans
- Brouwerij Loterbol
- Brouwerij Lupus
- Brouwerij Malheur
- Brouwerij Maredsous
- Brouwerij Martens
- Brouwerij Martens Museum
- Brouwerij Mort Subite
- Brouwerij Oud Beersel
- Brouwerij Rodenbach
- Brouwerij Sint-Jozef
- Brouwerij Slaapmutske
- Brouwerij Slaghmuylder
- Brouwerij St. Bernard
- Brouwerij Sterkens
- Brouwerij St-Feuillien
- Brouwerij Strubbe
- Brouwerij The Musketeers
- Brouwerij Timmermans
- Brouwerij t’Gaverhopke
- Brouwerij Troch
- Brouwerij Van Den Bossche
- Brouwerij van Hoegaarden
- Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck NV
- Brouwerij Van Steenberge
- Brouwerij Verhaeghe
- Chimay
- Cuvee des Trolls
- De Leyerth Brouwerijen
- De Proef Brouwerij
- De Struise Brouwers
- Gentse Stadsbrouwerij
- Gueuzerie Tilquin
- Geuzestekerij De Cam
- Hanssens Artisanal
- Horal
- Huisbrouwerij ‘t Pakhuis
- Kasteel-Brouwerij Ter Doolen
- Kira
- La Brasserie Du Brabant
- Maes
- Microbrasserie Le Saint Sang
- Microbrouwerij Achilles
- Millevertus
- N.V. Palm Breweries S.A.
- N.V. Roman
- Owa Brewery sprl
- Scheldebrouwerij
- 3 Fonteinen Brouwerij Ambachtelijke Geuzestekerij
- ‘t Hofbrouwerijke
- Urthel
- Vedett
Belgium Brewery Guides
- Beer Advocate
- Beer Me; Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussel, Hainaut, Liège, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant, West-Vlaanderen
- Rate Beer
Other Guides
- CIA World Factbook
- Official Website
- U.S. Embassy
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia’s Beer and Breweries in Belgium
Guilds: Belgian Brewers Association; Brewers of Europe; European Brewery Convention
National Regulatory Agency: Bureau for Import and Export Licences and Agricultural Refunds (Bureau d’Intervention et de Restitution Belge)
Beverage Alcohol Labeling Requirements: EU Regulations on Ingredients and Allergens
Drunk Driving Laws: BAC 0.08%
- Full Name: Kingdom of Belgium
- Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands
- Government Type: Federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
- Language: Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official)
- Ethnic Groups: Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%
- Religion(s): Roman Catholic 75%, other (includes Protestant) 25%
- Capital: Brussels (Bruxelles)
- Population: 10,438,353; 82nd
- Area: 30,528 sq km, 141st
- Comparative Area: About the size of Maryland
- National Food: Moules-frites
- National Symbols: Lion (Leo Belgicus); Red poppy
- Affiliations: UN, EU, NATO
- Independence: From the Netherlands, when King Leopold I ascended to the throne, July 21, 1831 / A provisional government declared independence from the Netherlands, October 4, 1830
- Alcohol Legal: Yes
- Minimum Drinking Age: 16 (for beer & wine); 18 (for spirits) / Since 10 January 2010, it is illegal to “sell, serve, or offer” any form of distilled alcohol to those under the age of 18 or any alcoholic drink to those under 16. So fermented drinks like beer or wine are permitted above 16. Previously, it was illegal to sell alcoholic drinks to under-16s, but accompanying adults could buy drinks for them.
- BAC: 0.05%
- Number of Breweries: 151
- How to Say “Beer”: bier / bière / slang: pint (rhymes w/hint)
- How to Order a Beer: Un beer, ahls-yer-bleeft / Une bière, s’il vous plait
- How to Say “Cheers”: Gezondheid (huh-zohnd’-hayt) / Op uw gezonheid / Proost / Sante
- Toasting Etiquette: Wait to see if your host offers a toast before sipping your drink. The guest of honor may also give a toast. Women may offer a toast. It is polite to stand for a toast. Raising your glass and saying “Sante” is the typical toast. A toast is always made to the host or to the one who buys the drinks.
The Flemish raise their glasses twice during a toast. The glass is initially raised during the toast and then at the completion of the toast.
Alcohol Consumption By Type:
- Beer: 57%
- Wine: 37%
- Spirits: 6%
- Other: <1%
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita (in litres):
- Recorded: 9.77
- Unrecorded: 1.00
- Total: 10.77
- Beer: 5.49
WHO Alcohol Data:
- Per Capita Consumption: 9.8 litres
- Alcohol Consumption Trend: Stable
- Excise Taxes: Yes
- Minimum Age: 16
- Sales Restrictions: Time, places, specific events, intoxicated persons
- Advertising Restrictions: Some
- Sponsorship/Promotional Restrictions: No
Patterns of Drinking Score: 1
Prohibition: None
