Revision as of 13:01, 30 July 2014

History

Cantillon's Zwanze series of beers and events began in 2008 with a bottling of a special lambic with rhubarb added. Since then, Cantillon brewer Jean Van Roy has used his Zwanze series of beers and the celebration days (since 2011) associated with them to bring lambic enthusiasts together around the world. Cantillon's website notes that the word zwanze in the Brussels dialect refers to a semi-sarcastic style of humor. That sense of humor is often reflected in the experimental nature of the beers, which are not always the most traditional of lambics. In the Flemish dialect, the verb zwanzen means to joke or to kid, and this has been reflected in some of the stories associated with the Zwanze beers over time.

Zwanze Day 2008

2008 marked the first official year for naming a beer Zwanze. Zwanze 2008, a lambic with rhubarb added, did not have an official day associated with it, but the beer itself was released both across Europe and North America.

Locations

There was no official release day or party for Zwanze 2008.

Zwanze Day 2009

Much like Zwanze 2008, Zwanze 2009 did not have an official release date and was quietly distributed to bars, restaurants, and festivals around the world. Zwanze 2009 is a lambic with elder flowers added. In 2010 it would become Mamouche, a regular addition to Cantillon's lineup.

Locations

There was no official release day or party for Zwanze 2009.

Zwanze Day 2010

As in the previous two years, Zwanze 2010 did not have an official release date and was distributed to bars, restaurants, and festivals around the world. Later, it was available for sale through some online Belgian beer shops. Zwanze 2010 is the first non-traditional/non-lambic beers of the series. It is a spontaneously fermented witbier.

Locations

There was no official release day or party for Zwanze 2010.

Zwanze Day 2011

Zwanze 2011 marked the first major change in the Zwanze Day tradition. Starting with Zwanze 2011, a lambic with Pineau D'aunis grapes added, a simultaneous worldwide release party and tapping would happen on Saturday September 17, 2011. As a reaction to the commoditization of previous Zwanze beers, the brewery decided to not sell any bottles of Zwanze 2011 and instead release it at a worldwide party.

The press release for Zwanze 2011 stated: "In keeping with our approach to brewing and selling beer, as well as out of respect for the product and the attitude implied with the name Zwanze, we don't want these vintages to become marketing tools designed exclusively to make a few bucks. A case in point: Zwanze 2010 was bottled with numbered stickers, and after one bottle had been sold at the brewery for 6 euros another one ended up on eBay less than a week later with a price tag of 80 euros. Because of my dedication to my work as a brewer and out of respect for the product itself, it is very important to me for prices to stay reasonable. Unfortunately, there are those out there who couldn't care less about spontaneous fermentation beer but who do care a lot about making easy money. For this reason, it has been decided that not a single bottle of Zwanze 2011 will be sold by Cantillon Brewery"

Zwanze 2011 was also the first beer of the series to have the majority of the product placed into kegs for on-site consumption. Approximately 2/3 of the Zwanze production for 2011 was put into barrels, whereas previous years had nearly 80% of the production go into bottles.

Locations

America - USA:

• Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia, PA
• Spuyten Duyvil, New York, New York
• Lord Hobo, Boston, MA
• Novare Res, Portland, ME
• Churchkey, Washington, DC
• West Lakeview Liquors, Chicago, IL
• The Avenue Pub, New Orleans, LA
• Holy Grale, Louisville, KY
• Russian Rover, Santa Rosa, CA
• Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA

America - Canada:

• Dieu du Ciel, Montreal, QC

Europe:

• Moeder Lambic Fontainas, Brussels, Belgium
• Moeder Lambic Saint-Gilles, Brussels, Belgium
• La Cave à Bulles, Paris, France
• La Gardette - Les Vins Contés, Fougères sur Bièvre, France
• Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fà, Rome, Italy
• The Dome, Bergamo, Italy
• Sherwood Pub, Nicorvo, Italy
• Pikkulitu, Helsinki, Finland
• Olbutikken, Copenhagen, Denmark (NEEDS LINKED TO WIKI)
• Akkurat, Stockholm, Sweden

Asia

• Dolphin's, Osaka, Japan

Zwanze Day 2012

Zwanze Day 2012 took the same basic form as Zwanze Day 2011 with a worldwide tapping and toast to the beer on December 1, 2012 . Zwanze 2012 was a re-brew of Zwanze 2008, a lambic with Rhubarb added. It was available mostly on draught with a limited number of bottles being made available at the brewery for on premises. consumption. The beer that was served for Zwanze Day 2012 was not what had originally been intended for the day. The press release noted: "When in early April we brewed a top-fermentation beer which was to become Zwanze 2012, we hoped that it would be ready 3 or 4 months later so that we could organise another Zwanze Day sometime in September. However, since we are working in the very specific environment of traditional Lambic brewery where natural yeast flora reign supreme, even a top-fermented beer can take control of its own destiny. As such, on the occasion of a final tasting session at the end of June it became crystal-clear that the Zwanze 2012 would not be ready in time and that it would, we hope, become Zwanze 2013."

Locations

America - USA:

• Armsbye Abbey, Worcester, MA
• Avenue Pub, New Orleans, LA
• Churchkey, Washington, DC
• Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar, Denver, CO
• Holy Grale, Louisville, KY
• Hop and Vine, Portland, OR
• Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia, PA
• Novare Res, Portland, ME
• REAL a gastropub, Honolulu, HI
• Redlight Redlight, Orlando, FL
• Spuyten, Duyvil, Brooklyn, NY
• The Foundry, Kansas City, MO
• The Trappist, Oakland, CA
• Toronado, San Diego, CA
• West Lakeview Liquors, Chicago, IL

America - Canada:

• Dieu du Ciel, Montreal, QC.

Europe:

• Moeder Lambic Fontainas, Brussels, Belgium
• Moeder Lambic Saint-Gilles, Brussels, Belgium
• Mi-Orge Mi-Houblon, Arlon, Belgium
• La Fine Mousse, Paris, France
• La Capsule, Lille, France
• The Earl of Essex, London, England
• Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fà, Rome, Italy
• The Dome, Bergamo, Italy
• Sherwood Pub, Nicorvo, Italy
• The Drunken Duck, Quinto Vicentino, Italy
• Ristopub Margherita, Quartu San'Elena, Italy
• Nøgne Ø, Grimstad, Norway
• Pikkulitu, Helsinki, Finland
• Olbutikken, Copenhagen, Denmark (NEEDS LINKED TO WIKI)
• De Bierkoning, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Akkurat, Stockholm, Sweden
• Masia Agullons, Sant Joan de Mediona, Spain

Asia:

• Embassy of Belgium, Tokyo, Japan

Zwanze Day 2013

As in the previous two years, Zwanze Day 2013 was structured as worldwide release party and toast on September 14, 2013. [[Cantillon_Zwanze_2013|Zwanze 2013's) beer represented the second departure from a traditional lambic for the event. The beer was an Abbey-style ale with lambic blended into it. It was available mostly on draught with a limited number of bottles being made available at the brewery for on premises. Zwanze Day also marked the debut of another new beer from Cantillon at some participating locations, Iris Grand Cru.

Locations

America - USA:

• Alewife Queens, Long Island City, New York
• Armsby Abbey, Worcester, MA
• Avenue Pub, New Orleans, LA
• Beachwood BBQ, Seal Beach, CA
• Birch Bar, Norfolk, VA
• Brouwer's Cafe, Seattle WA
• Churchkey, Washington, DC
• Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar, Denver, CO
• Hill Farmstead Brewery, Greensboro, VT
• Holy Grale, Louisville, KY
• Hop & Vine, Portland, OR
• Jester King Brewery, Austin, TX
• Lord Hobo, Cambridge, MA
• Mikkeller Bar SF, San Francisco, CA
• Monk's Cafe, Philadelphia, PA
• Novare Res, Portland, ME
• REAL a Gastropub, Honolulu, HI
• Redlight Redlight, Orlando, FL
• Russian River Brewing, Santa Rosa, CA
• Spuyten Duyvil, Brooklyn, NY
• Stone Bistro & Gardens, Escondido, CA
• West Lakeview Liquores, Chicago, IL

America - Canada:

• Dieu du Ciel, Montreal, QC
• Alibi Room, Vancouver, BC
• barVolo, Toronto, ON

Europe:

• Moeder Lambic Fontainas, Brussels, Belgium
• Moeder Lambic Saint-Gilles, Brussels, Belgium
• Mi-Orge Mi-Houblon, Arlon, Belgium
• La Fine Mousse, Paris, France
• La Capsule, Lille, France
• The Earl of Essex, London, England
• Six North, Aberdeen, Scotland
• Ma Che Siete Venuti A Fà, Rome, Italy
• The Dome, Bergamo, Italy
• Sherwood Pub, Nicorvo, Italy
• The Drunken Duck, Quinto Vicentino, Italy
• Ottavonao, Atripalda, Italy
• Ristopub Margherita, Quartu San'Elena, Italy
• Nøgne Ø, Grimstad, Norway
• Pikkulitu, Helsinki, Finland
• Olbutikken, Copenhagen, Denmark (NEEDS LINKED TO WIKI)
• De Bierkoning, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Akkurat, Stockholm, Sweden
• Masia Agullons, Sant Joan de Mediona, Spain
• Erzbierschof, Liebefeld, Switzerland

Asia:

• TV Asahi Umi, Tokyo, Japan