Gueuzerie Tilquin

Website : http://www.gueuzerietilquin.be/

Phone: +32 (0) 472 91 82 91

Address: Chaussée Maieur Habils 110 Rebecq-Rognon, 1430

Overview

Founded by Pierre Tilquin in early 2009, Gueuzerie Tilquin is a blendery located in Bierghes, a town approximately 30 kilometers south-east of Brussels. Tilquin is the only lambic blender in the French-speaking, southern region of Wallonia. It opened its doors to the public in the summer of 2011.

History

Gueuzerie Tilquin is the first new lambic blendery to open its doors in nearly 15 years. After beginning to compile lambic throughout 2009, owner Pierre Tilquin, who holds a PhD in statistics and genetics, opened his blendery to the public for the first time on the weekend of May 28th, 2011, introducing two new lambic blends, Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L'Ancienne and Gueuze Tilquin (Draught Version).

Tilquin produces blends of one, two, and three-year-old lambics with wort acquired from Boon, Lindemans, Girardin, and Cantillon for the Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L'Ancienne.^[1] While the first 2010-2011 labeled release of Oude Gueuze was reportedly a blend of just one and two-year-old lambics, all subsequent batches have been blends of one, two, and three-year-old lambics. The first known bottling of the gueuze occurred in December 2010 and was labelled as "1ier soutirage" (english: first racking). Tilquin has consistently produced lambic blends in 750ml and 375ml bottles for export every year since its opening.

In 2011, Tilquin also introduced its first fruited lambic with the release of a very limited batch of Oude Quetsche Tilquin à L'Ancienne in 750ml bottles. The initial batch was limited to purchases at the brewery, but a second batch produced in January 2013 saw widespread release in Europe and North America later the same year. It was debuted to coincide with the 2013 Toer de Geuze.

In 2012, Gueuzerie Tilquin joined the High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers (HORAL).^[2] Tilquin is the first HORAL member outside of Flanders and lies just 200 meters past the language border in French-speaking Rebecq.

In March 2015, the Belgian daily newspaper La Capitale reported that 75% of Gueuzerie Tilquin's production was reserved for export with 40% of that being sent solely to the United States.^[3] Tilquin also participated in the 10th Anniversary Toer de Geuze in 2015. The weekend also saw the release of Tilquin's second fruited lambic, Oude Mûre Tilquin à l'Ancienne, a lambic fruited with blackberries. In addition to the Toer de Geuze, Tilquin also hosted an English beer festival.

In 2015, Tilquin also received a batch of wort from Timmermans that is now aging.