The “World of Belgian Beer” opens its doors this Saturday in the old and impressive headquarters of the Stock Exchange. The aim is to make the place a tourist attraction in the Belgian capital.
Presenting the museum to the press, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close pointed out that another objective is to “support a major economic sector”.
In Belgium, a country with 11.5 million inhabitants, there are around 430 breweries which, according to the latest official data, create around 6,900 direct and a further 50,000 indirect jobs.
Furthermore, the Association of Belgian Brewers claims that 70% of total production is destined for export.
With the admission ticket to the museum, you can not only learn details about Belgian beer production, but also taste the drink on a specially designed terrace on the roof of the building.
The “Sky Bar” offers varieties of white or dark amber organic beer, not to mention triple-fermented pale pilsner, just a few of the 1,600 beers cataloged in Belgium.
Before reaching the tasting terrace, the museum looks back at the history of the drink, which originated in medieval Europe, recalling the basic ingredients and the multiple production techniques.
The most creative
The journey is supported by numerous touchscreens and even a “sensory experience”.
A dedicated room offers total immersion in a replica fermentation tank, creating bubbles on the walls like those created during the carbonation process of a drink.
“We have developed a leisure museum,” Charles Leclef, chairman of the autonomous municipal council responsible for managing the site, told AFP.
According to Leclef, “It’s not about promoting beer consumption, it’s more about showing that it’s part of our daily life in Belgium and finding a way to tell people about it.”
Leclef recalled that “we are far from the largest producer in the world, but we are the most creative due to its enormous variety, different flavors and complexity.”
However, the museum has already received criticism from small beer producers, who see the initiative as an advertising platform for big brands and large corporations.
Belgium is the headquarters of global market leader AB Inbev, whose iconic brands are represented at the exhibition.
“Obviously there were major financial contributions from the largest companies [del sector] But no brewery has a privileged location here,” said Leclef.
The Beer Museum is part of the complex renovation process of the historic and spectacular stock exchange building, which was vacated in 2014.