HORAL

The High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers (Dutch: Hoge Raad voor Ambachtelijke Lambiekbieren, HORAL) is a non-profit organisation that brings together the gueuze brewers and blenders of the Pajottenland and Zenne Valley in Belgium.[1][2]

Horal’s Oude Geuze Megablend

Goals

The stated goals of HORAL are:

  • To promote artisanal lambic beers and their derivates, with attention to the complete process from brewing process till serving.
  • To report irregularities with regard to artisanal lambic beers and their derivates.
  • To take the necessary steps to protect artisanal lambic beers and their derivates.[1]

History

In January of 1997, at the invitation of 3 Fonteinen's Armand Debelder, HORAL's founder members met in Beersel. HORAL was formally established with its original members: 3 Fonteinen, Boon, De Cam, De Troch, Lindemans, and Timmermans.[3]

The first Toer de Geuze was organised on October 19 1997, when HORAL's member producers decided to open their doors to the public. Since then the open brewery day has become a biennial event. Over the past two decades, the Toer de Geuze has effectively become the largest beer event of Flemish Brabant.[4][5]

Advertising the Toer de Gueze

HORAL successfully campaigned for the creation of a European Union "traditional specialities guaranteed" (TSG) designation for the names "lambic" and "gueuze".[6][7] This ensures that only products genuinely originating in the region are allowed to be identified as such in commerce.[8] In 2016 HORAL met with representatives of Jester King Brewery to discuss a disagreement over the Americans' use of the term Méthode Gueuze. It was agreed that the Texan brewers would in future use the designation Méthode Traditionnelle as a style name.[9][10]

HORAL's Megablend Oude Gueuze was first brought to the market in 2009. It is a blend of old and young lambics from HORAL's members. A gueuze enthusiast from Great Britain paid 300 EUR for the first bottle in 2015.[1][4]

In 2018 lambic producers Girardin and 3 Fonteinen left HORAL.[11] Werner Van Obberghen of 3 Fonteinen said: "We decided to leave HORAL because we could no longer agree with its current values.[5]

Member producers

References
  1. Horal.be. The High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers.
  2. Bezoek Bezoekerscentrum De Lambiek. HORAL.
  3. Lambic.info. HORAL.
  4. British Guild of Beer Writers. 20 YEARS OF TOER DE GEUZE.
  5. Het Laatste Nieuws. Lambic brewers launch the first bottle of Megablend 2019: The twelfth edition of Toer de Geuze takes place on 4 and 5 May. (in Dutch)
  6. Goodbeerhunting.com. Sour Times Ahead? — AB InBev Revives Belle Vue Selection Lambic.
  7. European Commission. Database of Origin and Registration.
  8. Johnson, Renée. "Geographical Indications (GIs) in U.S. Food and Agricultural Trade" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 2019-11-06.
  9. Food & Wine. Belgian Brewers Object to 'Methode Gueuze' Name on American Beers.
  10. The New York Times. American Beers With a Pungent Whiff of Place.
  11. Goodbeerhunting.com. 3 Fonteinen and Girardin Part Ways With Lambic-Focused Trade Group, HORAL.
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