Five Generations of Brewing Excellence

Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste is located in Bellegem, in the Kortrijk region of West Flanders. The brewery started in 1892 when Remi Vander Ghinste bought a house and adjacent brewery for his son Omer. Their first beer was Ouden Tripel, later called Bellegems Bruin. It is still made today under the name Vander Ghinste Roodbruin (formerly Oud Bruin).

The brewery has been family run since its inception and, since brands were not well-established back in 1892, Omer Vander Ghinste named the brewery after himself. One way they promoted the beer back then was to provide pubs with stained-glass windows. Because these windows were too expensive to change out with each subsequent generation, the first-born son of each generation was named Omer. The brewery is currently owned and run by fifth-generation Omer Jean Vander Ghinste.

A Broad Range of Beers

Vander Ghinste makes very high-quality beers using traditional methods and their product line includes a range of beer styles ranging from the namesake Omer Traditional Blond to Pilsners, Abbey-style beers and Sour ales. They include:

Vander Ghinste Roodbruin (Red-Brown) – Omer’s original beer, in the Flanders style. It is an amazingly complex and balanced sour beer with alcohol of 5.5%.

Omer Traditional Blond – With 8.0% alcohol, it is slightly stronger than many Blond ales, with clean flavors and a smooth mouthfeel.

Bockor – A popular Belgian-style Pilsner. 5.2% alcohol.

Ypra – A 6.0% ABV hoppy Blond Ale.

Cuvee des Jacobins Gueuze – A Lambic-style beer, spontaneously fermented and aged in fouders for 18 months. 5.5% alcohol.

Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge – A Lambic style beer with cherries. 5.5% alcohol.

Cuvee des Jacobins Prestige – Blended from select fouders of spontaneously fermented sour beers. 7.6 % ABV.

Bellegems Wit – Blanche – A very traditional Witbier made from wheat and barley, slightly hazy, with a soft mouthfeel. 5.0% ABV.

Kriek Max, Rosé Max and Rouge Max – 3.5%, 4.5% and 8.0% respectively. These are blends of top-fermented and sour Jacobins beer. The Kriek is flavored with cherries, the Rosé is a wheat beer flavored with red fruits, and the Rouge Max is a blend of top-fermented ale and Jacobins fouder-aged sour beer.

Brut Nature is a stylish champagne-style beer with 7.0% alcohol.

Blauw (Blue) Export – A Dortmunder-style export beer. 5.2% ABV.

Le Fort is an Abbey-style dark strong ale that is rich, malty and complex, with 10% alcohol.

Tripel Le Fort is an Abbey-style Tripel that is fruity and complex at 8.8% ABV.

Tradition, Innovation, Quality

With such an extensive lineup of fine beers, Omer Vander Ghinste brews some of Belgium’s finest styles of beers with traditional methods, modern innovation and exceptional quality. These fine examples of the brewer’s art are not to be missed.

Santé!

L to R: Josh Martin, Dave Olson, Charlie Gottenkieny, Omer Jean Vander Ghinste, Ryan Evans