Marcel is Calling!
Recently, at the Belgian Import Festival hosted by Bruz Beers, I remember looking out on the festival and seeing a large inflatable of the Achouffe gnome, Marcel. Tasting Achouffe’s beers on a perfect early summer day reminded me just how great they are. The last time I had had that many Achouffe beers to taste was at their brewery in Belgium.
The Valley of the Fairies
Back in 1982, in a tiny brewery in the heart of the Vallée des Fées (“Valley of the Fairies”), two brothers-in-law, Pierre Gobron and Chris Bauweraerts, produced the first batch of what is now known as La Chouffe beer. Having started out home brewing, they bought the old farm where they had started brewing and began to grow the enterprise. Both Chris and Pierre eventually went all-in, calling the brewery Brasserie d’Achouffe. “Chouffe” actually doesn’t mean anything – it was a made-up word thrown out by a friend and it caught on with Pierre and Chris. Achouffe is also the name of the nearby village.
By 1992, Brasserie d’Achouffe was brewing 5,000 hectoliters of La Chouffe and McChouffe a year and they invested in a new 70-hectoliter brewhouse to further increase their capacity. Since those days the Achouffe brand has exploded worldwide and in 2006, Duvel-Moortgat purchased the brewery increasing both capacity and distribution. Today, Brasserie d’Achouffe produces over 120,000 hectoliters of beer a year.
The Achouffe Gnomes
Malcolm and Marcel
Back in the early days, many Belgian beers featured chubby monks on their labels, even if they weren’t religiously affiliated. Chris and Pierre wanted something a bit more friendly and fun and, after seeing a painting of a gnome at an auction, decided to feature gnomes on their labels. There are several different gnomes. Marcel is on the La Chouffe label, and is the ringleader. Malcolm is on the McChouffe label. Matthew is on the IPA label and Micheline graces Cherry Chouffe. These gnomes appear on the other beers in the product line, as well.
Achouffe Beers
Brasserie d’Achouffe currently make eight beers:
La Chouffe is the flagship beer – a strong (8.0%), lightly hopped golden ale with a citrusy brightness and a touch of coriander (on the advice of Pierre Celis). This is Marcel’s favorite beer and accounts for most of Achouffe’s production.
McChouffe is a Belgian-style Scotch Ale; a smooth malty beer with notes of caramel, licorice, pear and a touch of bitterness. It comes in at 8.0% ABV. This is Malcolm the Gnome’s beer.
Chouffe IPA is Matthew the Gnome’s beer. At 9.0%, it is strong, bitter and fruity with grapefruit flavors. Its substantial bitterness comes from a combination of Tomahawk, Saaz and Amarillo hops.
Chouffe Cherry is Gnome Micheline’s beer – an 8.0% cherry version of La Chouffe with sweet cherries out front and notes of almonds, spices and port wine in the background.
Chouffe Lite 4% is a light blond ale, slightly cloudy, flavorful and refreshing. At 4.0% ABV, it is lighter than La Chouffe and highly drinkable.
N’ice Chouffe is a dark winter beer that comes in at 10% alcohol. Slightly hoppy, the beer is brewed with thyme, curacao, and orange peel. A perfect fireside beer!
Chouffe Bok is an autumn seasonal brew that is a tribute to the Netherlands. Its 6.66% alcohol gives it body and its fresh and fruity character make it memorable. Best drunk from the end of September through the fall.
McChouffe is a brown ale in the tradition of Scotch ales. Malt, caramel, licorice and fruit flavors blend harmoniously. At 8.0% ABV, it is rich, strong and complex.
Chouffe Alcohol Free has the famous flavors of La Chouffe, only without the alcohol.
Cycling in the Ardennes
If you are a cyclist, you know that cycling is a national passion in Belgium. The Ardennes mountains near Achouffe provide hundreds of cycling trails. The prestigious Mountain Bike World Cup is held there and attracts some 450 competitors and up to 20,000 spectators.
On our last tour of Belgium, our group rode up the mountain to a meadow where two large hand-carved wooden gnomes (Marcel and Malcolm) stand pointing toward the brewery. We couldn’t resist joining them.
