Lambic.info

HORAL: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
Matt (talk | contribs)
Protect
4,286 edits
mNo edit summary
 
(10 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 7: Line 7:


==Members==
==Members==
The board members of HORAL mainly consist of brewers and blenders along with other non-brewers.
The current members of HORAL are:


*Frank Boon, [[Brouwerij_Boon|Boon]], chairman
*[[Brouwerij_Boon|Brouwerij Boon]]
*Armand Debelder, [[Brouwerij_3_Fonteinen|3 Fonteinen]]  
*[[De_Cam_Geuzestekerij|De Cam]]
*Gert Christiaens, [[Brouwerij_Oud_Beersel|Oud Beersel]]
*[[Brouwerij_De_Troch|Brouwerij De Troch]]
*Joost De Four, [[De_Heeren_van_Liedekercke|De Heeren van Liedekercke]], treasurer
*[[Hanssens_Artisanaal_bvba|Hanssens]]
*Wim De Kelver, [[De_Lambikstoempers|De Lambiekstoempers]], secretary
*[[Brouwerij_Lindemans|Brouwerij Lindemans]]
*Paul Girardin, [[Brouwerij_Girardin|Girardin]]
*[[Brasserie_Mort_Subite|Mort Subite]]
*Karel Goddeau, [[De_Cam_Geuzestekerij|De Cam]]
*[[Brouwerij_Oud_Beersel|Oud Beersel]]
*Dirk Lindemans, [[Brouwerij_Lindemans|Lindemans]]
*[[Gueuzerie_Tilquin|Gueuzerie Tilquin]]
*Johan Madalijns, De Lambiekstoempers
*[[Brouwerij_Timmermans|Brouwerij Timmermans]]
*John Matthijs, [[Hanssens_Artisanaal_bvba|Hanssens]]
*[[Lambiek_Fabriek|Lambiek Fambriek]]
*Yves Panneels, The Gueuze Society, PR & communication
*[[Den_Herberg|Den Herberg]]
*Pauwel Raes, [[Brouwerij_De Troch|De Troch]]
*[[Brouwerij_Eylenbosch_(Kobbegem)|Brouwerij Eylenbosch]]
*Bruno Reinders, [[Brasserie_Mort_Subite|Mort Subite]]
*Brouwerij Kestemont
*Pierre Tilquin, [[Gueuzerie_Tilquin|Tilquin]]
 
*Jacques Van Cutsem, [[Brouwerij_Timmermans|Timmermans]]
In 2018, both [[Brouwerij_3_Fonteinen|3 Fonteinen]] and [[Brouwerij_Girardin|Girardin]] left the group.


==History==
==History==
In January of 1997, at the insistence of 3 Fonteinen's Armand Debelder, HORAL formally established themselves with its original members: 3 Fonteinen, Boon, De Cam (then owned by Willem Van Herreweghen), De Troch, Lindemans, and Timmermans. The impetus to creating the group, to promote and protect lambic beers in the face of continued decline, drove the HORAL members to organize the first [[Toer_de_Geuze|Toer de Geuze]] on October 19, 1997. Toer de Geuze has been held every other year since then, with the most recent being in 2015. The most recent addition to the council is Pierre Tilquin, owner and blender at Gueuzerie Tilquin, who joined in 2012.<ref name = HORALAssosciation> HORAL - Association, Members, and History, http://www.horal.be/vereniging (Dutch)</ref>  On April 2, 2015, Frank Boon took over the chairmanship of the organization replacing Armand Debelder.
In January of 1997, at the insistence of 3 Fonteinen's Armand Debelder, HORAL formally established themselves with its original members: 3 Fonteinen, Boon, De Cam (then owned by Willem Van Herreweghen), De Troch, Lindemans, and Timmermans. The impetus to creating the group, to promote and protect lambic beers in the face of continued decline, drove the HORAL members to organize the first [[Toer_de_Geuze|Toer de Geuze]] on October 19, 1997. Toer de Geuze has been held every other year since. The most recent addition to the council is Pierre Tilquin, owner and blender at Gueuzerie Tilquin, who joined in 2012.<ref name = HORALAssosciation> HORAL - Association, Members, and History, http://www.horal.be/vereniging (Dutch)</ref>  On April 2, 2015, Frank Boon took over the chairmanship of the organization replacing Armand Debelder. Four years later, on April 10, 2019, Gert Christiaens accepted the chairman role and is currently leading HORAL.
 
===Board Members===
*Gert Christiaens (Oud Beersel), chairman
*Joost De Four (De Heeren van Liedekercke), treasurer
*Wim De Kelver (De Lambiekstoempers), secretary
*Frank Boon (Boon)
*Karel Goddeau (De Oude Cam)
*Dirk Lindemans (Lindemans)
*Johan Madalijns (vzw De Lambiekstoempers)
*John Matthijs (Hanssens)
*Yves Panneels (vzw Het Geuzegenootschap)
*Pauwel Raes (De Troch)
*Bruno Reinders (Mort Subite)
*Pierre Tilquin (Tilquin)
*Thomas Vandelanotte (Timmermans)


==Lambic Academy==
==Lambic Academy==
On December 2, 2014 HORAL sponsored a seminar called the Lambic Academy in which participants could sign up to learn the basics about lambic from its history and ingredients to serving, smelling, and tasting lambic beers. Among the speakers were Armand De Belder of 3 Fonteinen.<Ref name=HORALAcademy> HORAL - Lambic Academy, http://horal.be/lambiek-academie (Dutch)</ref> On May 18, 2015, HORAL sponsored an English-language Lambic Academy.
On December 2, 2014 HORAL sponsored a seminar called the Lambic Academy in which participants could sign up to learn the basics about lambic from its history and ingredients to serving, smelling, and tasting lambic beers. Among the speakers were Armand De Belder of 3 Fonteinen.<Ref name=HORALAcademy> HORAL - Lambic Academy, http://horal.be/lambiek-academie (Dutch)</ref> On May 18, 2015, HORAL sponsored an English language Lambic Academy. The academy has been subsequently held at various times since its debut.
 
==The Lambic Award==
HORAL presents the Lambic Award to individuals who have influenced, promoted, and defended the interests of the traditional lambic beers. Recipients include:
*2011 Edgar Winderickx (Brewmaster, [[Brouwerij Winderickx]])
*2012 Hugo Casaer (Former mayor of Beersel)
*2013 Tim Webb (Beer author, [[Books#LambicLand: A Journey Round the Most Unusual Beers in the World|LambicLand]])
*2014 Stene Isacsson ([[Akkurat|Former Owner, Akkurat]])
*2015 Daisy Claeys (Former Owner, 't Brugs Beertje)
*2016 Dominiek Geers (Owner, Dranken Geers)
*2018 Arjaun (Folk music group)
*2020 Lambic.Info (Lambic information website)
*2021 Andy De Brouwer (Restaurant owner Les Eleveurs - Halle) & Yanick Dehandschutter (Restaurant owner Sir Kwinten - Lennik)


==HORAL's Stance on Legal Protection of Terms==
==HORAL's Stance on Legal Protection of Terms==
Line 35: Line 62:


==Critique of HORAL==
==Critique of HORAL==
Of the eleven brewers and blenders in HORAL, seven make at least one product on a regular basis that would not be considered traditional by some either due to production method or artificially sweetening. Of those seven brewers and blenders, five of them have commercial product portfolios consisting of 50% or more of sweetened lambics (calculated by brand name, not by output volume). This has led to questions of the legitimacy of HORAL as an organized body protecting traditional lambic.  If the group continues to recognize brewers and blenders whose product portfolios represent a majority of sweetened or "non-traditional" products, how can they be a champion maintaining the traditional standards to which they claim to aspire? This question has been addressed publicly on at least one occasion by notable non-HORAL member, Jean Van Roy of [[Brasserie_Cantillon|Cantillon]].<ref name = LambicSummit2010> Lambic Summit (Shelton Brothers), Jean Van Roy, 2010 </ref>
Of the nine brewers and blenders in HORAL, several make at least one product on a regular basis that would not be considered traditional by some either due to production method or artificially sweetening. Of those seven brewers and blenders, five of them have commercial product portfolios consisting of 50% or more of sweetened lambics (calculated by brand name, not by output volume). This has led to questions of the legitimacy of HORAL as an organized body protecting traditional lambic.  If the group continues to recognize brewers and blenders whose product portfolios represent a majority of sweetened or "non-traditional" products, how can they be a champion maintaining the traditional standards to which they claim to aspire? This question has been addressed publicly on at least one occasion by notable non-HORAL member, Jean Van Roy of [[Brasserie_Cantillon|Cantillon]].<ref name = LambicSummit2010> Lambic Summit (Shelton Brothers), Jean Van Roy, 2010 </ref>


Though it is true that many of the brewers and blenders under the HORAL umbrella do consistently produce sweetened or non-traditional lambics, all of them produce at least one "traditional" product, if not more. Thus, the strength of HORAL seems to lie in the maintenance of what is traditional vis-à-vis its relationship with the European Union while the members are free to pursue what is in their best interest as a business so long as there is at least a modicum of tradition in their overall product portfolio. Indeed, the HORAL website acknowledges these portfolios of sweetened or non-traditional beers under each brewery's page.  Additionally, Avermaete & Vandermosten write that recently "the TSG label has proved its role in safeguarding the identity of specific characteristics in brewing that are not in line with current measures on hygiene and food safety."<Ref name = Avermaete&Vandermosten /> At the very least, HORAL would seem a unifying voice for the preservation of the Belgian lambic community at large as political landscapes continue to change and potentially threaten various aspects of lambic production.
Though it is true that many of the brewers and blenders under the HORAL umbrella do consistently produce sweetened or non-traditional lambics, all of them produce at least one "traditional" product, if not more. Thus, the strength of HORAL seems to lie in the maintenance of what is traditional vis-à-vis its relationship with the European Union while the members are free to pursue what is in their best interest as a business so long as there is at least a modicum of tradition in their overall product portfolio. Indeed, the HORAL website acknowledges these portfolios of sweetened or non-traditional beers under each brewery's page.  Additionally, Avermaete & Vandermosten write that recently "the TSG label has proved its role in safeguarding the identity of specific characteristics in brewing that are not in line with current measures on hygiene and food safety."<Ref name = Avermaete&Vandermosten /> At the very least, HORAL would seem a unifying voice for the preservation of the Belgian lambic community at large as political landscapes continue to change and potentially threaten various aspects of lambic production.
Retrieved from "http://lambic.info/index.php/HORAL"