An Evening of Rodenbach!
Wednesday Feb 26, 2020 7-9pm
In a world where there are close to 15,000 breweries, there are few breweries more unique, more iconic or with a history more fascinating than that of Brouwerij Rodenbach. Founded in 1821 by the four Rodenbach Brothers, Pedro, Alexander, Ferdinand and Constantin, all pivotal figures in the founding of an independent Belgian nation, the brewery is located in Roeselare in West Flanders.
Rodenbach can be said to be the ancestral home of sour beers aged in foeders. There are 294 foeders at the brewery, each holding 302 hectoliters or 8000 gallons. No brewery anywhere has close to that number of foeders. Managing the brewing of the base beer, the foeder aging and blending of Rodenbach beers is Rudi Ghequire. He’s been making magic at Rodenbach since 1982.
VISITING & BEER LAUNCH! Rudi Ghequire will be at Hopleaf for a very special meet and greet from 7 to 9 PM. Besides offering a selection of Rodenbach beers on draft and in bottles, we will also introduce Rodenbach’s first ever collaboration beer, Vivant P’Ocean, that combines a two year aged foeder beer from Rodenbach with a kettle sour from Dogfish Head made with pilsner malt, malted wheat, elderberries, elder flower, lemons and Belgian fleur de sel.
SPECIAL POURING—at 7:30 we’ll open a rare magnum of Rodenbach from the 90s. It is the last one we have. (The next-to-last one was opened more than 5 years ago and it was drinking beautifully.) (See picture below!) Rodenbach brewer Rudi Ghequire was there when this was bottled, so it will be special for him and for us. So: Buy a Rodenbach between 7 and 7:30 and get a ticket for your chance to try this lovely rare thing. We’ll draw winners at 7:30. With a beer that is 25 years old, you never know how it will be, but Michael is betting it will be delicious.
If you love great beer, you won’t want to miss this event. It’s free! Meet Rudi, ask questions and start planning your visit to this amazing brewery. This will be a special evening.
