Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze: A Living Brewery Museum

Step back in time at the Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze, a unique museum experience housed within the working Cantillon Brewery. Founded in 1900, this family-run brewery is the last of its kind in Brussels, preserving the traditional methods of brewing lambic and gueuze. The museum was established in 1978 to safeguard this unique fermentation process and promote these exceptional beers. A visit here is more than just a tour; it's an immersive experience. You'll wander through the brewery, witnessing the traditional equipment and methods that have remained largely unchanged since the early 20th century. The air is thick with the aroma of fermentation, and you'll see open-air fermentation, a crucial part of the lambic brewing process. Gueuze is a beer made by spontaneous fermentation, a process where wild yeasts and bacteria in the air are allowed to ferment the beer. This gives the beer its characteristic tart and complex flavor. The museum showcases the entire brewing process, from the initial brewing to the bottling and barrel cleaning. After your tour, sample some of Cantillon's authentic gueuze-lambic. The brewery also produces other lambic-style beers, including kriek (cherry lambic) and framboise (raspberry lambic). The museum shop offers a selection of these beers, as well as merchandise and glassware. Be aware that the museum restricts the number of beers visitors can purchase to prevent speculation and maintain reasonable prices. The Musée Bruxellois de la Gueuze offers a fascinating glimpse into a traditional brewing process that has been preserved for over a century. It's a must-visit for beer lovers and anyone interested in Belgian cultural history.