John Martin was an English business who settled in Belgium, starting a brewery in 1909 in the small town of Genval, south-east of Brussels in Walloon-Brabant. Today the brewery is managed by his grandson, Anthony Martin.
As well as a brewery in its own right, the company has purchased other breweries including Timmermans and Bourgogne des Flandres. It also has a history of importing beers from the UK and Ireland, being the oldest Guinness distributor in the world!
This beer is affectionately described as ‘the noblest of pale ales’ and has been a staple since 1909. Back in the day, this was a very unique beer thanks to the revolutionary technique of using whole Kent hop bells in the fermenter. Now dry-hopping is very common, but it was special back in the 1900’s.
A pale ale in the English style, our beer is the aroma is malty with an earthy hop character. In the taste the malt body offers a fruity sweetness that is joined by that early bitterness from the Kent hops. Slightly spicy on the aftertaste with that fruity malt character lasting all the way through.
The flavours are subtle by todays standard of pale ale, but beer has been around for well over a century so it must be doing something right.
by Belgoo Beer
A beer that is a cross between a Belgian Pale Ale and a traditional saison
A lovely crisp and flavoursome Belgian Pale Ale featuring Crystal & Tettnang hops
Another variation of BBNo's Belgian Pale style, this time featuring Hallertau Blanc and Mandarina Bavaria hops
The 2014 vintage of De La Senne's commemorative brew - a ripper Belgian Pale Ale
De La Senne's once-a-year birthday celebratory pale ale, this time using an experimental hop from Slovenia
by Brasserie d'Achouffe (Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat)
Chouffe's special 40th Birthday beer
by Brasserie d'Achouffe (Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat)
The spring time seasonal beer from La Chouffe
This is an unfiltered, naturally cloudy lager that bridges the gap between commercial beers and a Belgian Blond Ale
A special pale ale with bitter orange peel was brewed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of De Dolle Brouwers
A Belgian ale 100% fermented with a Brussels Brettanomyces yeast, conditioned for 4 months in the bottle before release
The first beer in the trilogy of collaborations to celebrate 20 years of Zinnebir
The second beer in the 'Zinnebir' celebration/collaboration series
A Belgian ale with an assertive hop bitterness, brewed to the character of an old style pilsner
A Belgian Pale Ale that uses three special herbs from the Flemish Ardennes region
Although the name has changed, this Belgian Pale Ale was the first beer produced by the brewery
A lovely blond bitter beer from one of Belgium's home-brewing success stories
by Brasserie de la Cambre (Brouwerij Het Anker)
A beer that describes itself as a Belgian IPA, but I think it is more a hoppy Belgian Pale
A slightly happier Belgian pale ale from Brasserie Les 3 Fourquets
by Brasserie Artisinale Millevertus
A really well-balanced Belgian Pale Ale featuring Chinook hops
A very tasty amber coloured Belgian Pale Ale that uses four different malts and five different hops
by Brasserie Artisanale de Rulles
A tasty Belgian Pale Ale with more than a hint of saison about it
A Belgian Blond that has achieved some notable recognition on the world beer stage
by Brasserie du l'Abbeye du Val-Dieu
A special Belgian Pale Ale made to celebrate the 800 year history of the Val-Dieu Abbey
A light and sessionable Belgian Pale Ale (or light Belgian Blond) that proudly uses 'No American Hops'
by Abdij Der Trappisten Van Westmalle
The beer that the monks of Westmalle usually keep to themselves
by Abdij Der Trappisten Van Westmalle
Westmalle's Trappist pale ale - the beer the Monk's drink
Belgium's hoppy beer, but there is more to this beer than just the hops
