We love Alvinne!

Many years ago, while still living in London and before children, we made a trip to Belgium in search of a little brewery which conducted brewing courses once a month.

In the days before google maps and sat-navs, it wasn't the easiest to find these obscure destinations, and we've ended up driving through paddocks more than a few times.  On the third time of asking we managed to find the brewery, and it was open.  Success!

Inside we were greeted by.....not much.  A very small brewery set-up, but nobodu inside.  We thought we'd been twarted again.  But a small staircase led to an upper floor, and here was a small group of people clearly enjoying their Saturday afternoon.  

Davy was conducting a tasting for an attentive group, while Glenn (who we later learned was a chef) was cooking up sustaining snacks in a little kitchen next to the bar.  We were quickly invited to the bar and presented with a beer.

That would have been in 2007, and despite moving to a much bigger, spanking new brewery, nothing has changed.  Each visit to the brewery starts and ends at the bar, as Davy shares some of his latest creations.

Several years ago, the focus became sour beers.  Davy explained that this was really what they wanted to drink; and it was just lucky that others wanted to drink the same.  With the help of a friend who is a food science engineer, they cultured their own house yeast - Morpheus, which has become the signature of their beers.  With this creation of mixed cultures, they can brew both traditional fermented beers, and mixed fermentation resulting in sour beers.  

From a refreshing Berliner Weisse, through enticing fruit-steeped sours and hugely complex double-barrel aged quadrupels, the range of beers the Alvinne boys create is incredible.  We constantly await the next creation from this innovative crew.

As we said before, we love Alvinne!

 


Beers from the brewery

Alvinne Balthazar

by Brouwerij Alvinne

An intriguing dark ale, brewed with spices (ginger, coriander & cardamom)

Alvinne Berliner Framboos

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A Berliner Weisse with 20% rye and 30% wheat malt, aged in oak for 8 months before the addition of raspberries for a further 4 months

Alvinne Borinage

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A refreshing Grisette style beer, a collaborative brew with Cervesa Guineu from Spain

Alvinne Cuvee de Mortagne Sauternes

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A big Belgian Quad aged in red wine barrels, then transferred to Sauternes white wine barrels for a further year

Alvinne Cuvee D'Erpigny Sauternes BA

by Brouwerij Alvinne

Cuvee D'Erpigny is back in 2016 with the Pays D'Erpigny aged in French Sauternes barrels

Alvinne Cuvee Freddy Framboos

by Brouwerij Alvinne

Cuvee Freddy is Alvinne's take on a Belgian Our Bruin, the Framboos has 20kg fresh raspberries added per 100 litres of beer, than aged in red wine barrels for several months

Alvinne Gaspar

by Brouwerij Alvinne

An interesting beer from Alvinne, and one of Belgium's most bitter beers at 115 IBU

Alvinne Ich Bin Ein Berliner Ryesse

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A Berliner Weisse brewed with 20% rye and 30% wheat

Alvinne Land Van Mortagne

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A rich Belgian Quadrupel

Alvinne Mad Tom

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A UK style session IPA, with the slightest Belgian touch

Alvinne Mad Tom Session IPA

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A second version of this beer, with a dominant display from the Morpheus yeast supported by Cascade and Chinook hops

Alvinne Mano Negra

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A big Imperial Stout, dark fruit, chocolate and a hint of sourness

Alvinne Melchior

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A beer from Alvinne's past has been re-brewed

Alvinne Moen Rye Tripel

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A Farmhouse Tripel is one of the new offerings from Alvinne, but it isn't exactly traditional

Alvinne Morpheus Saison

by Brouwerij Alvinne

Alvinne's saison is light, crisp, quite funky with a hint of sour thanks to blending a little of the Omega blond sour beer

Alvinne Morpheus Tripel

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A little sweet, a little sour, lots of body and complexity

Alvinne Omega

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A blonde Sour/American Wild Ale - a great balance of bitter, sweet and sour

Alvinne Pays d'Erpigny

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A cross between a barley wine and an ABT, with the added complexity of Alvinne's Morpheus yeast

Alvinne Phi

by Brouwerij Alvinne

This amber sour is one of the base beers Alvinne use to create many of their barrel-aged creations

Alvinne Sigma

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A dark sour beer of 10.0%. Part of the renowned Alvinne Morpheus Sour Collection

Alvinne Undressed Foederbier

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A old style brown ale aged in an oak Foeder where it gains the lactic acidity

Land Van Mortagne

by Brouwerij Alvinne

A rich and boozy quadrupel, featuring Alvinne's Morpheus house yeast