Hoegaarden, municipality in Flemish Brabant, Belgium
Hoegaarden is a municipality in the Flemish region of Belgium, located in the Arrondissement of Leuven. The village center is surrounded by farmland and quiet roads, with a church at its heart and the brewery as its most recognizable landmark.
Hoegaarden's brewing history goes back to the Middle Ages, when monks in the area first produced white beer on a local scale. The craft nearly disappeared in the mid-20th century before a local milkman, Pierre Celis, revived it in 1966.
Hoegaarden is closely tied to its white beer, brewed with coriander and dried orange peel, a recipe that dates back to the 15th century. Locals take genuine pride in this tradition, and the beer remains a point of reference in everyday conversation about the village.
The village is accessible by bus from Leuven or Tienen, both a short ride away. The center is small enough to explore on foot, and the brewery offers guided visits for which booking ahead is recommended.
Pierre Celis, the man who revived white beer in 1966, was a milkman by trade with no formal brewing training. He learned the craft from an elderly neighbor who was the last active brewer in the village at the time.
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