Every month, Belgibeer features a different craft brewery, sending freshly brewed beers together with glassware, beers mats, stickers, posters and anything available on site.
This subscription box ships to Europe. If you’re looking for a US beer club, try checking out all the beer subscriptions!
The box arrived very well packed, with each individual bottle bubble-wrapped and in cardboard sleeves to avoid breakage.
December’s Belgibeer box features the beers of Brasserie de Waterloo. The brewery started up in 2005 in the restored old brewery at Marché de Braine-L’Alleud, which went bankrupt in 1971. The old recipe for Waterloo’s blonde and brown beers were revived and marketed after the battlefield.
In 2014, the brewery purchased the historic Mont-Saint-Jean farm, a building used by the British army and allies duiring the battle in 1815 to provide medical assistance. Today the site includes the microbrewery, a restaurant, a shop selling local products, a museum, a reception room, and soon-to-come a theme park for children, an educational farm and a bike rental site.
December’s box includes: 2 bottles each of Waterloo Triple Blonde, Waterloo Strong Dark, Waterloo Récolte, Waterloo Bière de Noël Récolte Hiver, a chalice, a flat-pack Belgibeer gift box, Belgibeer magnet/bottle opener and a copy of the Beligibeer magazine Golden Hops.
The beer chalice arrived packed in a sturdy and attractive Belgibeer box.
How cool is this chalice?! It is designed to honour the Napoleonic battle and looks like a chalice a soldier might have used to drink beer. Apparently, it takes seven days to manufacture each chalice.
For the second month in a row, the Belgibeer box includes a flat pack gift box. The gift box is incredibly easy to build and the perfect way to share beer with friends over the holidays.
The always the practical Belgibeer magnet and bottle opener.
This month’s edition of Golden Hops includes information about Brasserie de Waterloo, tasting notes, a recipe for Belgian style tiramisu using Christmas beer, information about the battle of Waterloo area and some tips on beer pouring.
Onto the tasting! In the spirit of Christmas, I asked my husband and mom to review the beers in this month’s box.
Waterloo Triple Blonde (8% abv) is a light blonde with a pleasing fruity aroma. This beer has a well-balanced flavour with a lasting hoppy finish.
Waterloo Strong Dark (8% abv) is a brown beer with rich dark colour and creamy foam. It has a woody and fruity aroma. My husband tried this beer and he loved the flavour, which has a malty taste with hints of coffee and toffee, and a fruity finish. It was his favourite beer in this box.
Waterloo Récolte (6% abv) is a pale blonde with fine foamy head. It has a floral and mildly smokey aroma. Both my husband and mom tried this brew and enjoyed the well-balanced flavours and the just right level of bitterness.
Waterloo Bière de Noël Récolte Hiver (6%) is produced in limited quantities from a recipe close to that drank by soldiers in the 1815 battle. It is a dark brown with creamy foam, with aromas of dried fruits and cocoa. It tastes sweet, with a bit of bitter cocoa flavour. My mom drank this alongside our Christmas meal and really enjoyed it.
Just like last month, December’s Belgibeer box has some nice Christmas touches to get you in the festive spirit. My family enjoyed all the Brasserie de Waterloo beers but the most enthusiastic reviews went to the Strong Dark and the Récolte.
What’s your favorite this month?
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