Biere de Miel- Ale Flavored With Honey

Biere de Miel from Brassiere Dupont

In 1920, Louis Dupont a young Belgian engineer and agriculturist was planning to expatriate to Canada. His father Albert, did not want to see him go. So he bought his son a small farmhouse brewery. Called Rimaux DeRidder, it was renowned for its honey beer. A passion for brewing kept Louis in Belgium. Under its new name - Brasserie Dupont - it became the classic Saison producer. Biere de Miel, the celebrated honey beer, slipped out of production somewhere along the line. But recently, in homage to Albert and Louis, their descendants (Marc and Olivier) have brought the honey beer back.

Newly landed, Biere de Miel has already been rated "exceptional" by The Beverage Testing Institute, They write:

"Pale yellow and moderately full-bodied, Biere de Miel (flavored with honey harvested in Belgium) has a marvelously delicate floral honey scent. It has a crisp, dry, malty tang, with a nice floral hop kick in the back. An impression of honeyed richness coaxes the palate into thinking the beer is sweet, but the finish is dry. The artistic label is a reproduction of a poster from the brewery in the 1890's."

This is a lovely "new/old" addition to the Vanberg & DeWulf lineup. Dupont worked a long time on the recipe to get the honey flavor just right. As an ingredient the taste and the scent of honey tends to be quite evanescent. Not so in this beer. As with all of Dupont's absolutely magnificent beers, Biere de Miel has a rustic, handmade, touchingly old- fashioned character. This is the kind of beer The Slow Food movement could love. Take a bottle, an amply packed picnic hamper, a blanket and a volume of romantic poetry with you on your next rowboat ride. If you aren't taking many rowboat rides, or reading much poetry these days, then it is time to slow down. Please call for samples.

Biere de Miel: Ale flavored with honey

Brewed and bottled by Brasserie Dupont, Tourpes, Belgium

1 pint 9.4 fl. oz 750 ml 8% Alc/Vol

For the past decade, Vanberg & Dewulf have been the leading importer of renowned Belgian beers. With a product line that includes Duvel, Saison Dupont, Scaldis, and many more, Vanberg & Dewulf have become experts of artisan Belgian brews and have brought these fabulous beverages to the American people. Now available in July of 2000, Vanberg & DeWulf are pleased to announce Brasserie Dupont's newest honey- flavored ale -Biere de Miel; available only in 750 ml bottles.

In 1902, Louis Dupont, engineer agriculturist, was planning to expatriate to Canada from Belgium. So as to dissuade him, his father Alfred Dupont bought him a farmhouse brewery: Rimaux-Deridder, renowned for its specialty honey beer. In order to revive the tradition, Louis and Alfred's heirs have recreated the honey flavored Ale using Belgian honey. Biere de Miel is bottle conditioned, and contains only water, barley and wheat, honey hops and yeast. It has a marvelously delicate scent of honey, balanced by a dry palate, resulting in a beer that is both estery and refreshing. The artistic label is a reproduction of a poster from the brewery in the 1890's.

Biere de Miel is brewed and bottled by Brasserie Dupont, one of Belgium's last artisan farmhouse breweries and often quoted as one of the world's Top 10 breweries. Brasserie Dupont are makers of Foret (Organic Saison Ale), Moinette, and the legendary Saison Dupont; a world classic Belgian Saison. Biere de Miel other Brasserie Dupont products are imported by Vanberg & Dewulf, Cooperstown, NY.

Companion Foods And Recipe Ideas

Because the Saison style is dry and very hopped, they are naturally a good match for oysters and other seafood, with fowl, pates, and tarts made with onion and cheese. The bounty of the farm—the foods the farm hands ate in the old days—the grains for hearty country breads, the vegetables and salads, the chicken and sausage all suit Saison Dupont, Foret and Moinette perfectly. We love Saison Dupont with Memphis barbecued ribs, and with the Indonesian spicy food served at a NY restaurant called Cendrillon.

Saison Style

The most ‘endangered species’ among the Belgian beer styles are the Saisons. They are produced principally in the province of Hainaut and to some extent elsewhere in Wallonia (the French speaking part of Belgium). The breweries that make them are in most cases very small, old and artisanal... Some visibly show their origins as farms, and others speak of the small beginnings of the industrial revolution.
The breweries themselves are part of Europe’s industrial archaeology, in a region of Belgium rich in such delights, especially in the nearby Borinage coalfield. Their beers are a classic style. They should be saved by the attentions of the drinker.
These beers are little known outside the region. (Uke Bieres de Gardes) they were originally made in the winter then laid down to be drunk in the summer. They had to be sturdy enough to last for months but not to strong to be quenching and refreshing in the summer. Saisons traditionally have an orangey color and dense, rocky head. They are top fermenting and bottle-conditioned. They are usually presented in Champagne style bottles, and they have a refreshing carbonation and crispness (some are made with quite hard water). Their accent is towards fruitiness, often with citric notes; they are sometimes spiced and usually well-hopped.”/font>

Michael Jackson
The Great Beers of Belgium

These beers are little known outside the region. Like Bieres de Gardes, they were originally made in the winter then laid down to be drunk in the summer. They had to be sturdy enough to last for months but not to strong to be quenching and refreshing in the summer.
Saisons traditionally have an orangey color and dense, rocky head. They are top fermenting and bottle conditioned. They are usually presented in champagne style bottles, and they have a refreshing carbonation and crispness (some are made with quite hard water). Their accent is towards fruitiness, often with citric notes; they are sometimes spiced and usually walloped.”

Michael Jackson