Brouwerij De Brabandere - Bavik Super Pils

While Brouwerij De Brabandere may be known worldwide as an excellent brewer of Belgian ale styles, like those in their Petrus line, they also happen to be very skilled at brewing pilsner, with their Super Pils having won numerous taste tests and even laboratory analyses of several dozen pilsners sold in Belgium. Super Pils pours a bright, crystal clear, sunny golden color capped by a very robust head that laces nicely as it recedes and forms a persistent collar. On the nose, look for soft pale malt aromas overlaid by a big noble hop character that's the calling card of fresh and authentic pilsners. We picked up notes of grass and mild hay, earth, touches of herbal spice, and a wisp of lemon zest. Though a fairly light and refreshing brew, there's a real depth to the flavor which you can only get from a proper all-barley-malt beer and that just isn't present with the cheaper pale lagers produced by the big worldwide brands who use rice and/or corn as a large percentage of their grain. Look for a core of crackery and very lightly caramelized notes, with flavorful hops contributing only mild bitterness but plenty of the noble hop character found in the aroma. Food pairing options are quite vast since pilsners are very food-friendly beers in general. Pizza is definitely a go-to for pilsners, along with grilled chicken or pork chops, chicken salads, and seafood ranging from white fish to salmon. Cheers!

In 1894, Flemish farmer Adolphe De Brabandere requested authorization to build a brewery in a small village in the south of Western Flanders – Bavikhove. Like most farmers of his day, Adolphe knew how to brew beer, and did so at his farmhouse, using his brew for the family’s consumption. Four generations later, Brouwerij De Brabandere (until 2014 known as Brouwerij Bavik) is today as it was then: a family business. The adoption of the family name for the brewery underscores the importance of this fact to the brewery. Despite many corporate buy-outs of numerous Belgian breweries, some as old as 500 years of age, Brouwerij De Brabandere is determined to retain their independence while guaranteeing the same quality, character and regional specificity that their various beers have enjoyed for over 120 years.

The brewery’s first principal brewer was Adolphe’s son, Joseph De Brabandere. In 1894 the number of smaller breweries in Belgium was already in decline as a result of the hugely popular Pilsner style of beer. This type of light-colored, bottom-fermented lager quickly superseded Belgium’s traditional local ales in popularity. A true entrepreneur and wise businessman, Joseph De Brabandere capitalized on this new trend in beer drinking and became the most important Pilsner brewer in his region.

The family business enjoyed its successful standing in the region until 1914, when the German army invaded the region and confiscated the brewery, forcing its closure during World War I. Incredibly, after the turmoil and devastation of the war, Joseph was able to restart the brewery. But, with the outbreak of the Second World War, the brewery’s fate was again threatened. Miraculously, Joseph’s wife Gabrielle was able to convince the Germans to keep the brewery open during the war. Eventually, the brewery passed to Joseph and Gabrielle’s children, who developed the brewery further through modernization and market expansion. Today, helmed by Ignace De Brabandere and his son, Albert, Brouwerij De Brabandere is the largest brewery of West Flanders, and their immaculate and gleaming stainless steel and old-fashioned copper kettles produce the well-respected Bavik, Petrus, Wittekerke, and Kwaremont lines.