Huge variety of beers in Flanders this summer

June 19, 2007: As the summer beer festival season gets into full swing, one region that is promoting itself keenly this year is Flanders, in Belgium.

Flanders has a swathe of prestigious beer festivals this summer. Every region is proud of its historical beer production and to celebrate this age-old, traditional industry, summer beer festivals are held in homage of this country’s favourite drink.

Manufacturers from small microbreweries and brew-pubs to large multinational breweries proudly attend the festivals, all of which are open to the public and offer tempting, thirst-quenching offerings at reasonable prices.

Some of the better-known and renowned festivals include Antwerp Beer Passion week in June, and the Brussels Beer Weekend in September. All the festivals offer the opportunity to sample some excellent brews as well as the chance to witness the true appreciation of beer in an authentic local setting.

Flanders is renowned worldwide for the sheer variety and quality of its beers. Indeed, Belgium as a whole currently exports about 1 billion litres of beer to the rest of the world and this year increased production by 6%!

So popular is its beer legacy that a specially designed Beer Route map has been created to offer visitors a new travel experience. Beer connoisseurs can now find details on how to get to various breweries, where to sample different beers and most importantly, where to buy beer locally.

Visitors to Flanders face a choice of more than 450 beers, each offering a distinctive flavour experience. Renowned for its friendliness and hospitality, the Belgians themselves consume on average 89 litres of beer per person annually.

To find out more, log on to www.visitflanders.co.uk