Here, Pierre Tilquin shares a beer with Lambic brewer, Frank Boon. Given the idiosyncratic and multi-layered nature of Belgium’s linguistic, geographical, and historical make-up, it hasn't always been easy for a new entrant to get into the club, especially a new blender and one who is from a different language region.
“I encountered quite a lot of resistance,” Tilquin says. “At the beginning, Girardin didn’t want me. De Cam and 3 Fonteinen were concerned about how our location would affect the perception of Lambic. Now, we’re all good friends and we’re members of HORAL together.”
(HORAL is the ‘High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers, a nonprofit whose goal is to promote lambic beers.)
He may be situated in Wallonia, but Tilquin has no doubt that the microflora and activity of wild yeast in his region is similar to that being produced by the other lambic breweries in Brussels and Flanders.
“We’re 200 meters from the language border in Belgium, and we’re at the edge of the Senne Valley,” he elaborates. “I have always said that Brettanomyces can speak both languages.”