Tasting note: Van Twee is a complex, multi-layered beer, and quite easy drinking for its 7.5% abv. It is very dark, with each individual ingredient lending a subtle hint of fruit: plums and prunes from the roasted malt, gooseberry and grape from the hops, pear and banana from the yeast and sugars, and of course the actual cherry flavor. It is all integrated into a roasty malt base that carries its own chocolate and coffee tones, and the slightly tart wild yeast character should increase over time.
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 The most recent annual creation of integrated Belgian & American brewing art comes this month in the form of Van Twee (meaning “From Two”) Belgian ale. It is a unique beer of interesting synergy, brewed by host Dirk Naudts and guest John Mallett of Bell’s Brewery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Neither brewer is a stranger to innovation.
Bell’s, formerly Kalamazoo Brewing Company, was founded by Larry Bell as a home-brewing supply shop in 1983, and sold its first beer in 1985. Originally brewing in a 15-gallon soup kettle as a tiny operation renting part of a former plumbing supply warehouse, it has grown to be a respected and recognized regional craft brewery.
The Midwest saw the first wave of U.S. craft development much later than most other parts of the country, and Bell’s Brewery stands as the oldest craft-brewer east of Boulder, Colorado. For the purposes of this tasty beer, its Michigan roots are significant: the state is known for producing outstanding sour, dark cherries, as well as native sugar beets. Both ingredients play into the unusual recipe, as a special emphasis was placed on using ingredients from both Belgium and Michigan.
“It is a sort of mix between Porter and Belgian Dubbel, with sour cherry juice from Michigan added.” Dirk told us. “We used Brettanomyces in the secondary fermentation, which gives it a mild but noticeable brett character.”
The hops are Nelson Sauvin variety from New Zealand. Additionally, dark Belgian candy sugar was used, along with Michigan sugar beets for the bottle-conditioning sugar. “This is a very unique brew!” Dirk has smilingly proclaimed.
Van Twee is a complex, multi-layered beer, and quite easy drinking for its 7.5% abv. It is very dark, with each individual ingredient lending a subtle hint of fruit: plums and prunes from the roasted malt, gooseberry and grape from the hops, pear and banana from the yeast and sugars, and of course the actual cherry flavor. It is all integrated into a roasty malt base that carries its own chocolate and coffee tones, and the slightly tart wild yeast character should increase over time. This is going to be an interesting beer to watch as it develops, assuming that anyone has the willpower to cellar a bottle or two! |
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