Description
Powerful,floral, majestic Belgian golden ale from Moortgat, 8.5%abv.
This is a strong pale ale with saaz hops often used in pilsner beers. This creates, the devil of beers, a light refreshing, fruity ale that packs a subtle punch.
1871: The originIn 1871, Jan-Leonard Moortgat, son of a brewer’s family from Steenhuffel, founds the Duvel Moortgat farm brewery together with his wife Maria De Block. At that time, the newly born brewery is only one of the 4,000 breweries in Belgium around the turn of the century. The start is not exactly easy: Jan-Leonard does some pioneering work during those first years, trying to sell a number of high fermentation beers like Stavelot. With varying success. Thanks to a combination of perseverance, brewer’s passion and craftsmanship, Jan-Leonard Moortgat gradually builds a loyal client base for his high fermentation beers. The middle classes of Brussels also appreciate his beers, and he is able to open a depot in Laken. The start, as it turns out, of a success story that has already lasted for 130 years.
1900: The second Moortgat generation Around the turn of the century, Jan-Leonard’s sons Albert and Victor join the business. Albert becomes the brewer, Victor takes care of deliveries by horse and cart to Brussels. English ales enjoy considerable popularity during this period. The First World War brings them to Belgium.
1918-1923: The prelude to a successful product Albert decides to be part of the English ale success story by creating a beer in line with the great English ales. Hence a sample of local yeast is indispensable, so Albert heads for Scotland. After a true Odyssey, he finally gets hold of the desired sample. Cultivated yeast from the same source is being used up until the present day!
Duvel
1923: The launch of Duvel Initially, the beer is baptised “Victory Ale” to commemorate the end of the First World War. Until shoemaker Van De Wouwer changes history when he describes the beer as “nen echten Duvel” or “a true Devil” during a tasting. Divine inspiration? From 1923 onward, the beer is sold under this name. Production starts slowly with only a few crates in 1923. The beginning of the seventies is the era of the big breakthrough, when a well-thought out marketing strategy educates an ever-increasing number of people about the qualities of Duvel. Real lovers probably know that a variant of the classic Red Duvel exists, this being Green Duvel. It was created in the sixties for the ‘Gentse Feesten’, Europe’s most important open-air festival, that was looking for a lighter beer at the time. Green Duvel is still available in the core region around the brewery as well as in a number of select hotel and catering outlets in Brussels. As a tribute to the success of its flag-bearer, the group is renamed from Moortgat to Duvel Moortgat at the time of its listing on the Euronext stock exchange.
A World Classic AleThe secret of Duvel’s subtle bitterness resides in the hop and yeasts used during the brewing process. The yeast are cultivated from the same source that Albert Moortgat brought with him from Scotland in 1918. Duvel owes its sophisticated taste to the unique bottle conditioning process of 90 days: after 2 weeks in the “warm cellars” where a second fermentation occurs, the beer stays in the “cold cellars” for another 6 weeks. Only then is it ready to be shipped and appreciated around the world.
Duvel is indeed a devilish beer, full of contrasts and surprising discoveries. Its golden-coloured appearance, delicate sparkle and refi ned, silky taste with complex aromas hides an 8,5% alcohol content. Lush aromas include citrus, apple, hops and yeast. Flavours of pale malt appear throughout, with strong yeast, hops and alcohol notes. The 8,5 ABV kicks in mid-palate, warming to the end. Thanks to the balance between its fi ne aroma sublte bitterness, Duvel occupies a unique position in the rich Belgian Beer tradition.
Duvel’s distinctive head is created through a magical process of bottle fermentation.
“Innocent-looking but in reality extremely potent, Duvel is one of the world’s greatest Ales”
(A connoisseur’s guide to the World’s best beers, Christopher Lynch)
Duvel has evolved over the years from a dark Scotch style ale based on the study of a bottle of Mcewans from before the war. (See Gordon's Scotch Ale). Since 1970 Moortgat have achieved excellence in taste and look. Duvel is now a clear clean lager coloured ale, top fermented and served chilled. It has a beautiful apple, pear sharpness and a big fluffy head that sits atop the distinct brandy like glass. Duvel is a great beer, any beer drinker is sure to enjoy it, particularly before a meal.
33cl bottle.
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