by Brouwerij Palm (Swinkels Family Brewers)
The Steenbrugge beer label has a history dating back to 1898 when beers were first brewed in the Steenbrugge Abbey. The location of the abbey actually dates back as far as 1084, when it was founded by St Arnoldus who was the patron saint of beer brewers!
The years between 1898 and 2003 the brewery was bought and sold several times, closed down more than once until it was finally sold into the Palm Brouwerij Group (owned by Swinkels Family Brewers). But with its enduring connection to the Steenbrugge Abbey and St Arnoldus, the Steenbrugge beers are one of Belgium’s many ‘abbey ales’.
This is your classic Belgian witbier, it pours a slightly cloudy golden colour with those typical witbier aromas of banana, coriander, citrus and clove.
To taste, the beer is light bodied, crisp and fairly light. With the body of at least 40% wheat, you get that characteristic cereal grain body. There is a citrus note as well as the spice flavours of coriander and clove.
Interestingly for the Steenbrugge beers, they use a traditional gruit mix (a blend of herbs and spice), which no doubt is to thank for the light herbal character in the flavour.