We love a good historical reference in a beer name, and this beer owes its moniker to the Battle of the Golden Spurs which was fought in the Flemish town of Kortrijk on the 11thof July, 1302. A small group of Flemish militia managed to defeat the French knights of King Phillipe le Bel of France.
The victory was credited to the use of the goedendag – a fearsome weapon of the age that is basically a combination of a 5 foot long spear, wrapped in a heavy iron head with metal spike. The name translates simply as ‘good day’, a simple greeting offered by the Flemish. If met with a response in French, the goedendag was swiftly put to use.
I first came across this beer many years ago. We were doing some overtime (research) and ended up at a small bar in Leuven. The owner offered his house beer, which turned out to be his own brew. He had dreams of brewing commercially which he realised in 2012.
The beer is a classic Belgian blond. A big Belgian yeasty aroma, good carbonation making for a nice light, crisp malt body. Spice from the yeast and a good balance of malt versus hops makes for a really enjoyable offering.