De Glazen Toren (The Glass Tower) is one of those small, local Belgian breweries that you just want to visit. Words can't really describe the setting, the local connection or the sense of just how much of themselves the brewers give to each of their beers.
The brewery started in 2004, the cooperation of three friends - Jef Van Den Steen, Dirk De Pauw and Marc De Neef. Today, it is Jef and Dirk that still run the brewery.
Their small brewery is located in the town of Erpe-Mere, near to the coty of Aalst which is between ghent and Antwerp in East Flanders. It is built right nextdoor to Jef's house.
Jef is the face of the brewery, and very well-respected in the industry. He has been a maths teacher, lecturer at beer university, he's written multiple books on beer (published in several different languages), international beer judge and was even a lead guitarist in a Belgian rock band!
But brrwery the beers of De Glazen Toren is what he is now best known for, and we are glad that his talents have been focussed on this. Once of twice a year we will get a delivery of Glazen Toren beers.
The range is small, but there beers are all exceptional. From the Saison d'Erpe-Mere, to the Jan De Lichte Double Wit, the Odineke Tripel which is the town beer of Aalst to the winter offering Canaster Wintersctoch. And if we are really lucky, we time our container just right to get a small allocation of the Saison d'Erpe-Mere Lentebier which is a supercharged version of the beer they are famous for.