Koekelberg, best known for its monumental Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the fifth-largest church in the world and an Art Deco landmark, now has another claim to fame. Tipsy Tribe Brewery & Distillery has chosen this location to produce Brussels Whisky, which its founders hope will be the first in a series of locally made whiskies.

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The first batch was deliberately small at just 64 bottles, and those offered for pre-sale sold out within 48 hours. This American-style whisky, made with Belgian malts, corn and rye, was aged in virgin American oak barrels.

The first barrel was filled on 9 March 2023, and the spirit was then left to mature in Koekelberg for more than three years before being released.

The result evokes classic US bourbon profiles while retaining a distinctly Brussels flavour, a very fitting outcome for a city where more than three quarters of residents are either non-Belgian or Belgian with a foreign background, mirroring the founders themselves. 

Aylin Fastenau hails from Turkey, while her husband, Daniel, is from the United States. “The fact that this whisky is Belgian, but with a foreign inspiration, is a perfect embodiment of the multicultural nature of Brussels and our team at Tipsy Tribe”, she says.

Before changing course, they both worked in corporate environments and in the EU bubble but then decided they wanted a different kind of fizz in their lives, so they launched Tipsy Tribe in 2022, the result of cogitations imbued by the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, the company produces craft beer, gin, vodka, raki, liqueurs, and other spirits, all under one roof.

The 45% ABV whisky has been described as smooth and creamy with hints of oak, char, smoke, vanilla and caramel, and a grainy finish.

The move was a natural progression, says Daniel, a brewer, distiller and whisky enthusiast. “Brewing is the first step to making a good whisky,” he explains. “We are uniquely positioned to have both brewing and distilling facilities under a single roof, so releasing our own whisky was a natural next step for us.”

Koekelberg itself has a long history of distilling. It was here, in the 19th century, that Jean-Baptiste Cellier-Blumenthal experimented with the design that became the modern column still, a fact not widely known outside Belgium, a country mainly associated with its vast variety of beers.

“Belgium is less known for its rich history with spirits,” notes Aylin, despite the country’s long tradition of producing genever, with numerous styles still being made today and dedicated bars keeping the spirit alive.

For Aylin, having the first whisky made in Koekelberg is therefore “an ode to a rich heritage”.

Koekelberg’s mayor, Olivia P’tito, also welcomed the addition to the municipality’s artisanal expertise, which is already associated with chocolate and craftsmanship.

The first bottle was auctioned at the launch on 26 September, helping to raise more than €700 for school materials for the local École Armand Swartenbroeks.

The whisky was produced entirely in-house, from grinding the grain to bottling. In keeping with the times, Tipsy Tribe’s spirits production is solar-powered, and the company holds the three-star Ecodynamic Enterprise Label awarded to environmentally responsible businesses in Brussels.

The first 64 bottles are unlikely to be the last. Several further batches are already ageing in different casks, and a new still installed in 2025 has increased the distillery’s production capacity tenfold.

L’article Brussels launches its first locally made whisky est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Running from 7 to 10 September at Bump, on Place du Luxembourg opposite the European Parliament, the event is organised by spiritsEUROPE, the European association representing the spirits sector.

The four-day programme combines political discussions, networking and interactive experiences, addressing agriculture, trade, responsible consumption, hospitality and tourism, while Belgium will take centre stage as host of the inaugural edition.

The event also comes amid a change of leadership at spiritsEUROPE. In June, Patrick Piana, Managing Director Europe at Campari Group, was elected President for a two-year term, succeeding Rémy Cointreau executive Ian McLernon.

Piana has placed competitiveness, sustainability, international market access, digital consumer information and responsible drinking among the priorities for his mandate, while also calling for greater recognition of the industry’s contribution to agriculture, local communities, hospitality and tourism.

The association’s Director General, Mark Titterington, is also relatively new to the organisation, having taken office in September 2025 following a career largely focused on the agri-food sector, public policy and sustainability.

Trade high on political agenda

Spirit of Life Week takes place against a complicated international trade environment for European distillers.

Much of spiritsEUROPE’s political activity in recent months has focused on transatlantic trade and its campaign for a return to reciprocal zero tariffs on spirits between the European Union and United States.

The association has been pushing for EU spirits to receive equivalent treatment in the US market, arguing that restoring the previous “zero-for-zero” arrangement would support producers, investment and hospitality businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. In May, following a European Parliament vote on the EU-US trade deal, spiritsEUROPE called for swift implementation.

At the same time, the organisation has strongly backed the EU’s broader push to diversify international trade, welcoming agreements with India, Mercosur and Australia. The EU-India agreement is particularly significant for the industry, with spiritsEUROPE describing it as a “game changer”. Under the deal, tariffs on EU spirits, previously as high as 150%, will be halved upon entry into force before gradually falling to 40%.

Public health represents another politically sensitive area. The organisation says the industry’s future should be based on quality and responsible appreciation rather than increasing alcohol consumption. It has promoted education, awareness and targeted interventions to tackle harmful drinking, while opposing broader measures such as advertising bans and tax increases.

Those debates will feature prominently during Spirit of Life Week. A Tuesday session entitled “All in Moderation” will examine responsible consumption, while further discussions will address agriculture and the industry’s place in European society.

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen is among the political figures expected to participate, delivering a keynote address on Wednesday during a discussion about the relationship between spirits, European farming and the wider agri-food economy.

Belgium in the spotlight

As host country of the inaugural edition, Belgium will be showcased during Monday evening’s opening reception. Visitors will be able to meet Belgian distillers and discover local products, family traditions and craftsmanship.

Participating Belgian producers include Filliers, FX de Beukelaer, known for Elixir d’Anvers, and the Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean distillery in Waterloo.

Monday’s programme will also look at the role of conviviality in European society and the importance of cafés, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues as places for social interaction.

From distilleries to tourism experiences

Tourism will receive a dedicated place on the programme on Thursday, highlighting another dimension of the industry’s economic footprint.

Distilleries, spirits museums, tasting routes, cocktail culture and other drinks-related experiences increasingly form part of Europe’s tourism offer, connecting local products with destinations, heritage and hospitality.

The discussion will bring together Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of the European Travel Commission; Serge Guillou, Vice-President of the International Bartenders Association; Camille Delpoux of Maison Ferrand; and Edward Martin, Master Distiller and Brewer at Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean.

Spirit of Life Week therefore arrives in Brussels as more than an industry showcase. By locating the event next to the European Parliament and combining tastings and craftsmanship with discussions on trade, agriculture, public health and tourism, Europe’s spirits producers are also making their case about the sector’s place in European economic and social life.

L’article Spirit of Life Week brings Europe’s spirits industry and policy debates to Brussels est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In order to brew the fermented rice drink, Asahi Shuzo plans to send all the ingredients to the International Space Station. The company has payed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for access to the Kibo experiment module, which was developed especially to conduct tests.

“In a future where humans can freely travel between the moon and Earth, some will visit the moon as tourists. This project aims to create sake that can be enjoyed on the moon, allowing visitors to have delightful moments there. Many Japanese foods, such as natto and miso, are fermented, and this technology could expand into these areas,” Souya Uetsuki, the brewer in charge of the project at Asahi Shuzo, told CNN. 

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As it is the first time such a thing will be done, it is not clear yet how the fermentation process will occur in this particular environment and special equipment needs to be developed. “There is no guarantee of 100% success for the fermentation tests,” Uetsuki continued. The different gravity in particular could cause problems in the brewing process.

The launch date is planned somewhere in 2025. Only a very small amount of ingredients will be sent into space, meaning a bottle of just 100 milliliters will be available for sale on Earth once the project is over. While some bottles of sake sold by Asahi Shuzo already go for several thousands of dollars, the very small bottle (a normal serving of sake contains 80 millilitres) is expected to be sold for 100 million yen (€613,800).

Even though the space-brewed sake would be a first, it is not the first time people have been wondering about what an alcoholic beverage brewed in space would taste like. A team of researchers at the University of Florida have already been conducting tests regarding beer fermentation in microgravity. In order to do so, they didn’t take to the International Space Station but instead used a microgravity simulator on Earth. Their conclusion was that such microgravity could accelerate the fermentation process and, moreover, deliver a better end product. 

L’article Japanese sake made in space could become the most expensive drink in history est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Doburoku, which translates into “cloudy” or “unrefined” liquor, might not ring a bell for everyone but it certainly has a long history in Japan. One of the main ingredients being rice, the drink has been around ever since the cereal made its appearance in the country. 

Contrary to regular sake, making doburoku isn’t that complicated. Just like its better-known cousin, the recipe asks for a yeast starter, steamed rice, kouji, or moldy rice fungus, and water. Yet instead of adding those ingredients to the starter gradually over the course of multiple days, to make doburoku, one adds all the ingredients at once. This process means the fermentation phase is much shorter, creating a sweeter drink with a lower alcohol percentage (6-12%). The fact that it is not filtered afterwards gives the beverage its cloudy appearance.

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That simplicity meant that doburoku was a popular choice amongst Japanese farmers for a very long time. Shinto priests too took on the habit of brewing the beverage, especially during festivals and other special occasions. This went on for centuries and, in 1855, there were 459 doburoku producers in Edo (now known as Tokyo) alone, according to Utsunomiya Hitoshi, director of the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS).

However, the end of the Edo period (1603 – 1868) also meant the end of doburoku, in many ways. The centralised Meiji government saw the tax potential of breweries and distilleries, meaning it gradually restricted home brewing activities. By 1899, a complete prohibition of homebrewed liquors was installed. 

After that, doburoku became known as mitsuzoushu or moonshine. Of course, the prohibition didn’t mean the end of doburoku altogether. Some people still brewed their own illegal batches and Shinto shrines were still allowed to make the beverage in order to be used during their rituals.

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However, since 2003, the drink has been making a comeback. That year, the Japanese government started to allow certain inns and restaurants to sell doburoku. Those establishments were located in special so-called “deregulation zones”, mostly in regions where economic growth had stagnated. Steadily, their number increased and, in 2021, 193 establishments in Japan were authorised to sell doburoku.

While home brewing is still illegal in Japan and the context of doburoku has thus heavily shifted since its starting days, the drink is now being rediscovered by curious minds both nationally and internationally.

L’article What is Doburoku and why is it gaining popularity despite its illegal past in Japan? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Tear drop shape

At just 180g (without a lid), the ultra light 70cl bottle comes in at 118g less than the next lightest bottle, according to Elite Traveller. Achieving the necessary strength while reducing weight and maintaining a delicate aesthetic took five years of product development and testing.

A team of artisan glassblowers who worked with the whisky giant recommended adopting a form that would follow the natural shape of glass when it is first blown. This means this bottle has a tear-shape, with a curved base, which avoids the weak point of a regular bottle: its squared-off bottom. Traditionalists will be relieved to hear the bottle still echoes the Johnny Walker “square” shape, and is able to stand on its rounded base but to improve stability, it is accompanied by an attractive bamboo “cage” or stand.

“A progressive stride”

“We didn’t know what we were going to be able to achieve when we set out to push the boundaries of luxury,” said global brand director of Johnnie Walker, Jennifer English, adding that “the result is something that many said would not be possible. This new, lightweight bottle is a thing of exquisite beauty; but more importantly, it demonstrates what is possible when it comes to lightweighting glass.”

The new look is not only intended to be striking and different, but to make a “progressive stride” English said. The company has waived its patent rights on the new bottle technology, in order to help other drinks companies improve their sustainability too. “Lightweighting” glass is important for sustainability, as lighter glass not only takes less carbon to make but is lighter to transport, further reducing its carbon footprint. Bamboo was chosen for the stand for similar reasons. Dezeen points out that even “added to the 180-gram bottle, the packaging still doesn’t outweigh a standard glass bottle.”

Handmade and hand-filled for £1,000

To become the proud owner of one of the limited-run, 888 new tear drop bottles, you have until 2025 to save up the required £1,000 (1185.8 EUR). For that, your handmade bottle will be hand-filled with a blend selected by Johnnie Walker’s master blender Dr. Emma Walker, taken from distilleries like Oban, Brora and Royal Lochnagar, as well as a number of ‘ghost whiskies.’

L’article Johnnie Walker’s new look comes in world’s lightest whisky bottle  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since one of King Abdulaziz’s sons drunkenly shot dead a British diplomat in 1952, consumption or even possession of alcohol has been strictly prohibited by law, punishable with fines, imprisonment, deportation for expats and even public whipping. Now, a dedicated alcohol shop could be opening for non-Muslim diplomats.

According to the sources, the store would open in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, a closed off, well policed neighbourhood in the Saudi capital where embassies and diplomatic embassies are located. Diplomats have been reportedly importing alcohol in official mail, which host countries are not allowed to temper with, and the new shop aims to counter the resulting “the illicit trade of alcohol”.

While there has been no official confirmation of the leaked information, the governmental Center of International Communication (CIC) told CNN that a “new process will focus on allocating specific quantities of alcohol goods when entering the Kingdom to put an end to the previous unregulated process that caused an uncontrolled exchange of such goods in the Kingdom”. This refers to allowing diplomats to legally bring some alcohol to the country instead of hiding it in diplomatic mail.

Once opened, the shop would have some rules. It will only be accessible by non-Muslim diplomats, who will need to register with the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and receive clearance. Once registered, they would need to go to the store themselves, as no third parties will be allowed to make purchases on their behalf. “Proper attire” will be required to enter and people under 21 will not be permitted inside.

As for monthly quotas, the store will be functioning on a point-based system. According to AFP, each person will be allocated 240 points per month, but, despite expectations of stringent regulations, a litre of spirits will only count 6 points, a litre of wine will count 3 and a litre of beer just 1 point. This means that someone could, in theory, purchase up to 40 litres of spirits or 80 litres of wine or 240 litres of beer per month.

Since no official confirmation has yet been offered, it remains to be seen if or under what circumstances such a store would open. In the meantime, from the current sources, there is no indication that the consumption of alcohol would be allowed for non-diplomats any time soon, not even for non-Muslim expats.

The move towards the legalisation of alcohol could be part of Crown Prince and de facto ruler of the country, Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030”, a plan to diversify the country’s economy from oil by attracting business and tourism. Among other endeavours of the Saudi Vision, the country launched a new national airline in March 2023, Riyadh Air, with the ambition of tripling its air traffic to 330 million passengers by the end of the decade. Riyadh is also being transformed with several mega projects, all due for completion by 2030, when the capital will be showcasing the fruit of the Vision at the World Expo 2030.

L’article Saudi Arabia might open an alcohol store for non-Muslim diplomats est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

It may not be well known – after all, the country is best known for its fantastic beers – but that also includes Belgium. Few people are aware that Belgium is also home to a fast and rapidly emerging whisky making culture too. Referred to as ‘The Water of Life’ by the Scottish, this ambitious Belgian step into a crowded market is proving to be effective, not least for the country’s economy. There are now several whisky distilleries all over Belgium producing good quality whisky. There is even a whisky trail which gives an overview of the many whisky related places in Belgium.

The latest to venture into the market are two Belgian men, Armand and Olivier Couturier, who have launched a whisky business, based in Uccle, just on the outskirts of Brussels. They aim to demonstrate why Belgium is proving to be a phenomenal location for making world-class ‘Water of Life’. A visit to their new enterprise will help you understand every part of the whisky making process and you may also be pleasantly surprised at the subtle difference in taste that can be achieved.

Both a boutique and a tasting room, this new address is a gem for both whisky “amateurs” and a “temple” for seasoned connoisseurs. Called “Le Col de Cygne”, the premises is full of all kinds of whiskies from all over the world, not less than 450 of them in fact. These include notable and world famous distilleries such as Springbank, Macallan, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Glendronach and Glenfiddich, plus much more.

Dating back hundreds of years, the art of marking, and enjoying, whisky has been refined and polished in a variety of places around the world and Armand and Olivier now hope to add to Belgium’s fast growing reputation in the whisky market with the launch of this family business.

Both are relatively late converts to whisky. Olivier’s father and Armand’s grandfather collected whisky miniatures and these were eventually passed to Olivier. One day he decided to taste them with his wife and he found the taste to be such a revelation that he became an immediate fan. The idea now, says Olivier, is to share their new found knowledge with others with whisky tastings, degustation sessions as well as sales. Olivier says whisky “is an art and that’s what Col de Cygne is all about.”

While Scotland is home to a large number of first-rate whiskies, other producers across the world are starting to offer alternatives which are proving effective in challenging the Scots for the best whiskies. And that is something Olivier and Armand aim to showcase at their new business.

“It is,” Olivier says, “quite unique because it will appeal to both those in the know when it comes to whiskies and novices. You can taste the whiskey of your choice and this ranges from very old whiskies and those that connoisseurs assiduously seek out to the same reference produced over three generations.”

The pair also hope to dispel some of the “myths” that they say still exist when it comes to whisky. “There are still a lot of preconceived ideas about the world of whisky. Yes, it is also drunk in summer. Yes, women appreciate it as much as men. Yes, there is no longer a typical profile of whiskey lover. Yes, we can taste entry-level whisky and very high-end with the same open-mindedness”, adds Olivier.

Le Col de Cygne is available for all types of events from private to corporate. Olivier says the concept lends itself “to the organization of a friendly, interesting and qualitative tasting.” The tasting can focus on a specific theme, he adds.

Olivier and Armand, both a gold mine of information on the subject, also run a whisky club which is open to anyone over the age of 18 and which organizes a monthly tasting of 5 bottles on a particular theme. If, however, whisky really is not your thing there are still a few hand-picked spirits, wines and soft drinks available to try as an alternative.

Open Tuesday to Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., it can open later by reservation only. Closed Sunday and Monday.

L’article Enjoying a “wee dram” in Belgium est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Much of the advice here has been learned from Richard Godwin, for me the greatest drinks writer in the world. His book The Spirits is a fine investment.

1. Aviation

The Aviation is a stone-cold classic. Indeed, stone-cold is the operative word for all the cocktails in this list, which need to be served stone cold, bone cold, ice cold in order to be palatable since drinking any decent cocktail is pretty much like mainlining alcohol. Remember your ice-cube tray is for ice-cube production, not storage. Empty your ice-cube tray right now, putting the cubes in a bag and back in the freezer, then refill the ice-cube tray immediately. Keep this up so you never run short of ice. Before making any cocktail, put your glass(es) in the freezer if possible.

The gin should not be so overly floral or botanical as to compete with the other ingredients. A good Plymouth or London gin will suffice. Lemon juice gives the Aviation a tongue-curling sourness, which is tempered by a light hint of cherry and violet. Violet, you ask? Yes. Believe me, it’s delicious and nothing like your granny’s knicker drawer. What’s more the colour of this cocktail, an ether-pale sky-blue, recalls the impossible glamour of the early days of aviation. You will feel as delectable and mysterious as Amy Johnson simply by holding it (by the stem of course).

• 50 ml gin, 15ml lemon juice, 10ml maraschino, 2.5ml of Crème de Violette.
• Shake with loads of ice. Double strain into an ‘up’ glass and garnish with a dark maraschino cherry. (‘Up’ glasses, whether the classic martini V-shape or a coupe, should be used for shaken or stirred cocktails that take no extra ice. ‘Down’ glasses are for drinks served with ice or ‘on the rocks’).

2. Manhattan

The Manhattan was apparently the first cocktail ever made with vermouth. Named for one of the world’s greatest destinations, perhaps invented by Winston Churchill’s mum, and making a guest appearance with Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot, how could it fail to make this list?

• 50ml bourbon, 20ml Italian vermouth, Dash Angostura bitters
• Stir with ice until the outside of your cocktail shaker has entirely fogged, then stir some more, before pouring into an up glass. My preferred garnish is an orange-zest twist, although you can use a cherry too.

3. Daiquiri

Trip to the Caribbean anyone? Taking its name from a Cuban-mining town, the Daiquiri is basically a rum sour. (Any ‘sour’ cocktail involves a ratio of spirit, to citrus, to sugar). What grows together, goes together, and so it is that sugar and lime and more sugar in the form of rum will make you want to elope to the climes where these ingredients originate.

• 50ml light rum, 15ml lime juice, 10ml golden sugar syrup.
• Shake with ice, double strain into an up glass and garnish with a lime wedge.

NB: it is well worth making your own sugar syrup. Use 2:1 golden caster sugar to water and heat until the liquid turns clear.

4. Jungle Bird

It’s not often you’ll find me recommending a Tiki-style cocktail. They’re usually too much like a fruity punch and I associate them with ridiculous vessels and naff cocktail umbrellas. But when a drink is as seriously delicious as this, I’m prepared to overlook any attendant frivolity. Invented at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in 1978 apparently. Enjoy!

• 45ml dark rum, 15ml Campari, 15ml lime juice, 15ml golden sugar syrup, 60ml pineapple juice.
• Shake everything with crushed ice and pour unstrained into a down glass (e.g. a short tumbler). Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

5. Paloma

Another bird-themed drink, the Paloma is apparently drunk as a ‘road-side cooler’ in Mexico, and, frankly, I trust Mexicans in knowing how to put together something refreshing to make you forget the dust and heat of the day.

• 50ml tequila, ¼ lime, grapefruit soda
• Pour the tequila into a tall glass. Squeeze and drop in the lime and top with grapefruit soda such as San Pellegrino.

6. Barbara West

Barbara West was one of the survivors of the Titanic, so we honour such a traveller by including the drink named after her here. She returned to Britain as a baby and lived in Cornwall and went to Spain as a governess, which perhaps explains this beverage’s combination of gin and sherry. You’ll need the bitter-sweet hazelnut notes of an amontillado sherry to complement the lemon and Angostura.

• 25ml gin, 25 ml amontillado sherry, 15ml lemon juice, 10ml golden sugar syrup, dash of Angostura bitters
• Shake with ice and double strain into an up glass. Garnish with a lemon zest twist.

7. Sidecar

The Sidecar provides another mode of transport, and a drink associated with another great city: Paris, in the inter-war years. Anything made with brandy feels very grown-up to me even though this is one of the sweeter cocktails on the list. Godwin’s recipe, below, tweaks the original’s equal measures to arrive at something a little more sophisticated.

• 50ml brandy, 20ml Cointreau/Grand Marnier (or both if you have them, combined to your taste), 15ml lemon juice

8. Teresa

I’ve searched and searched to understand why the Teresa, invented by Rafael Ballesteros in Spain, is called the Teresa. Is it named for the patron saint of florists and growers, the saint who believed in doing small things well and with love? She was famous for her raptures in which she would ‘levitate’? This drink, one of my all-time favourites, certainly makes me high. In this version, it’s almost a ‘perfect’ cocktail, meaning it has equal measures of its main ingredients and so is easy to remember. There’s something magical in it: bitter, sour, earthy and fresh all at once.

• 25ml vodka, 25ml Campari, 25ml lime juice, 10ml crème de cassis
• Shake with plenty of ice and strain into an up glass. Drop in a mint sprig to finish it off.

9. Tipperary

While British and Scottish exports are up the spout due to the dreaded ‘B-word’, perhaps there’s a chance for Irish whiskey to make a comeback after it was decimated by the Prohibition. Chartreuse contains a secret blend of 130 herbs and plants, including cinnamon, mace, arnica, peppermint and thyme. The small dose here zhuzhes everything up.

• 50ml Irish whiskey, 25ml Italian vermouth, 5ml Green Chartreuse
• Stir over ice and strain into an up glass.

10. Kerala Fizz

Never forget to think of those who might want to avoid alcohol. You need to make them feel as special at your event as your other guests. In fact, the Kerala Fizz is a non-alcoholic cocktail so excellent you should buy enough ingredients for everyone. I’m a huge fan of cardamom and here its aromatic camphorousness makes the pineapple and lime sing.

• A palmful of green cardamom pods, 50ml pineapple juice, 20ml lime juice, 10ml golden sugar syrup; fizzy water, dash Angostura bitters (optional).
• Crush the cardamom in the bottom of your shaker with your muddler. Add everything except the bitters and shake with ice. Strain into a tall glass with ice cubes, or do as I do and serve in a champagne glass – the pineapple juice will have frothed and when you top up with fizzy water, this feels really fancy. If a tiny bit of alcohol is acceptable, a dash of bitters over the top adds colour and a certain je ne sais quoi.

L’article 10 Travel-themed cocktails to escape with est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

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Many of us know how to enjoy a great glass of wine or champagne and most of us know our way around a refreshing gin and tonic or some other kind of classic cocktail. Yet to many, a whisky is just a whisky, a gin is just a gin and a rum is just a rum. We’re not informed enough to be able to distinguish them from one another and therefore, we don’t even try. Yet that’s where we’re wrong because the world of spirits is an interesting one.

The best of the industry

In an effort to try and prove that to us, the little-informed public, a whole new festival is coming to Brussels. On March 11^th and 12^th, the Brussels Rum Festival will take place for the first time ever and the program looks promising to say the least. Firstly, there’s the location. The festival will take over the former Brunner Bank building, also known as the Seventy-Eight, located in the Rue de la Loi. A surprising location for an event of this kind yet therefore even more interesting if you ask us.

And then of course, there’s the line-up. Over eighty rum labels will be present on the festival, organized by Vinispirit. So if you’re not well acquainted with rum just yet, this is your chance to get a taste of some of the greatest ones out there. Seven masterclasses are set up as well, diving even deeper into the world of the famous liquor. During the festival, live music and dj-sets will alternate one another, making sure you’ll feel like you’re in a cozy, somewhat dark café, enjoying your favorite drink.

Tickets cost between 19 and 49 euros and are interchangeable for tasting tokens.

L’article New Rhum Festival is to coming to Brussels in March est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

So, first of all, it’s one particular brewery in France which is making vière at this moment. Gallia Paris first saw the light of day in 1890 but somewhere over the years, the artisanal brewery began to struggle until it finally had to shut its doors in 1968. Fast forward to 2009, when Guillaume Roy and Jacques Ferté decided to revive the historic Gallia Paris, giving Paris its very own beer back. Now, thirteen years later, the brewery is doing great and they’re experimenting with great enthusiasm.

What’s in a vière?

Of course, France isn’t per se known for its beers. Yes, the country has some great breweries but – ask any Frenchman you want – la douce France is above all a region of grapes and therefore a region of wine. A good glass of red can’t miss at any dinner and the number of different wine domains is almost uncountable. Yet what if you were to brew a beer from those grapes? What happens when you combine the best of beer and wine? Well, you get vière.

Don’t get us wrong, vière doesn’t mean you just mix wine and beer in a glass and you’re done. Actually, the magic happens during the brewing process.

The production method is based on the principle of spontaneous fermentation. Each cuvée is made from a single variety of grape.

Gallia Paris, brewery

“The fresh grapes (organic or biodynamic) are destemmed, then fermented in a tank thanks to the indigenous yeasts contained in the skin of the grapes. Little by little, beer malt is added to enrich this juice. The mixture will rest for several months in vats and is then bottled the following year”, explains Gallia.

Finally, the grapes and malt create a beverage ranging between 7 and 11% in alcohol percentage, depending on which vière you go for. At the moment, Gallia Paris has a whole lot of different flavors, from Red is the new beer to Franc jeu. How does it taste, you ask? Well, according to those who’ve tasted it, they sit somewhere in between a natural wine and a fruity beer, but you’ll just have to try them for yourself!

L’article This mix between wine and beer is the new it-drink est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.