Not too many bottle shops run tastings, party services and beer festivals. The Bierhalle Deconinck in Vichte – which claims to have Flanders’ largest selection of beverages – does all that and more. Stijn Dauw and Melissa Dhooge of Bierhalle Deconinck tell us their story.
BIERHALLE DECONINCK
The shop is a family affair. Stijn and his brother, Bram run the shop together with their mother, Mieke and Stijn’s partner Melissa Dhooge. But they haven’t always worked in the field of beer.
The building from which they operate today was owned for over 40 years previously by a well-known local businessman who wanted to retire. At the time, Stijn and his father ran an insurance agency but were desperately seeking something new. When the opportunity to buy Bierhalle Deconinck arose 14 years ago, they grabbed it with both hands.
After a number of years, Stijn (above right) and his brother, Bram (above left), bought over their father’s shares so that Bierhalle Deconinck was owned jointly by Mieke and her two sons. The fourth staff member arrived when the family were having difficulties finding someone to help out during the evenings and at weekends. Melissa, originally from Bruges, stepped up to the plate. Stijn and Melissa would go on to become a couple and they now live together in Waregem. Love has four letters. So does beer.
BROTHERS IN ARMS: BUT ONLY THE WOMEN DRINK HERE
It was a chocolate and beer tasting with Geroen Vansteenbrugge and a brewing experience with Sofie Vanrafelghem on the women and beer ‘Eva’ project that prompted Melissa to pursue a formal education in beer. “Geroen taught me to taste new beers,” says Melissa. “Real beers. I then brewed with Sophie but before I started the course I didn’t know a lot about beer. When I started at the Bierhalle Deconinck, all I knew was Leffe, Grimbergen and Jupiler. And then I started to taste new things. It’s good for the shop if you know something about beers.”
I ask Melissa which beers are her favourites. “Saison for the summer,” she says. “And stouts for the winter. I love geuze. I think that’s my favourite. I also like Flemish red-brown ales but not all of them. Some of them are too sweet. Rodenbach Grand Cru, Vanderghinste Oud Bruin and Petrus Oud Bruin are very good, as is the old brown beer from Brouwers Verzet.”
It seems that Melissa and Mieke must do all the tasting for the teetotal brothers. Neither Stijn nor Bram drink alcohol. “It’s just the two women here who do the drinking”, Melissa says.
Even though he doesn’t drink, Stijn knows a thing or two about beers. “He’s got a great nose”, says Melissa.
FLANDERS’ LARGEST SELECTION OF BEVERAGES
The Bierhalle Deconinck lays claim to having Flanders’ largest selection of beverages and with almost 1,000 different beers on offer there is surely something there to satisfy even the pickiest of beer lovers.
Curious as to which of their beers sells most, I ask which are most popular, guessing that it might be something like Jupiler.
Melissa: “It’s not a pils. People come here mostly for special beers.”
Stijn: “I think 2 years ago it was probably Leffe. Everyone was taking Leffe, Leffe, Leffe.”
Melissa: “But now, Omer Traditional Blond is our biggest selling beer.”
Stijn: “Every week we need a new palette of Omer.”
So if Omer is the most popular, which special beers are the hardest for them to get their hands on? “It’s probably De Struise Brouwers”, admits Melissa. “They are very popular. It’s Belgian beer but sometimes it’s really difficult to get it.” Stijn also name drops Alvinne.
If you’re not sure about which of the 1,000 different beers to pick up at the Bierhalle Deconinck, you can always attend one of their regular tastings. “The tastings were a tradition here before we arrived”, says Melissa. “That’s been here for years. Now we do tastings almost every weekend.”
Previously, the tastings were hosted by the bigger local breweries such as Omer Vanderghinste, De Brabandere and some of the AB Inbev breweries, but in the last few years they’ve been keen to select smaller breweries who make quality beer. “For most tastings we have some regulars but it’s often the people walking around in the shop who taste,” says Melissa. “There are a lot of beer lovers who come if it’s a very special tasting, a smaller brewery that’s well known. They come to taste but also to speak with the brewer.”
THE CLIENTELE: WHO SHOPS AT BIERHALLE DECONINCK?
It’s not only the West Flemish who come to Bierhalle Deconinck to buy their beer. “The last year, it’s been amazing”, says Stijn. “They come from Antwerp, Brussels and even France, the Netherlands, England and America.”
They come from America? “They make a whole day out of it,” says Melissa. “They visit Bruges and then Vichte to get their beers with us. Then they go to Westvleteren and to De Struise Brouwers.”
“We were not the biggest beer shop a few years ago,” says Stijn. “But now, with our specialisation in beer, the breweries even contact us. When Belgian breweries make something a little bit more special, perhaps something they are brewing for the US market, they call to see whether we will take some crates.”
As if to illustrate the point that they have an international clientele, Stijn pops his head out of the window of his office and looks down at the shop floor. “At the moment, for example, there is an American in the shop,” he says, pointing down to one of the customers.
“Ah that’s Chris”, Melissa says. “He’s a very nice man. He works for the American army at the cemetery in Waregem. He’s a fan of the beers from the White Pony Brewery.”
WINTERSBIERFESTIVAL: 29 NOVEMBER 2014
The Bierhalle Deconinck organised its first ever beer festival last November. The first Wintersbierfestival took place in the large warehouse area at the side of their shop in 2013.
The idea for the festival came about on their many trips to Belgian beer festivals where they would speak to the various breweries about stocks and orders. They soon realised that at each of the festivals, they were met with the same breweries and the same beers over and over again. They put their heads together with the Waregemsebierfanaten (a beer club based in Waregem) of which Geroen Vansteenbrugge is the founder and Melissa’s fellow beer classmate, Patrick Verbauwen is a member.
The range of brewers in attendance at last year’s Wintersbierfestival was an impressive mix of local and artisanal breweries including Brouwers Verzet, St. Feuillien, Brouwerij de Ryck, Bertinchamps, Brouwerij Dilewyns and Val Dieu.
Another edition is in the pipeline. “In November, we’re organising our beer festival for the second time,” says Melissa. “Wintersbierfestival will take place on 29 November in the building next door to the shop.”
There has been huge interest from both potential attendees and breweries who wish to participate. “For the second time, some breweries are asking to come. It’s a lot easier now because the breweries are coming to us. We want to keep it small. It’s gonna be 11, maybe 12. But not more.”
ALVINNE CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: 6-7 MARCH 2015
Once you’ve warmed up at the Wintersbierfestival, you’ll be ready for the Alvinne Craft Beer Festival which takes place next year on 6-7 March in Bierhalle Deconinck.
Alvinne are a micro-brewery from Moen who produce classic versions of traditional styles but are perhaps better known for their more experimental beers. “Glenn from Alvinne said that we had to do it together,” says Melissa.
“At the minute, we’ve got 12 breweries that will be coming in March,” she says. “But we think there will be a few more.” The line-up is nothing short of stunning. There are three Belgian participants: Alvinne, De Struise Brouwers and Dochter Van De Korenaar. But it’s very much an international gathering. Over the two days there will be breweries in attendance from the Netherlands, Italy, England, Spain, Norway and Denmark.
The last Alvinne Craft Beer Festival took place in 2012 so the 2015 edition is much-anticipated. While the list of attending breweries hasn’t been announced officially yet, Stijn and Melissa mentioned Redchurch, Thornbridge, Brodies and Beavertown from the UK, De Molen and Emelisse from the Netherlands and Toccalmatto and Loverbeer from Italy as breweries that were likely to pour. Those that attended in 2012 included Hair of the Dog from the USA, Haandbryggeriet from Norway and Fano Bryghus/Evil Twin from Denmark.
As the Alvinne Craft Beer Festival is a quite different affair from their Wintersbierfestival, Melissa and Stijn acknowledge that they don’t know what type of people will be in attendance. “We saw a guy on the internet who made a whole page to organise planes and buses to come here,” says Melissa. “We really don’t know how it’s going to be. It’s very exciting.”
“It will be a crazy weekend,” says Melissa.
A beer festival in a bottle shop.
