Bourgogne Des Flandres
Bruges, West Flanders, Belgium
Bourgogne des Flandres has roots stretching back to 1765, when Pierre-Jacques Van Houtryve began brewing on a farm in Loppem, near Bruges. The family later established the Den Os brewery in Bruges in 1825, becoming part of the city’s long brewing tradition. The original brewery closed in 1957, but the family recipe survived, with production eventually moving to Timmermans, the historic lambic brewery near Brussels. In 2015, Bourgogne des Flandres returned to the centre of Bruges, bringing its signature beer back close to its original home.
The brewery’s defining technique is blending, combining a traditionally brewed, top-fermented beer with lambic that has matured in oak barrels. The brown base beer, Bruinen Os, brings malt sweetness, caramel and a rounded texture, while the lambic contributes acidity, depth and a little of that earthy character associated with spontaneous fermentation. It is a distinctly Flemish approach to brewing, where balance comes from bringing different beers together rather than relying on hops alone.
The classic Bourgogne des Flandres is a reddish-brown beer with flavours of soft red fruit, dried fruit, roasted caramel and oak. At around 5% ABV, it has a velvety malt character, with refreshing acidity cutting through the sweetness on the finish. It can feel almost wine-like in its balance of fruit and tartness, making it a good match for rich meat dishes, mature cheese or even a chocolate dessert.
The range also includes Bourgogne des Flandres Blonde, which blends a golden top-fermented beer with lambic. It is brighter and fresher than the red-brown original, with citrus and orange notes, gentle spice and a sweet-and-sour finish. The brewery also produces other beers under the Den Os name, including Blonden Os and Triplen Os, alongside spirits such as genever and whisky.
Bourgogne des Flandres is a useful reminder that Belgian beer traditions extend well beyond Trappist ales and strong blondes. Its beers are built around patience, blending and the relationship between malt sweetness and fermentation-driven acidity. With its historic recipe back in Bruges and a range that respects its roots without standing still, this is a producer well worth knowing if you enjoy Belgian beers with a little more depth and a pleasantly tart edge.
