Available now at www.bebeer.app, this app aims to become the essential companion for craft beer lovers and those curious to discover local brews.

An interactive map to explore more than 5,000 breweries

Designed for mobile use without downloading, the web app makes it easy to locate thousands of breweries and access their news, events and, of course, their beers. Available in four languages (French, Dutch, English and German), it also proposes a brewing calendar and an interactive map to plan your hoppy getaways across Europe.

A European network of brewing communes

At the same time, beBeer is launching a European network of Brewing Cities and Communes, accompanied by a new label for municipalities that promote their brewing heritage. This label, awarded on the basis of 10 objective criteria, distinguishes communes on a scale of one to three hops – similar to the flower-filled communes – according to the richness and diversity of their brewing ecosystem.

An initiative serving local areas

The project is based on a strong territorial approach: it aims to connect brewers, promoters, local elected councillors and beer lovers around a common tool. For local authorities, it is a lever for visibility, tourist appeal and economic development. For brewers and other players in the sector (specialised bars, guilds, hop producers, festivals, museums…), it is a dynamic and participatory showcase. ‘This is not an ISO label, but concrete recognition of a region’s brewing intensity. Sometimes we are unaware of the brewing treasures hidden in our own city,’ explains Pascal Goergen, founder of beBeer.

A call to communes and local councillors

Several European communes have already been contacted for this first phase. The first labels are expected by October. Elected councillors are invited to become beBeer ambassadors, acting as a link between their commune and the local brewing world.

An open and committed community

beBeer is not just an app. It is a complete ecosystem built around three platforms:

• www.bebeer.app: the mobile-first web app
• www.bebeer.org: the project’s showcase website
• www.bebeer.eu: the community of beer lovers

Free, intuitive and collaborative, ‘beBeer in your pocket’ is for everyone: beer lovers, professionals, visitors and elected councillors. The aim? To promote European brewing culture, one pint at a time.

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August 4, is known as the International Beer Day. A global celebration of beer, taking place in pubs, breweries, and backyards all over the world. It’s a day for beer lovers everywhere to raise a toast to our brewers and bartenders and rejoice in the greatness of beer!

Some importants facts about this day:

• International Beer Day takes place annually on the first Friday in August
• First celebrated in August 2008
• August was chosen for its summer weather and distance from other beer celebrations
• Celebrated in over 200 cities globally

The purpose of this Day is:

• To gather with friends and enjoy the deliciousness that is beer.
• To celebrate the dedicated men and women who brew and serve our beer.
• To bring the world together by celebrating the beers of all nations and cultures on this one remarkable day.

2017 celebration in Brussels

This we year we recommend the bar Brewdog for IBD celebrations. 

Housed in the original 1950s headquarters of the former national Belgian airline Sabena, it has a large terrace with views across the central city skyline to the Hotel de Ville – perfect for admiring a summer sunset. The design and layout of the bar take advantage of the curved steel staircase and high ceilings of the original period architecture to create a venue that is stylish, modern, open and friendly. It is comfortably laid out; this is where the airline’s VIPs used to wait before catching a train to the airport. There are private rooms to book for functions and the upstairs lounge can also be reserved for larger parties.

The bar has a range of more than 20 different beers on tap, both from Brewdog’s own range of signature beers, such as Punk IPA and Dead Pony Club, and guest draught beers from smaller breweries including many Belgian masterpieces. The bar also sells an incredible range of bottled artisan beers, and serves good quality unpretentious food and snacks to match the flavours of the many beers on offer; I can recommend the “Brewdog BXL Burger” which uses beef prepared with “Jack Hammer” beer.

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