Sint-Pieters-Leeuw – AB InBev will cease production of Belle-Vue Gueze in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Belgium, due to declining sales. This decision marks the end of a decades-long production of the sweet, industrial version of this quintessential Belgian beer, reports 24brussels.
According to VRT News, the company announced that the decision comes in response to significantly low sales figures. In 2018, in an attempt to cater to evolving consumer preferences, AB InBev launched a product more akin to traditional gueuze, anticipating a resurgence in demand from purists who appreciate authentic flavors. However, the brewery clarified that it does not foresee any job losses as a consequence of this closure.
Rationale Behind the Discontinuation of Belle-Vue Gueze
Experts attribute the demise of Belle-Vue Gueuze to shifts in consumer tastes and increased competition. Patrick Van der Spiegel, an authority on Belgian beers, notes that aficionados of authentic gueuze are unlikely to choose the sweeter Belle-Vue variant. He highlights that traditional gueuze’s slightly tart flavor profile stands in stark contrast to sweetness, which undermines its essence.
Van der Spiegel further emphasizes that the rise of local microbreweries has transformed the market landscape. These microbreweries have gained tremendous popularity, thereby overshadowing sweeter, industrial options like Belle-Vue Gueze. Consequently, the niche for such products has severely diminished.
“It is and will remain popular, especially with women,”
said Van der Spiegel.
The story of beer in Belgium is extensive, with Belle-Vue originally created post-World War II by Constant Vanden Stock, a brewer who later chaired RSC Anderlecht. Vanden Stock aimed to make gueuze more accessible for casual drinkers, as traditional versions were often excessively sour and served with sugar cubes.
To achieve this, he crafted a sweeter variant, using crown caps for bottling instead of corks, which made it more appealing. This strategy proved successful, leading to the widespread popularity of Belle-Vue Gueze.
In 1991, Interbrew, now AB InBev, acquired the Belle-Vue brand from the Vanden Stock family. Despite its prominence in Belgium for many years, recent trends indicate a significant decline in demand for Belle-Vue Gueze as consumer preferences continue to evolve.
