Innovative Belgian Brewer B.O.M. Brings Operations to U.S.

Bert van Hecke is the founder of B.O.M. Brewery located in Bree, Belgium. B.O.M is one of the world’s few brewing and malt roasting companies, and it is preparing to brew its beer this fall at the new Celis Brewery located in Austin, TX. Photo courtesy B.O.M. Brewery.

Austin, TX (June 22, 2017) –  B.O.M. Brewery, which stands for “Belgian Original Maltbakery”, is one of the world’s only brewing and malt roasting companies. It is preparing for U.S. brewing operations to begin this fall at the newly-opened Celis Brewery located in Austin, Texas, of which B.O.M. founder Bert van Hecke oversaw the design and construction.

Over the years, van Hecke perfected his craftsmanship while working with industry leaders such as Orval and Rodenbach. B.O.M. was born from van Hecke’s desire to produce extremely flavorful and fresh beer by uniquely hand-roasting his own malts.

Now, here in the states, the newly opened Celis Brewery will contract brew for B.O.M. with its state-of-the-art 50 HL Braukon brewing system and 50,000 bbl capacity while Van Hecke supplies B.O.M.’s specialty malts from Belgium.

For B.O.M., producing in the U.S. will eliminate international transportation costs and allow van Hecke to tailor his beers for the American palate. It may also call for packaging certain B.O.M. products in cans rather than bottles.

“Bert is an extremely knowledgeable and talented brewer with an incredible mind,” said Bob Leggett, CEO of Artisanal Imports. “He has a keen ability to figure out what is most efficient.” Efficiency was a key factor in van Hecke’s decision to brew stateside.

Currently, van Hecke plans to produce Americanized versions of the following B.O.M. brews:

Heaven - A thoroughly hopped and dry hopped ale, loosely categorized as a Blonde. B.O.M.’s first brew - this alluringly cloudy ale beckons with a fruity aroma and smooth, snappy flavor from traditional English hops and B.O.M. wheat malt, amongst others.

Hell - Ringing in at a devilishly exact 6.66% ABV. Hell ages well, with a flavor reminiscent of fresh-brewed coffee and just-baked bread. The name comes from the malts used, which van Hecke describes as “roasty, toasty and burned!”

Full Moon 12 - A self-described parody of another classic Belgian beer that may or may not have “12” in its title (the monks threatened legal action if the word “parody” was used on the label). Clocking in at a perfectly cellar-able 10.2% ABV, Full Moon 12 is brewed with a secret blend of freshly-roasted B.O.M. malts and aged on home-toasted, Belgian-grown oak sourced by van Hecke himself.
Bling Bling Imperial King – This lavish, malty golden ale clocks in at 8.88 % ABV, and true to the name, uses malts roasted with 24-carat gold.

Interested in selling B.O.M. beer at your restaurant, bar or retail store? Interested in becoming a distribution partner for B.O.M. Brewery? Please contact Lanny Hoff with interest at +1 (612) 245-5433 or by email at lanny.hoff@artisanalimports.com.

About B.O.M. Brewery: Founded by master brewer Bert van Hecke, B.O.M. Brewery “Belgian Original Maltbakery” is a brewing and malt roasting company located in Bree, Belgium. B.O.M. produces extremely flavorful and fresh beer by uniquely hand-roasting its own malts. Bert van Hecke perfected his craftsmanship while working with industry leaders such as Orval and Rodenbach. Learn more about the brewery at www.bombrewery.com.

About Celis Brewery: Celis Brewery located in Austin, TX was founded by Christine Celis. It specializes in brewing Belgian-style ales, including the original Witbier that Pierre Celis is famed for brewing in the town of Hoegaarden, Belgium. The brewery is an extension of the Celis family legacy and builds on the award-winning Belgian beer heritage for which the family is known. Learn more about the brewery at www.celisbrewery.com.

33 Books Co. Brings Pro Tools to Homebrewers

Courtesy of 33 Brews

PORTLAND, OREGON, JUNE 23, 2017 — 33 Books Co., creators of the original pocket beer-tasting journal, have returned to the sudsy subject with a brand new notebook. Unlike the company’s other books, the newest isn’t for chronicling consumption, but production. 33 Brews is a compact homebrewing logbook designed to bring a new level of professionality to home beer brewers.

33 Books Co. debuted the new book last week at the annual American Homebrewers Association conference, Homebrew Con, which was held this year in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event brings together homebrewers from around the globe to celebrate creativity in beer. 

Each book is printed in Portland with soy ink on 100% recycled chipboard. The brew logs (left) are slightly larger than the standard beer journal. Courtesy of 33 Books Co

“As a creative type, my fascination with beer really began with homebrewing”, says Dave Selden, owner of 33 Books Co., and creator of the new brew log. “Once I learned I could create beers that I couldn’t buy, I was hooked. For me, homebrewing has always been the cultural and creative center of the beer world. I hope my book will help creative homebrewers out there improve and preserve their recipes for posterity.” 

The new brew logs are slightly larger than Selden’s other books at 5 inches wide and 7 inches tall. Like his pocket tasting journals, the brew logs contain 33 pages, allowing homebrewers to document 33 different recipes and keep them in a tidy package for later reference.

Each book contains space to log details on 33 batches of homebrew. 

Courtesy of 33 Books Co

 There are spaces on each page to document and improve the brewing process, from buying ingredients to planning for brew day with a “Brew Milestone” feature that Selden says might have saved his marriage.

“When researching this book, I discovered a key difference between home and pro brewers when I watched a professional for the first time. Unlike homebrewers, professionals leave at the end of the day, and they pretty much know they'll be home for supper. Instead of winging it, as so many homebrewers do, they plan their brew day before they fire the kettle, usually to the minute. I took that idea, and modified it slightly for homebrewing.”

The brew logs are available now for $7 each at 33Books.com, and homebrew clubs can request volume pricing by e-mailing orders@33books.com

About 33 Books Co. 
Dave Selden started 33 Books Co. as a side project to his side project. A weekend homebrewer and beer blogger, he developed a unique pocket beer-tasting notebook in 2009 to help with notes on the beers he was reviewing. After just a few years, the books became his full-time job. Today, 33 Books Co. produces more than a dozen flavors of pocket tasting notebooks and other tasting tools in Portland, Oregon.

There are spaces on each page to document and improve the brewing process, from buying ingredients to planning for brew day with a “Brew Milestone” feature that Selden says might have saved his marriage.

“When researching this book, I discovered a key difference between home and pro brewers when I watched a professional for the first time. Unlike homebrewers, professionals leave at the end of the day, and they pretty much know they'll be home for supper. Instead of winging it, as so many homebrewers do, they plan their brew day before they fire the kettle, usually to the minute. I took that idea, and modified it slightly for homebrewing.”

The brew logs are available now for $7 each at 33Books.com, and homebrew clubs can request volume pricing by e-mailing orders@33books.com

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About 33 Books Co. 
Dave Selden started 33 Books Co. as a side project to his side project. A weekend homebrewer and beer blogger, he developed a unique pocket beer-tasting notebook in 2009 to help with notes on the beers he was reviewing. After just a few years, the books became his full-time job. Today, 33 Books Co. produces more than a dozen flavors of pocket tasting notebooks and other tasting tools in Portland, Oregon.