The best way to explain the goal of the Antwerp Beer College is by explaining the name
"Antwerps BierCollege"
- Antwerp:
NO, not to exclude people from outside of Antwerp
YES, to highlight the local nature of the initiative without aspiring to go regionally or nationally.
- Beer:
NO, not to focus on beer only
YES, to explore the world using beer as the driving force.
Obviously, this means that beer is the main focus, but the club’s goal is not restricted to beer only.
Beer is undisputedly one of the pleasures of life, but it is not the only one.
Venturing into other drinks and foods stimulates the taste buds. All beers are highlighted,
not just the Belgian ones. If we claim that the best beer comes from Belgium we have to embrace the
comparison with foreign products.
- College:
NO, not a superior academic association
YES, to immediately exclude the idea of a "drunks club".
Drinking is allowed, is even a must, but being drunk is not the goal.
Besides the fact that drunkenness is not something to look forward to the next day,
it numbs the taste buds. We seize the opportunity to state that drinking and driving do not mix..
To explain the academic edge: The first meaning of the word "college" is a group of people creating
an organization because they share the same goal and this does not have anything to do with education.
This does not mean that it is not about beer at a "higher level" at ABC. Only, there is more to it.
Of course, the easy-sounding acronym "ABC" standing for "Antwerps BierCollege" is a bonus.
What is the outcome? Well, a number of beer activities all year long.
These include beer tasting, brewery visits and brew initiation. We do not focus on Belgian beers only,
but also on beers from surrounding countries and farther abroad as well as beer derivates or "beer competitors"
like wine, liquor. Any decent idea meets our approval.
The people who make this happen are "officially" assisted by the board.
If you want to be informed about the ABC activities and support the beer operation in Antwerp,
we invite you to join our club.
More information about the
Antwerp BeerCulture .