La Wambrechies 33cl

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Yes 7,5% 33cl
La Wambrechies 33cl
  • Taste:
  • A beautiful, golden colour, a head is white and quite big. Aroma is storngly fruity, perries, juniper, some aromatic flowers. Taste has oranges and fruitness, some honey and peppery spicyness. Medium bodied, fresh, quite strong carbonation. Quite personal, juniper notes with the otherwise traditional flavours.

  • Type:
  • Top fermentation
  • Color:
  • Golden color
  • Ideal temperature:
  • 6°C to 8°C => 43°F to 46°F
  • Ingredients:
  • Beer "The Wambrechies" is brewed with malt and hops finest. We add Gin Old Malt 40% before crossing in a hot room
  • More info
 

 
The foundation of the Claeyssens distillery

All begins in 1789, when Gallium CLAEYSSENS arrives in Mennen in Belgium to escape the Barbing Revolution.

He buys the mill at the Wambrechies lock to manufacture, in a first stage, linen cloth. That mill is soon transformed into an oil mill and suitable premises are built. At the same time, a distillery is founded in Lillie.

 

 

In 1817, Gallium CLAEYSSENS' son transforms the oil mill into a jenever distillery, bringing much more profit at that time.

There were numerous advantages of creating a distillery at Wambrechies:

  • the presence of the Deal Canal, having been used since ever by boats that brought cereals to produce jenever (and later, they brought also coal);
     
  • the presence of a water mill on the lock site since the 13th century to grind the grains into flour;
     
  • the presence of ground water 30 meters deep, very pure, largely available, and cheap, necessary to produce the Claeyssens jenever;
     
  • the presence of cattle breeders in the surrounding villages, who could use the swill (solid remainders after distillation).
     

 

The 19th century: a period of expansion

 

From 1817 until about 1850, the Claeyssens distillery settles round the water mill and the offices next to the housekeeper's house, which existed already in the 18th century, and is still occupied by the present housekeeper.

The arrival of the steam machine about 1850 drastically changed the organisation of the distillery site. The Claeyssens family bought the surrounding land to extend the distillery and to build castles and villas, still to be seen while cruising on the Deûle. Steam enabled the installation of mills in the present building and supplied the necessary energy. The distillery, which produced jenever at 49% of alcohol vol. stretched as far as the Wambrechies Main Square, and had its own malt mill.

 

The 20th century: the apogee between two wars

 

Jenever became the favourite beverage of the miners and the textile workmen, who were very numerous in the Nord-Pas de Calais region. It was used in coffee (la bistouille) or straight, and it was the indispensable 'tap on the shoulder' before descending into the mine.

About 1930, production reached its historic peak.

In 1935, the Claeyssens jenever was awarded at the International Exhibition in Brussels.

Due to the decline of the mining industry, and later if the textile industry, the consumers are less numerous and older. Most of the other distilleries in the Nord-Pas de Calais close their doors.

At the end of the 20th century, only three of them are left in the region, among which the one at Wambrechies. The Claeyssens distillery diversifies its production by creating high-class products and Old Malt, having aged in oak casks.

 

 

 

The Claeyssens distillery today

 

Since 1817, the production process invented by Henri LENSSEN, has practically remained identical. Apart from modifications to convey grains (in the past delivered by barges on the Deûle Canal, at present by lorries straight to the distillery), and to recycle the water, nothing has changed.

That is why the equipment, the production process, and the premises have been classified as historic monuments in 1999. It is also a guarantee of discovering the unique taste of the Claeyssens jenever « Classique » at 49% of alcohol vol. de vol., produced according to a method that is almost two centuries old.

The business agreement with GDC/Loos.
Since April 2000 the Claeyssens Distillery at Wambrechies and the Flourent Distillery at Loos have concluded a strategic and commercial agreement. Power of production and distribution of the distilleries at Loos and at Wambrechies are thus united.



Article number: FBB25840