Zinnebir and its mates become fully organic

Brasserie de la Senne, Brussels brewer of the popular Zinnebir and Zenne Pils, as well as several other beers, is going organic. The brewery has spent the last year carrying out tests to ensure that the taste stays the same, despite the introduction of different grains.

The brewery had to not only source organic raw materials it had to alter its production methods. “Organic grains and the resulting malt have a different composition than conventional grains,” Brasserie de la Senne owner Yvan De Baets told Bruzz. “That can have an influence on the taste. We took our time to make sure we could maintain our beers’ characteristics.”

The organic label came through at the end of 2020, and the brewer is now producing only organic versions of their beers. Besides the afore-mentioned brews, that includes Taras Boulba, Jambe-de-Bois, Stouterik, Brusseleir and Bruxellensis. It also produces three seasonal beers.

A dream come true

Last year Brasserie de la Senne moved from its long-time home in Molenbeek to the Tour & Taxis site. Aside from the switch to organic, De Baets made major investments in high-quality German kettles and a new tasting room.

He placed much emphasis on sustainability. “This has always been my dream,” he told the paper. “The building produces as much electricity as it consumes. The tasting room was built with 100% recycled materials. And the kettles are much more energy-efficient.”

With the corona crisis on the horizon, the multi-million euro investment in 2019 couldn’t have been more poorly timed. The crisis has hit Brasserie de la Senne hard, as it counts on bars and restaurants for 90% of its sales. It has opened a web shop and on-site sales in the brewery.

Image courtesy Brasserie de la Senne