BAD NEWS
In September the Brugse Bierkaai brewpub in Bruges went into liquidation. Sterkens is definitely no longer brewing. Likewise Basse Semois should be considered closed unless new evidence arrives. Flying pigs will precede any sighting of Oud Beersel brewery in the future.

GOOD NEWS
There are new breweries. The Alvinne "picobrewery" (www.alvinne.be) has set up at Ingelmunster, just up the way from Van Honsebrouck. The equally tiny Sint Canarus has been created at Gottem, near Dienze in East Flanders, though their biggest production beer, a tripel, is still brewed at Proef. The largest of this quarter's crop is the Imprimerie brewpub, which has started brewing with some serious kit, in a nightclub at Uccle, part of the Brussels conurbation.

Ambly
New beer called Saison de Mai.

Augrenoise
Intend to brew a 6.5% Blond Christmas Beer.

Bie
Have a new stout called Stoute Bie. Stoute means "naughty".

Bouillon
New beers called Tontelinette and Régiment Territorial des Chassers (not a TEA beer, but TA beer!!)

Géants
New beer called Cassis.

Graal
New beer called Pee Imske.

Liefmans
New blackcurrant beer (4.5%) being marketed in UK as Cassis and in the Ardennes as Fruitesse

Palm
New beer called Royal 7° beer - mixed reviews from "very nice" to "expensive but bland". No personal experience. They now brew Brugse Tripel as Brugge Tripel - apparently at Duvel-Moortgat.

Rochefort
Production has risen to 18000 hl per annum. Two stumpy tall fermenters were introduced last November, along with one tall one. Full effects still to be gauged but no nosedive apparent.

Rodenbach
Welcome back Rodenbach Grand Cru, a beer that is once again becoming a pleasure to drink. The tannin is still there and somehow a degree of oxidation is creeping back in. Down to 6% declared abv though.

Rulles
There is a new permanent beer, a 8.5% Triple.

Saint Feuillien
At last some clarification of what is going on here - it's not easy. The Blond is brewed at Du Bocq for bottling but at St Feuillien for the new kegged version. The Triple is brewed exclusively at St Feuillien. The Brune is brewed at Du Bocq for bottles of 75cl and less and at St Feuillien for bottles of 150cl and above, plus the small amounts of kegged beers. Same recipes but comparative tastings revealed big differences in quality, with the St Feuillien-brewed beers on top. The Christmas ale is brewed at St Feuillien for 150cl beers and any kegged, but at Affligem for 75cl and smaller bottles. A new Easter Ale was tested on the Danish market and went down well. May appear more widely next year.

Schuur
New Easter beer called Paasbier 2003.

Sint Bernardus
Pierre Celis advised on how to make the wheat beer. He also brews his Grottenbier there before taking it to some caves he has bought in Kanne, ten km from Maastricht. The purpose of the cave storage is to lay the bottles on their side so the yeast has more contact with the beer. Turning the bottles regularly increases this effect. Storage is for three months. Expect to see a Grottenbier Blond in the not-too-distant future.

Val Dieu
Now brewing Blonde d'Oleye, Sorolea and Pierreuse (all from the defunct Oleye brewery).

Van Den Bossche
Buffalo has started to appear on draught.

Van Steenberge
Now brew Celis White and Celis Pale Bock also. Fruit wheat beers based on these are beginning to appear.

Vervifontaine
New beers called Bière des Corsaires, Biere du Duché, La Swaf (thirst!) Blonde Brune & Rousse