OTTAWA, ON – As first reported on CBN in late April, Beau’s All Natural Brewing of Vankleek Hill, Ontario and De Koningshoeven of The Netherlands were commissioned by the Dutch Embassy in Ottawa to create a collaborative beer marking the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian troops at the end of the Second World War.
While De Koningshoeven brewmaster Lodewijk Swinkels was unable to attend the brewing in person due to the flight delays caused by the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano, Beau’s brewmaster Matt O’Hara stayed in touch with him via phone and email, and proceeded with the creation of a unique Belgian-style witbier brewed with juniper berries and organic maple syrup, ingredients representing The Netherlands and Canada respectively.
This week, Beau’s announced the name of the beer – Vrienden, Dutch for “friends” – and tagged it as being No. 2 in their Wild Oats series of experimental brews.
The beer will be officially launched next Monday, May 10th with the arrival in Ottawa of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, and it will be exclusively available at the House of Orange festival of Dutch and Canadian creative culture, taking place in three clubs at 56 Byward in Ottawa from May 10th to 23rd.