Geuzerie Tilquin

The first blenderie in the French-speaking part of Wallonia. It started its production in February 2009. The company is located in Bierghe ( Rebecq), 200 meters from the linguistic border, and is headed by Pierre Tilkan, with a total of 6 employees. Pierre is a bioengineer and holds a PhD in statistical genetics. He took an intensive course brewing in Leuven and gained experience at the breweries Huyghe (Huyghe, Melle), 3 Fonteinen (3 Fonteinen, Beersel) and Cantillon (Cantillon, Anderlecht).

Originally only 200 barrels used for French red wine, mostly 400 liters, were purchased for the production, now the number of barrels is over 600. One third of the barrels are from the Bordeaux region, also, St-Estèphe, St-Emilion, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Côtes du Rhône. Tilquin in Old French Tillequin, meaning "little lime tree".

Freshly brewed lambic is purchased from various producers in the region such, Boon, Lindemans, Timmermans, Girardin, Cantillon, corked in red wine barrels and left to mature for 1, 2 or 3 years. It is then sent for blending in special vats. Each blend contains lambics from 10 barrels (5 barrels of one year old lambic, 3 barrels of two year old and 2 barrels of three year old), Gerardin and Cantillon are always used and Boon, Lindemans or Timmermans added to them, and the selection itself comes from 12-20 barrels. After blending, the wort is bottled and sent to mature for another six months, in some cases up to 1 year. During secondary fermentation, the bottles are kept warm to allow natural carbonation to take place.