The bad times are over for beer brewer Leo Hamers from Den Bosch. The persistent bacteria that soured his beer seems to have disappeared. He was able to get rid of 2100 liters of beer. The problems lasted five months, but it’s over. “We cheered.”
It was a eureka moment. A freshly brewed ginger-lemon beer tasted like – exactly – ginger with lemon. “And so no more pickles. I am relieved and happy,” Leo beams.
Leo Hamers brewed his beers for café Bossche Brouwers without any worries for seven years, until a bacteria got into his barrels at the end of May. How is still unclear. “I really didn’t feel like going to the brewery anymore.”
All these months things kept going wrong. “I got rid of twelve brews. That’s 180 liters each, with a sales value of 2,500 euros each. So that’s very sad, literally!” he laughs like a farmer with a toothache. The failed beer did not have to go into the sewer: it could be distilled into spirits. “Yet of course I get a lot less for it.”
After receiving attention from Omroep Brabant, the brewer was flooded with responses. “I really didn’t expect so many positive responses. I have already received 50 emails.” Customers, suppliers and someone from the bio-industry: everyone wanted to help Leo.
Omroep Brabant previously made this report at the brewer:
According to Leo, it was probably a lactic acid bacterium. According to him, it is absolutely not dangerous, just not that tasty. Leo doesn’t know how it was resolved. He has replaced many things. “I think other taps were the deciding factor.” The list of technical adjustments is immense: a sonic cleaner, an ozone machine, cleaned hoses and rinsing with acid.
Fans of sour beer
Yet there were even customers who came especially for the sour beer. “About eight of them really wanted to taste it. They liked sour beer. They loved it.”
The brewer is not completely reassured yet. “It can always crop up again! For now I say: gas up! Finally our own beer on tap again.”
