If I didn’t know any better, I would say that the three staples of a Flemish diet are fries, waffles, and of course beer. The fries would be the main course, a beer to cleanse the palette, and finally a waffle for dessert. These delicious snacks have gone a long way in terms of quick and cheap sustenance in our usually intensively scheduled days (and nights). They are each fuel to the burning flame of curiosity, exploration, and adventure. But a single blog can ill afford to describe to importance of these three essential foodstuffs. So today’s topic of choice is… BEER!!! J
As we all know, alcohol plays a major role in student life and activities, no matter how much academia wants to deny it. The latest statistic I have seen put forth that 1 out of every 2 college students enjoys his or her fill of alcohol on occasion. It is simply a part of student life. But never before have I come across the student-alcohol relationship in such an outright form as I witnessed in Leuven University’s dining commons. A beer is offered complimentary with each meal! (Pause) Yes, I just needed a moment for that statement to settle in. Upon seeing this, I recall a state of surprise and excitement. But I should be used to this by, with the Dutch mentality that there is nothing to hide. I guess I didn’t realize that this also applies to public intoxication. My favorite applicable quote I have come across in Leuven I read in the city tourist guide, “drinking alcohol on the streets is not allowed after 00.00 and before 8.00 in the morning. In bars or on terraces, you can drink whatever you want, 24/7.”
We ended our scheduled activities for the day with the tour of InBev Belgium, the world’s largest beer company (not to be mistaken with largest bear company that is listed in the syllabus). The InBev facility tour provided a wealth of knowledge to supplement our firsthand experiences of Belgian brews. We learned of the optimum brewing temperatures, fermentation periods, sustainable means of production involved, filtration versus non-filtration, bottling and exportation. We found refuge from the scorching sun within the just hot and humid confines of InBev. But thankfully, our tour culminated with an ice cold Stella Artois straight from the tap, for us all to enjoy together as a group. It was a great ending to a fantastic day in Leuven.
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