Regenboog Brewery

The Regenboog Brewery (in Flemish Brouwerij De Regenboog also known as Brouwerij 't Smisje), with a tiny production of only 300 hectoliters per year, is the smallest existing Belgian craft brewery. Begun in 1995 by Johan Brandt, it is located in the West Flanders community of Assebroek, a suburb of Bruges. Brandt is also a bee-keeper, which accounts for the prominent use of honey in some of the brewery's offerings, including its first commercial beer, named " 't Smisje" or "little blacksmith" to reflect the hand-crafted nature of the product. The brewery's name itself means "rainbow" in Flemish.

Regenboog is known for beers in both traditional Belgian styles and others, but particularly for brewing with distinctive ingredients and flavorings, ["Drinks" by Vincent Gasnier, Durnling Kinderly pub. 2005, p. 240] often fruits or herbs. This experimental brewery exports roughly half of its annual product outside of Belgium to countries such as the United States, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Denmark. Despite its minuscule size, Regenboog has six beers in regular production in addition to a large variety of seasonal and occasional brews.

There is a retail shop in the brewery, but no tasting bar.

Beers

Beers in regular production:

*'t Smisje Blond - 6% ABV: A moderately strong golden-colored ale flavored with linden blossoms.
*'t Smisje Dubbel - 9% ABV: A strong brown ale in the Belgian Abbey Dubbel style which uses fresh dates in the recipe.
*'t Smisje Tripel - 9% ABV: A beer in the Belgian Abbey Tripel style.
*'t Smisje Wostyntje - 7% ABV: A strong golden ale delicately flavored with mustard seeds from the nearby village of Tourhout ["All Belgian Beers" by Hilde Deweer, Stichting Kunstboek pub. 2008] .
*Vuuve - 5% ABV: A cloudy wheat beer in the Belgian Witbier style, brewed with coriander and bitter orange peel. Vuuve is the Flemish word for the number five, a reference to the beer's alcohol content.

Seasonal or limited-run beers (past and present):

*'t Smisje + Dubbel IPA - 10% ABV
*'t Smisje BBBourgondier - 12% ABV: A dark strong specialty beer flavored with valerian root and lemon balm. Malty with raisin and caramel notes. ["The Beer Guide" by Josh Oakes, Savory House Press pub. 2006, p. 239]
*'t Smisje Calva Reserva - 12% ABV: A strong ale matured for six months in Calvados barrels.
*'t Smisje Catherine The Great Imperial Stout - 10% ABV
*'t Smisje Cuvee 2005 - 10% ABV: A beer inspired by American microbrews, using Challenger, Cascade, Magnum and Newport hops, and further dry-hopped with Cascade.
*'t Smisje Fiori - 7% ABV
*'t Smisje Grande Reserva - 11% ABV
*'t Smisje Great Reserva - 10% ABV
*'t Smisje Guido - 8% ABV: A brown ale brewed with honey and raisins in commemmoration of Guido Gezelle, a Flemish-language poet, Roman Catholic priest and native of Bruges.
*'t Smisje Halloween - 10.5%
*'t Smisje Honingbier - 6% ABV: A golden ale brewed with honey.
*'t Smisje Honingbier Bruin - 6% ABV: A brown ale brewed with honey.
*'t Smisje Kerst - 11% ABV: A seasonal Christmas offering.
*'t Smisje Meso - 2.5% ABV: A low-alcohol beer.
*'t Smisje Sleedoornbier - 6% ABV: A beer flavored with sloe berries (literally "sleigh-thorns").
*'t Smisje Sleedoorn Extra - 7% ABV: A stronger version of the Sleedornbier
*'t Smisje Speciale - 10.5% ABV
*'t Zwarte Gat Bier - 6%
*Terracotta - 7%
*Brugs Beertje 20 - 6.5% ABV: Brewed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of celebrated local craft beer pub the "Brugs Beertje" (lit. "Little Bear of Bruges", a reference to the animal on the town's coat of arms, but also a pun on the similar-sounding "Biertje" or little beer)
*Brugs Beertje 25 - 9% ABV: Brewed for the 25th anniversary of the "Brugs Beertje".
*De Regenboog IJzer - 6%
*De Regenboog Naamloos - 6%
*Lombardus - 7%
*Pandreitje - 7%
*Pierewietje - 6%
*Snuffelbeer - 7%

References