It sounds like a joke, but Belgium’s first major beer pipeline started pumping beneath Bruges in September. The idea was of the director De Halve Maan. At first, authorities were dubious.
Then, Bruge’s mayor, Renaat Landuyt, realized that the pipeline would reduce the number of beer tankers driving in and out of the city. The beer pipeline also opened many job positions for people who can finally work in the city center, an area that was slowly dying and turning into a bare museum.
Today, not only the area is more alive than ever, but it attracts many tourists and beer lovers.
Bruge got back to its origins. Before the Second World War, the town was home to at least 30 working breweries. At the time, beer was delivered by horse to people’s houses and De Halve Maan, who is the last survivor of that time, decided to renew this tradition after 60 years.
Not only it has historical meaning, the brewer is also a commercial move. In the long run, it will pay back and lead to an incredible economic growth. Today, the pipeline fills up to 12,000 beer bottles each hour. Belgium now exports beer to 30 countries.
The cherry on top? Thanks to the Bruges brewer, drinkers from all over the world started to be into traditional Belgian beers.