Haacht Gildenbier 7°

Gildenbier (Guild Beer) is a recognized regional product from the region of Diest, in the province of Flemish-Brabant. This beer is brewed according to the centuries-old tradition of the archers’ guild of the town of Diest. Gildenbier is a dark, special beer with a light and creamy head. It has a mildly sweet taste and a powerful bitter-sweet aftertaste. It has an alcohol content of 7.0%. There is a legend related to this beer. Centuries ago, only members of the archer’s guild of Diest were allowed to drink this beer. The beer was drunk only once per year, during the annual ball. The beer casks were safely kept in the cellars of the town hall until the night of the ball. At the ball, young men who wanted to become a member of the guild had to take a bizarre test. When midnight struck, they had to stand on one leg while drinking an entire liter of Gildenbier. Whoever was left standing, despite vicious shoving by other members, was accepted into the guild. When the annual ball was over, the remaining Gildenbier was drawn off into bottles. Only members of the guild were allowed to take these bottles home.