Choose as a Valentine gift a new chocolate box by Guylian

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Two months have passed already since Christmas, but if you would like to recall the wonderful atmosphere of this beautiful holiday, the Belgian Picobrouwerij Alvinne offers you three special Christmas beers.

Balthazar (9.0% ABV). This is the first of three Christmas beers named after the Three Wise Men of Bible story. The choice of name reflects the popularity in Belgium of the pre-Christmas holiday of Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. Balthazar is a dark reddish-brown strong ale made spicy with the addition of coriander, cardamom and ginger. Brewed with Pilsner and 4 special malts, dark candy sugar and the spices listed above, it is hopped with Challenger and East Kent Goldings to 28 IBU. The spiciness is accentuated by the use of the Rochefort yeast strain.

Melchior (11.0% ABV), the second of the Christmas beers, is a very strong ale described by the brewery as being in the barleywine style. Made with Pilsner, wheat, Munich and aromatic malts, crystallized sugar and mustard seeds, this beer was released in 2005 at the popular beer cafe Pado in Tielt. Bittered to 60 IBU with Challenger and East Kent Goldings, it is fermented with a Belgian Strong Ale yeast.

Gaspar (7.0% ABV). The third of the Christmas beers is an extremely bitter strong golden ale formulated to exceed 115 IBU. Gaspar is brewed with Pilsner, pale, wheat and chocolate malts and hopped with Saaz, Hallertau and East Kent Goldings and uses a Belgian Trappist yeast strain.

World: Beer consumption to remain flat, demand of malt to squeeze, barley stocks to grow – industry players make forecasts for the future

Worldwide consumption of beer could remain flat this year as the economic downturn hurts demand after several years of impressive growth, Reuters reported the opinion of industry players on February, 5.

"With the financial crisis, market conditions are changing. The big question mark is no longer supply but demand," said Alain Caekaert, buying director at Malteurop, at a gathering which took place in northern France on February, 5.

Between 2005 and 2008, worldwide beer production rose 14 percent to 1.8 billion hectolitres (39.59 billion Imp gallons) to meet rising consumption, especially in emerging countries.

After rising 5.3 percent in 2007, global demand had been forecast to grow by 2 to 2.5 percent in 2008, but these expectations have been scaled down.

"With the crisis, some people think it will be more like zero growth," said Jean-Claude Girard, managing director at malt broker Interbrau. For 2009, the consensus is already for no rise, he said.

In response to stalling demand, brewers may turn more to beer with lower malt content that is cheaper to produce and buy.

"The global recession could lead to changes in consumption patterns," Alain Le Foch, Malteurop's managing director, said.

In China, for example, the amount of malt used to make a hectolitre of beer has fallen to 7.75 kilograms (17.09 lb) versus 13 kilograms (28.66 lb) on average in Europe.

The malt manufacturers who supply brewers are already feeling a squeeze from deteriorating worldwide demand.

In Russia, where beer is a relative luxury, malt firms have cut capacity by 25 percent, Interbrau's Girard said.

"In the coming weeks, this is going to happen in Europe too, we could go from 95 percent of capacity used to 90 percent," he said on the sidelines of the conference.

A sharp fall in demand for malt could further increase stocks of malting barley - the crop used to produce the beer ingredient - after a big harvest in 2008.

In the European Union, malting barley stocks could reach 1.3 million tonnes by the end of this season, representing six weeks of malt capacity.

St. Valentine Day is coming – learn how to pair beer and chocolate!

For an exotic taste combination, have you ever sampled beer with chocolate? If not, there's a world of beer flavor—and chocolate flavor—for you to discover, Indy Week communicated on February, 4.

With less than a week remaining before the calendar's most sentimental candy blowout, pause before you settle for the box-of-chocolates-and-bottle-of-champagne cliche. Recall that, delicious as they are separately, these two lovers' gifts don't make a harmonious marriage when consumed together. Their flavours can clash and cancel one another in your mouth, for a combination that is less than the sum of its parts.

Beer, especially the substantial, malt-accented styles, makes a much better partner with sweet foods than wine, with its generally more acidic edge. Some of the most elegant dessert beers are complex, sweet and strong.

There are also lower-alcohol beers that complement the robust, earthy richness of chocolate. Stouts and porters, which are so often described in terms of their chocolate or coffee notes, are natural companions. The roasted barley used in brewing these beers, with its gristy, burnt-toast elements, brings out the same in dark chocolates. The less-hoppy of the brown ales provide similar supporting roles for sweet flavors.

Or, go for contrast. Another range of beers sets up a counterpoint to your Valentine bonbons, without resorting to wine's tartness. Look for beers that lead with spice and fruit flavors: the farmhouse beers—saisons and bieres de gardes—and fruited ales from Belgium and France. These beers give you fruit notes, either real or suggested by their yeast, with flavors of pepper, clove, vanilla and cinnamon.

Here are a few suggestions, a starting point for beer and chocolate experimentation:

Combine the very best chocolate chip cookies with a good brown ale (not too hoppy), styles that have a roasted, bready quality that matches the golden cookie.

With airy desserts such as chocolate souffle or light cake, look for a porter, the elder and more restrained sibling to stout.

Anyone who has attended a beer-themed dinner knows that a stout, the blackest member of the ale family, is a favorite pick with dessert.

Instead of capitalizing on the complementary qualities of beer and chocolate—coffee, espresso, chocolate and nut notes—another range of beer offers contrasts. A fruited Belgian beer, such as Lindemans Framboise, which is flavored with raspberries, or Kasteel Rouge, which owes its deep pink to cherry juice, will marry with bitter chocolate treats.

Belgian Trappist monasteries are responsible for the creation of a number of sweet yet sophisticated beers. However, since this holiday celebrates carnal, not spiritual, love, perhaps the same beer styles brewed by secular brewers fit the occasion a bit better. Look for beers called "dubbel" or "tripel". Pick up some luscious Belgian chocolates to enjoy.

The term "barleywine" was first used about 100 years ago by English brewers to denote a beer of wine-like strength. Many Belgian brewers offer beers in this style, too. Select one to your taste and relish a snifter alongside chocolate truffles.

Of course, some brewers, having been told how chocolaty or cocoa-like their beers are, took the logical step and put the chocolate directly in the beer—thereby saving you a step.

This Valentine's Day, pair a fine beer with an indulgent chocolate delicacy, and treat your beloved to an unexpected—and unexpectedly romantic—gift.

Belgium: Lucifer beer may be back again this spring

The Belgian craft brewery Het Anker will get the Lucifer beer back on the market probably this spring, 7 sur 7 reported on January, 27.

According to sources, Het Anker has purchased the production and marketing rights on the brand from Duvel Moorgat.

Lucifer beer first appeared on the market in early 80ies. After the ruin of Leifmans brewery late in 2007 and its takeover by Duvel Moorgat in 2008, the brand seemed to be in for a slow death.

Now, its new owner, Het Anker brewery, hopes the revival of Lucifer will strengthen its position on the market, sources report.

Bulgaria: Touch a stone and have more beer

When she was planning to open a restaurant in the small town of Pavlikeni, Veneta Stefanova could not imagine how popular her property was destined to become, yoki.ru posted on January, 19.

The site for the restaurant was not accidentally chosen. Veneta had paid attention that there were a lot of long-lived persons among the locals. She decided the place had a good aura.

When the site was being prepared for construction, the workers found a piece of antique marble column in the earth. The owners of the future restaurant learned from archaeologists that there had been a Phoenician settlement on this place in V– III century BC. The column, apparently, was once part of a pagan temple.

Veneta and her husband decided to install the column in the centre of a flower garden in front of the restaurant. In hot summer days, visitors leant against the cold marble to refresh themselves.

Once, a very drunk man rested against the column. Suddenly he felt he got completely sober. The man told everybody about the miracle. The owners of the restaurant took notice and from that day on those who had one drink too many were taken out to the courtyard and leant against the marble. Very soon the men restored their ability to stay on their feet and – most important – order more beer!

The glory of the wonderful sobering stone spread across all Bulgaria. Thousands of pilgrims thronged in Pavlikeni. Women are bringing here their alcohol abusing husbands and sons who sober up the moment they rest against the column. Many of them give up drinking forever...

Surely, the magic stone attracted the attention of scientists. Once, Dr. Ignat Ignatov, head of Scientific Research Center of Medical Biophysics, tried to measure the column’s energy properties by special instruments. However, the experiment failed: the moment the scientist set to work, there was a power failure. The antique column refused to unveil its mystery. Up to now, there is no explanation to the phenomenon.

Choose as a Valentine gift a new chocolate box by Guylian

Guylian, the world’s favourite Belgian chocolates, has broadened the range of its Valentine products, the company announced last month.

The famous chocolatier offers new gift boxes to make Valentine’s Day a memorable occasion.

To surprise your Valentine with a gift straight from the heart, Guylian offers two new ‘I Love You’ Praline Hearts gift boxes: a 100g gift box (8 individually wrapped chocolate hearts filled with exquisite roasted hazelnut praline) and a 125g heart box (10 pieces).

For the Guylian Sea Shells lovers, there’s a red gift wrapped ballotin, with glossy hearts and a premium branded red ribbon.