Through its biersommelier, Bierwinkel has become the only Spanish company to have four of its members achieve this honour for European brewers. Alejandro Jardel, Bierwinkel’s biersommelier, has just joined one of the oldest European Brotherhoods in a solemn ceremony that took place in Brussels. Anabel Navas, director of Bierwinkel, was the first Spanish woman to achieve this (2018). Its managing director, Christian Jardel, entered in 2002 and in 2019 Francisco Valls, controller of this beer distributor based in Valencia and the only one in Spain to have four of its members named Chevalier D’Honneur by the Confraternity of Belgian Brewers.

Alejandro Jardel has had Alain De Laet and Anthony Martin as godfathers and shared “enthronement” with professionals from the USA, Canada, India, Shanghai, England, Italy, Hungary and France. To be a Chevaliere D’Honneur you have to serve the brewing profession well and act as an ambassador for it, which is why there are outstanding professionals from all over the world. The merits were presented by Anthony Martin, who highlighted Jardel’s youth, and Alain De Laet acted as master of ceremonies.

Alejandro Jardel, born in 1992, and the company Bierwinkel sl, have grown together. He combined his studies and his professional activity in the company: waiter, salesman, logistics assistant, field salesman, administrative assistant. He completed his training in Belgium working in the Waterloo and Timmermans breweries and obtained the title of biersommelier in Doemens. Currently, as commercial director, he is doing an excellent job of promoting Belgian beers in Spain.

Le Grand Place in Brussels was filled with more than 500 different beers from more than 50 Belgian breweries such as Huyghe, Boon, Caulier, De la Senne, Dubuisson, Duvel Moortgat, Het Anker, John Martin, Lefebvre, Lindemans, Lupulus, The Musketeers or Trappistenbrouwrijen, among others.

Bierwinkel is a firm that imports and distributes European beers, which last year sold approximately 18,500 Hl of beer in Spain, 70% of which was of Belgian origin, as this country is the cradle of European beer, followed by Germany (12%), Ireland (10%) and craft beers from the Valencia region (8%).

The Chevalerie du Fourquet des Brasseurs are the direct descendants of the old Brewers’ Guild and have become a universal meeting point for beer. It is led by the Grand Master, Alain De Laet, whose position is renewed every 4 years. The objectives of this non-profit association are to preserve its traditions, in particular those stemming from Gambrinus, king of beer, and Saint Arnauld, patron saint of brewers. They work to dignify the noble profession of brewing by promoting Belgian beer and its culture, as well as the brewing industry and brewing know-how, by supporting research and studies on brewing and its applications.

Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

Bierwinkel

Since 1992, Bierwinkel has been the European beer import and distribution company par excellence in Spain, selecting the most emblematic beers of all types, fermentations, colours, alcoholic strengths, formats and origins from each country, bringing them closer to our culture and making them known. Already in 2002, Bierwinkel created its own Finest Beers Selection, joining forces, knowledge and guarantees of expansion with the Belgian brewery John Martin, SA. In 2010, the German brewers Dinkelacker, Sanwald and the Belgian breweries Huyghe, Bosteels and Belgoo Beer joined forces, followed a few years later by the breweries Het Anker and Chimay in order to consolidate and expand this unique and select joint venture brewery for Spain. They are also working intensively on the introduction and marketing of craft beers from the Valencian Community. A good example has been the development and implementation of the Valencian Craft Beer® concept.