The founders of Mescan Brewery in Westport, which produces artisan Belgium-style beers, were officially knighted as part of the Confrérie van de Hasseltse Jenever (a Belgian gin association ) in a ceremony as part of its annual festival in Belgium recently.
Bart Adons and Cillian O’Moráin of Mescan Brewery joined a crowd of 120,000 people in the Flemish town of Hasselt for the annual Jeneverfest (Gin-fest ), during which the ceremony took place and in which ancient fraternities representing different guilds paraded throughout the town in full traditional regalia, in advance of a huge street party.
“This was a great honour for us both”, said Bart Adons, who is the Belgian part of the Mescan partnership.
“For our Mescan Beer to be recognised in Belgium is really a wonderful tribute. We’re very proud the brewers’ guild, Gilde Demerdal, saw fit to nominate us for this accolade."
Mescan Brewery produces artisan Belgian-style beers brewed in small batches on the slopes of Croagh Patrick near Westport. Westport Blond is their flagship beer, in a range of seven varieties. A new dark amber Christmas Beer ‘Beoir na Nollag’, currently aging in wooden whiskey casks, is set to be launched shortly.
