This last few months, we’ve been served our share in Belgium. I’ll tell you no secrets if I say that the most obvious one – even coming into the national news, VERY rare for a brewery-related subject – is the failure of Liefmans Breweries. But it was far from the only one. Nearly simultaneously, there was the bankruptcy (at least, that’s what we had to make up from the shards of gossip, sorry news, filtering through) of Caulier of Peruwelz, and now, rumours are flying concerning the lovely and lovable brewery of St. Feuillien.

And there, I have touched upon one of the worst sore spots. WHY do we have to go on rumours, on gossip? So as some itchy interested parties can tell us to shut up, if we “don’t know what we’re talking about”? So as some overzealous self-styled beerdefenders can accuse us of rumourmonging, decrying us to do harm? Ever heard of the term “foreknowledge”? If you act upon it, in order to make profits on the stock exchange or such, you’re punishable by law in almost any country. If info would be shared immediately, openly, and correctly, neither foreknowledge, neither rumourmonging would have a right on existence.

The case of Liefmans was a bit peculiar. First of all, a lot of info did effectively come through. It concerns a very unique brewery (well, not the “parent-company” RIVA-Desplenter of old, located in Dentergem, but of course, the superb Oudenaardse branch, and its idiosyncratic beers), dear to all of us, and even known to more than just the beergeeks. We knew two of the managers wanted a management buy-out, claiming the future for L.B., is still bright, even standing on its own legs.

More, one of the other interested would-be takers, Duvel-Moortgat, became known as well. Another peculiarity: in this case, beergeeks would sigh, but suffer resigned. Because, well, Duvel has a very good ring to its name. Haven’t they recently taken over Brasserie d’Achouffe, and seem to respect their identity, just as they did with the New England brewery “Ommegang”, also their acquired property? So, there’s worse devil (pun intended)… Beers like Liefmans Kriek, Goudenband, and, who knows, Vondel might do very well in their portfolio. So, there’s two parties well known, and the curators talk openly about them.

All clear? Que nenni! From the earliest days, there were press-articles aplenty, talking about SEVERAL interested parties in a takeover. I still have to read the first name in full, anywhere. Why? What’s so secretive about that? Aren’t we supposed to known, which pirates are on the roam? Might there be worse than the people from Breendonk to fear? Really, wouldn’t be a little more openness be very welcome indeed?

I sport a bleak outlook on Liefmans Breweries. The managers rightly claim that the orderbook is full. We’ve all complained, from Belgium over the UK, to the USA, about the unavailability of RIVA products, proving there’s serious demand. But, what is less frequently published, is that the annual gains are a tenth of the amount of amassed debts – to the RSZ alone; RSZ being the social security part of the wages…

And if I might raise my voice here, I do not really expect the situation to change dramatically. In the thirty years that I have been interested in beer, I’ve probably seen as many breweries disappear, than we still have left in Belgium. And I do not think for a moment that the tendency will reverse. And the players will always try to move in the dark, unseen, and shun openness.

Which is why they will keep suspicious and incredible…