3 Fonteinen to Launch New Dark Beer.

Interestingly, the traffic when I post news about 3 Fonteinen is second only to the traffic for posts about Westvleteren. So there's plenty of interest out there in the wide world for the projects of Armand Debelder, one of Belgium's most passionate brewers.*

The latest: he and wife Lydie are launching a new dark beer called Zwet (or, possibly, zwet.be). They told me in a brief e-mail that "the zwet beer is out and it is marvelous." I'm inclined to believe them. They promise more info and a photo very soon.

It's not clear to me yet whether the beer is a new lambic blend or, perhaps more likely, a stout-like beer brewed at Proef under contract. Proef makes the Beersel line of beers for 3 Fonteinen to Armand's specifications (including my favorite, the dry-hopped Beersel Lager). If anyone knows or has tasted the beer already, please share. Share your beer, I mean. Oh well, if you only have information, you can share that too.

The Brussels-based shop Beer Planet already has a listing for "ZWET BE" in its online shop. It's listed at 7 percent abv.

Shoot, just look at that glass of faro in the photo. Now I've gone and made myself all thirsty again.

*If you've talked to many Belgian brewers, and you've also talked to Armand, then you know that to say he's "one of Belgium's most passionate brewers" is (a) saying a hell of a lot, and (b) absolutely accurate.