Some 62,000 people attended the Belgian Beer Weekend which concluded at Brussels' Grand Place on Sunday. The Belgian Brewers Federation has again strongly urged drinking in moderation following the festival.
The Belgian Brewers Federation considered the turnout to be satisfactory despite unfavourable weather during the opening on Friday. Around 50 breweries set up their stalls at the Grand Place, offering nearly 500 different beers to taste, with nearly 10% being low or non-alcoholic options.
The Federation has recently focused on promoting responsible consumption, and anticipates implementing "stronger" measures in the coming weeks to regulate advertisements. The director of the Belgian Brewers, Krishan Maudgal, believes that the roughly 72,000 drinks sold to the 62,000 attendees over the weekend is evidence of the success of their approach.
"The goal is not to sell the most beer. We call for moderate consumption in tasting glasses. We are here for the public to savour the product and discover Belgian beer culture," said Maudgal.
A few hundred metres away from Grand Place, the Brussels Beer Project (BBP) hosted Wanderlust Festival in the Sainte Catherine district, featuring around 15 craft breweries from Belgium and abroad.
With 4,000 visitors, the organisers were also pleased with the turnout. "This ninth edition should be a record," said BBP co-founder Sébastien Morvan on Sunday.
