E-Malt.com News article: UK & Belgium: UK sees a return to the trend for Belgian beer

Belgian beer has shown resilience, despite facing economic pressures, increasing costs, and geopolitical instability, the style still continues to prosper. Jessica Mason looks into its resurgence for The Drinks Business (db).

In a move marked by bottles of Belgian beer brand Duvel going into Mitchells & Butlers’ Castle pubs this week and the rise in fruit-led brews experiencing growth and a sustained interest in premium Trappist classics, there are indications that drinkers are leaning in towards more European brews.

Speaking exclusively to the Drinks Business, James Clay & Sons’ Belgian beer category manager Joe Dick said: “Across the past 12 months we’ve seen significant growth in Belgian beer, thanks in no small part to our Belgian Beer Week, [which was held in the last week of February in 2025 and 2026].”

Explaining more about the returning trend, he revealed that “one of the most curious factors of this growth is that it isn’t restricted to one or two brands, all of our significant volume brands are in growth, and almost all of the others in the portfolio are too”.

Visit Flanders director for the UK and Ireland Andrew Daines told db: “It’s great news for discerning beer lovers that such an authentic and truly iconic Belgian beer is getting increased exposure at pubs in the United Kingdom, especially coming at a time when we’re marking 10 years of UNESCO’s recognition of Belgian beer as intangible cultural heritage.”

Indeed, eyeing the play from Duvel Moortgat putting its flagship 8.4% ABV bottled beer into around 70 Castle pubs venues which operate primarily in London, .the UK arm of the Belgian brewer has admitted that it is a decision that was made to “drive trade-up” and “tap into the growing demand for authentic European styles”.

Also amplifying this trend, amid the summer of 2024. Belgian brewery Haacht also introduced its fruit flavoured wheat beers Super 8 Cherry and Super 8 Peach into the UK in what now looks like a call that preceded the beginnings of the rest of the fruit beer trend taking hold across Britain.

Alongside such strides, the Belgian beer sector has been beset by challenges. After all, beer consumption in Belgium had shown a 20% decrease over the last decade. Data from the Belgian Brewers Federation having previously revealed that in 2024 the domestic consumption of beer within Belgium had dropped 2.1% and in 2023 it fell by 6%.with the closure of six breweries in Belgium in that same year bringing the total down to 411.

Despite the difficulties, Belgian beer has continued to be a popular exported beer style, with 70% of production still being sold internationally. Plus, the Belgian brewing industry has shown versatility and following a €178 million investment in 2024 to modernise facilities and improve its sustainability credentials, the sector just kept doing what it did best.

Last year, author and award judge Adrian Tierney Jones told db that “Belgian-styled witbiers are something that brewers would be wise to look at, especially in the warmer weather.”

Looking at the rise for the trend, Duvel Moortgat UK general manager Steve Behan said: “Duvel has always stood out as one of the world’s most distinctive beers, with a flavour and heritage that really resonates with drinkers in premium pub settings.”

Behan admitted he was “genuinely delighted” by getting the chance to “introduce Duvel to even more people” and, while doing this, “elevate the on-trade beer experience” for many beer adorers.

Behan also looks after the Belgian Chouffe beer brand in the UK and had previously highlighted as the beer was gaining more traction, that “today’s drinkers expect more from their beer, they’re chasing flavour, variety and experiences worth sharing”.

The key message appears to be about a “quality” beer offer and a proposition that is backed not just by glassware but also education for staff surrounding authenticity in brewing heritage.

Echoing this today, Dick told db: “British people understand the value proposition of Belgian beer, and thus it can hold a premium in our market. Quality can be relied upon, it’s served in ornate glassware, most pubs serving it will be well decked out in smartly produced PoS, and their staff will be knowledgeable and skilled too.”


05 May, 2026