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Beer in Belgium varies from pale lager to lambic beer and Flemish red. There are approximately 180 breweries in the country, ranging from international giants to microbreweries. On average, Belgians drink 84 litres of beer each year, down from around 200 each year in 1900. Most beers are bought or served in bottles, rather than cans, and almost every style of beer has its own particular, uniquely shaped glass or other drinking-vessel.〔''Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium'', Michael Jackson, ISBN 0-7624-0403-5〕 Using the correct glass is considered to improve its flavor. ==History== Brewing in Belgium dates back at least to the age of the first crusades in the 12th century. Under the Catholic church's permission, local French and Flemish abbeys brewed and distributed beer as a fund raising method. The relatively low-alcohol beer of that time was preferred as a sanitary option to available drinking water. What are now traditional, artisanal brewing methods evolved, under abbey supervision, in the next seven centuries. The Trappist monasteries that now brew beer in Belgium were occupied in the late 18th century primarily by monks fleeing the French Revolution. However, the first Trappist brewery in Belgium (Westmalle) did not start operation until 10 December 1836, almost fifty years after the Revolution. That beer was exclusively for the monks and is described as "dark and sweet." The first recorded sale of beer (a brown beer) was on 1 June 1861.〔Jef van den Steen, ''Trappist - Het Bier en de Monniken'' ISBN 90-5826-214-6, page 33.〕 In the 16th and 17th century, a beer termed crabbelaer was the most popular beer in Ghent;〔: (De brouwindustrie te Gent, 1505-1622 ). ''Handelingen der Maatschappij voor Geschiedenis en Oudheidkunde te Gent'', 1983, 7, 113-171.〕 at the peak of its popularity, more than 50 different breweries produced more than 6 million liters a year. Other kinds of beer brewed in Ghent were klein bier, dubbel bier, clauwaert, dubbele clauwaert and dusselaer. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Beer in Belgium」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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