Behind the scenes of this unique beer lies the story of Stéphane Bruyneel, a passionate craft brewer and a lover of well-made beers. For years, Stéphane had been brewing his own creations as an amateur, but he dreamed of creating a beer that would appeal to the greatest number of people, while remaining true to his expertise and creativity.
One day, he decided to take on this challenge, but not alone. He adopted a co-creation approach. Surrounded by his close friends, all connected by their time at ULB, Stéphane, starting from one of his personal recipes, organised blind tastings, mixing his beer with other craft beers known for their success. These tastings were special: Stéphane's friends invited people he did not know, thus allowing for authentic and impartial feedback.
Through these festive and friendly evenings, Stéphane gathered insights from over a hundred participants. The analysis of their preferences revealed the ideal beer profile: a slightly golden blonde beer, full of flavor, but with moderate bitterness. Participants wanted a refreshing, thirst-quenching beer, light in alcohol, and bursting with tropical fruit and citrus aromas. A beer with character that wasn’t too sweet or too dry. The style that perfectly matched these expectations? A Session IPA.
Based on this feedback, Stéphane refined his recipe with care, blending the expectations of the consumers with his personal touch. From the very first batch, the beer was a success. Before long, La Galoche gained popularity far beyond Stéphane’s circle of friends. Thanks to word-of-mouth, it became a beer to share and recommend. And a fun fact: even those who thought they didn’t like IPAs were won over. Why? Mainly because of the stereotype that IPAs are necessarily very bitter. Here, the bitterness is soft and subtle, while the explosive fruity aromas make it a true gustatory experience. Many even believed it contained tropical fruits, only to be surprised when they learned these flavors came solely from the hops.
This methodology gives you a glimpse into the concept of co-creation embedded in the Beer in Mind project.
But why this name, La Galoche?
Stéphane wanted a name that would make people smile, create a certain confusion, and stick in the memory. With his friends, Stéphane imagined someone ordering this beer in a bar, based on the taste it left in the mouth – "I would like a Galoche, please" – and they thought of the french colloquial expression "rouler galoche". With its intense flavours and aromas that fill the mouth, the parallel was perfect. La Galoche is a kiss of flavours.
La Galoche is more than just a beer. It is the story of a passionate individual, an adventure of co-creation, and a sharing around an authentic taste that brings people together. A beer that has been crafted for people, by people.
So, ready to be surprised?
