Belgian Beer Week kicks off in the United States

More than 30 Belgian breweries are taking part in Belgian Beer Week in the United States this week. The event will see them tour the East Coast to showcase the country's brewing heritage and the rich culture it inspires.

The tour kicked off on Tuesday at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and will continue to various locations in Washington DC, where a brewery event will be held at the Belgian ambassador's residence, as well as a street brew festival.

The Belgian delegation includes representatives of the global Belgian-Brazilian group AB InBev, as well as small and medium-sized breweries and Trappist breweries.

Some of the 32 participating breweries already export to the US, but others will now have the opportunity to discover the market across the pond. They will be able to meet various players in the American brewing industry, importers and bar managers.

According to the organisers, the choice of this first trip by such a large brewing delegation was made because of the popularity of craft beers in the US in the past few years. Many of these craft brewers have often been inspired by the types of beer brewed in Belgium.

The brewers' American tour could also help to strengthen Belgian beer exports to the US, which have been declining slightly in recent years after a period of strong growth.

^{© PHOTO KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP}