Beer bottles and glasses displayed at the Belgian Beer World, the world's largest interactive experience center about beer. /Yves Herman/Reuters
One of the world's most celebrated beer makers is paying tribute to its legacy by opening the first of its kind interactive beer visitor center.
Belgian Beer World opened its doors on Saturday inside the former Brussels stock exchange. The neoclassical building has been renovated at a price tag of more than 96 million dollars.
Visitors can expect to learn about the country's long tradition of beer making - which dates back to the Middle Ages. They will also be served a choice of beer by the center's very own virtual barman. Overall, the experience will enlighten guests not just to the history of the bubbly golden brew, but also about Belgitude - Belgian identity and fermentation methods that distinguish Belgian beer from others.
"In Belgium there's more to it than the liquid in the glass," says Krishan Maudgal, director of the Belgian Brewers association.
Inside Belgian Beer World, which opened in the renovated Brussels stock exchange building, "La Bourse/De Beurs." /Yves Herman/Reuters
Belgium boasts 430 breweries that produce some 1,600 beers. Its centuries-old beer culture secured a 2016 spot on the coveted UNESCO global list of traditions worthy of preservation.
While the country already has a beer museum, the center is an opportunity to show-off a different side of Belgitude, according to the city's mayor. "It's very typical of Belgium. We are too modest. We are someone who says 'maybe it's not necessary'," said Brussels city Mayor Philippe Close, adding that Dublin and Amsterdam were active in promoting their beer cultures.
The center expects to welcome nearly 300 thousand visitors in its first year.
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