How it started

Philippe Golinvaux and Michaël Vermeren met in 1988 while studying at the 'Eaux et Fôrets de la Reid' in Spa. Both are keen lovers of the devilish brew called beer. While at boarding school they started tasting different new beers, which Michaël bought in a small shop called 'La cave de Wallonie', which sold special kinds of beer, the shopkeeper was François Tonglet, who is now the head of the brewery 'La Caracole'.
They spend almost all of their weekends visiting breweries and beer fairs. Michaël becomes a member of the 'Guilde des Tâte-bières' which is situated in the beer museum of Lustin, where he learns to taste and recognise all kinds of beer. And there is one idea he can't forget : 'Why not brew beer ourselves ?' they wonder. So they decide to start brewing their own beer. They start off brewing using ready-to-use kits, which are kits which contains molasses : the only thing they have to do is add warm water and aromatise to their own taste. The following utensils are needed : a cauldron, fermentation barrels suitable for food elements, a densimeter, dry yeast and a spoon boughtr in a shop specialised in all kinds of utensils for brewing beer and making wine. The shop owner, Denis Poncelet, is widely known for his fruit wines, the wines of 'Gorli'.
That's all fine, but beer that has been brewed with the kits all tastes a bit similar, so why not try the real malt ?
So barley, a mill to grind, a homemade filter, all have to be purchased, the rest of the earlier bought material can still be used.
Small brews are the result, not very successful though, but the two don't give in ! They seek the advice of professional brewers, search for information and they start again. And this time their trials seem more successful !
The 10-litre cauldron becomes too small, luckily Michaël finds a 30-litre one in the sales, they have to adjust the filter and they have to buy an adjusted fermentation barrel.
And then luck turns their way for they find a 150-litre cauldron used in catering at a boot sale, for a price they can afford because new utensils are expensive !! So they can brew more and meet their friends' request to taste their beer.
Because of their passion they can meet other brewing amateurs but also the professional brewers of small traditional breweries and they can take part in public beer brew events.

Philippe works for the Ministry of Justice in Andenne, where he gets the idea to brew a special beer called the ' Spéciale Quacker's ', which will be brewed for a vzw (a non-profit organisation) of which he is memeber. The beer is being brewed in the brewery 'La Caracole', Côte Marie-Thérèse 84 in Flamignoul.
Michaël has been working as a cook in several restaurants, when he starts working in the youth hostel 'La Plante' in Namur, the brewing gets sidetracked.
He only brews in the 30-litre cauldron but his efforts are very persuasive. He carefully notes down the recipes in order to brew larger quantities later on. He also becomes a member of'La Confrérie du Busson' in Buissonville (Rochefort), they brew the beer called 'Li Berwette' .

Their encounter with Bierebel

The world gets online and Michaël discovers the internet site Bierebel which is dedicated to his favourite brew. The site has been constructed by two students, Pierre and Pol-Henri Lebrun, who live in Treignes. Michaël storms the internet forum to answer some of the questions placed by the members, just 10 in 2003. Luckily more and more amateurs but also professionals find their way to the Bierebel site and in 2005 there are 736 members. In 2004 Philippe also becomes member of the Bierebel site which becomes the Walloon reference beer site.
'Visus' are organised in breweries and at beer fairs so members can meet, drink a nice beer and discuss their common passion : BEER!

'2005 : Year of beer is decisive !

The year 2005 was announced 'the year of the beer' by Brussels and the Walloon region, an axcellent opportunity to announce itself, as others did during 'the year of beer' in 1986 !
A few problems within the vzw of which Philippe was a member, led to his decision to associate with Michaël Vermeren and a Third person, namely Jean-Marc Boumal, head accountancy of the Ministry of Justice in Andenne. Steps are undertaken to found a bvba (an Ltd) which is specialised in the distribution of beer which is especially brewed by and fot them.
A first trial brew is realised in May, in the small installation of the brewery 'La Caracole' in Flamignoul, aided by the brewer himself and François Tonglet.
While the beer is fermenting, the bvba named B.G.V. after the names of the three partners is a fact. Several contacts are made to install us and to sell our beer at beer fairs.
The purchase of a van, the draft of the label, the application fot authorisation at Customs and Excise, among others...

In october 2007 Jean-Marc Boumal leaves us becaus of professional and personal reasons. He is replaced by Mireille Vandenhautte.

Mireille Vandenhautte

We meet Mireille for the first time at the friends of the SI in Andenne. She used to work as head of accountancy in the prison of Andenne but at the moment she works at the RSVZ.
She becomes an official partner in 1 October 2007 which gives a new incentive to BGV. We are a threesome again!

Olivier Dethine

The 17th of april 2009 is marked by a new entry, the trio becomes a quartet, after lot's of patience, Olivier Dethine becomes member of the Forestinne group.

Olivier is a teacher in second and higher grades. His major interest goes to the divine brewage, beer! !