Pauwel Kwak
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Kwak | |
|---|---|
 A Kwak beer served in its traditional glass |
|
| Brewery | Brewery Bosteels |
| Style | Dubbel |
| First Brewed | 1791 |
| Alc. vol. | 8.0% |
Pauwel Kwak (pronounced /paʊʌl kwɑk/ ), or simply Kwak, is the name of a Belgian beer, named after its original brewer, Pauwel Kwak, who first made it in 1791. It is now made in the family-owned Brewery Bosteels in Buggenhout, Belgium.
The most famous aspect of Kwak is the eye-catching glass in which it is supposed to be served. Kwak has a round-bottomed glass that resembles a 'yard of ale', which is held upright in a wooden stand—rather like a piece of old scientific apparatus. The glass apparently originated in the days of the stage coach. Travellers would often stop at an inn for refreshment, but the coachmen were required to stay with the coach and horses. Standard handled mugs were impractical for gloved coachmen sitting high up, so one enterprising innkeeper, Pauwel Kwak, had a special glass created for his beer. Its shape enabled it to be hung on the coach and be easily held in a thick glove.
Whatever the origins, historic or a modern unique selling proposition, drinking Kwak from its glass is a unique and novel experience. The unwary often try to gulp the beer, failing to notice that the shape permits a torrent to pour out when the air reaches the bowl.
The beer itself is a dark one—a dubbel in style, at 8% ABV.
