Vanberg & DeWulf explained

Vanberg & DeWulf was an American importation business that brought premium Belgian beer to the United States.^[1] Its portfolio was purchased by Total Beverage Solution.^[2]

History

Vanberg & DeWulf was established in 1982 by Donald Feinberg, and in 1990 his wife, Wendy Littlefield, joined him as a partner in the business.^[3] Vanberg & DeWulf has worked exclusively with breweries that are independent, family-run and artisanal in their approach. Vanberg & DeWulf started by offering some of what are now familiar names in Belgian brewing: Duvel first,^[4] followed quickly by Castelain, Rodenbach, Kwak, Blanche de Bruges, Affligem, Frank Boon's lambics, Dubuisson, Dupont, and Slaghmuylder. They brought French Bieres de Gardes to the US market, first with Jenlain and then Brasserie Castelain ^[5]

In 1996, Vanberg & DeWulf opened Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York, with Duvel Moortgat and Scaldis.^[6] Brewery Ommegang was the first brewery in the US dedicated to Belgian-style all bottle-conditioned, cork-finished beers.^{[7] [8] [9]} In 2003, Duvel Moortgat purchased Vanberg & DeWulf's majority stake in Ommegang as well as Vanberg & DeWulf's import rights to import Duvel beers.^[10]

Following the sale of Ommegang, Feinberg rebuilt the remaining portfolio over the next five years.^[11]

In 2011, Vanberg & DeWulf celebrated 30 years of bringing Belgian beers to the United States with the Coast-to-Coast-Toast^[12],^{[13] [14]} a nationwide promotion of Belgian beer. 350 of the top Belgian beer accounts in the United States participated in the event, in conjunction with Untappd.^[15] Vanberg & DeWulf has since celebrated the Coast-to-Coast Toast annually in November as a celebration of craft and family-run breweries, and it has become the largest one-day celebration of craft and specialty beer culture in the country.^[16]

In 2014, its portfolio was purchased by Total Beverage Solution.

Beers

Vanberg & DeWulf imported forty-three beers from eleven breweries in four countries representing more than twenty styles, mostly Belgian or Belgian-influenced. The company represented beers brewed by:^[17]

Belgian Classic Brewers:

• Geuzestekkerij DeCam – (Gooik, Belgium)
• Brasserie Dubuisson (Pipaix, Belgium)^[18]
• Brasserie Dupont (Tourpes, Belgium)^[19]
• Brouwerij Slaghmuylder (Ninove, Belgium)^[20]
• Brouwerij Dilewyns (Dendermonde, Belgium)^[21]

The Vanberg & DeWulf “Honorary Belgian Beer” collection of beers includes:

• Brasserie Castelain (Benifontaine, France) Bieres de Gardes^[22]
• Amiata Birrificio Artigianale (Arcidosso, Italy)^[23]
• Brewery Olvisholt (Iceland)^[24]
• Green Jack Brewing Company (UK)^[25]
• Borg Brugghús (Iceland)^[26]

Awards & accomplishments

• Vanberg & DeWulf published the first US edition of Michael Jackson’s The Great Beers of Belgium in 1995^[27] – now in its 6th printing. They worked closely with Ruth Van Waerebeke the Belgian chef and writer who authored Everybody Eats Well in Belgium,^[28] a standard reference for US chefs.
• Don Feinberg and Wendy Littlefield were the first Americans inducted into the Belgian Brewers Guild in its history.^[29]
• Feinberg and Littlefield were both nominated for the Mercurius Award, the highest civilian honor given by the Belgium government for the promotion of Belgium abroad, in the late 1990s.
• V&D import Scheldebrouwerij Hop Ruiter won the Gold Medal at the World Beer Championships on January 16, 2012.^[30]
• Feinberg and Littlefield were nominated as semi-finalists for a James Beard Foundation Award in 2013 for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, or Beer Professional, the first beer importers to ever be nominated for the award.^[31]
• In 2011, V&D's own Lambrucha, a combination of lambic and kombucha tea, was named the Best Experimental Beer of the year at the U.S. Open Beer Championships.^[32]
• In 2014, V&D import Bush de Nuits (Scaldis Prestige de Nuits) was named one of the 100 Top Beers in the World by RateBeer.com.^[33]

Many of the beers imported by Vanberg & DeWulf have received World Beer Cup Awards, including three silver, six gold, and one platinum medal in 2012.^[34] In 2013, their own Vanberg et Famille Lambickx De Troch scored a 98 and earned a platinum medal.^[35]

Notes and References

1. McIntyre. Jordan. Spotlight On: Vanberg & DeWulf, As Told by Wendy Littlefield. Great Brewers. March 29, 2012. 2 August 2012.
2. Web site: Total Beverage Solution Acquires Rights to Vanberg & DeWulf Portfolio . April 2, 2014 . January 15, 2024.
3. McIntyre. Jordan. Spotlight On: Vanberg & DeWulf, As Told by Wendy Littlefield. Great Brewers. March 29, 2012. 2 August 2012.
4. Brew in Town: A pair of Belgian beer experts make Chicago their home. Tasting Table Chicago. October 21, 2009. 2 August 2012.
5. Web site: DiTullo. Matthew. 30 Years of Belgian Imports Thanks to Vanberg & DeWulf. Brewpublic. 11 July 2012.
6. News: Vang. Richard. Vanberg & DeWulf’s "Belgian Brewery". 2 August 2012. Great Lakes Brewing News. 1997.
7. Halber. Rob. Belgo-American Brewing. All About Beer Magazine. January 2002. 22. 6. 10 July 2012. https://archive.today/20130116143634/http://allaboutbeer.com/learn-beer/styles/stylistically-speaking/2002/01/belgo-american-brewing. 16 January 2013. dead. dmy-all.
8. News: Vang. Richard. Vanberg & DeWulf’s "Belgian Brewery". 2 August 2012. Great Lakes Brewing News. 1997.
9. Web site: With an American twist .... Realbeer.com. 2 August 2012.
10. Duvel Moortgat buys Ommegang . Modern Brewery Age . 10 February 2003 . 11 July 2012.
11. Lew. Bryson. Vanberg & DeWulf: 30 Years of Belgian Beers. Draught Lines. 1 November 2011. 3. 5. 4–5. 10 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20111226032756/http://www.origlio.com/pdf/draughtlines19.pdf. 26 December 2011. dead. dmy-all.
12. News: Noel. Josh. Raise a glass to Belgian beer at Coast to Coast Toast. 10 July 2012. Chicago Tribune. November 11, 2011.
13. Web site: Holiday Beer Tasting Tuesday! + Vanberg & DeWulf Salute. Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar. 2 August 2012.
14. Cook. Chuck. Coast to Coast Toast is in one week. Belgian beer and travel. November 8, 2011. 2 August 2012.
15. Web site: Coast to Coast Toast partners with Untappd. 2 Beer Guys. 11 July 2012.
16. Web site: Ten things to look for at Vanberg & DeWulf Coast to Coast Toast 3 events this week. 11 November 2013.
17. Web site: Vanberg & DeWulf. Origlio. 11 July 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20091023090605/http://www.origlio.com/vanberg.php. 23 October 2009. dead. dmy-all.
18. Web site: DiTullo. Matthew. 30 Years of Belgian Imports Thanks to Vanberg & DeWulf. Brewpublic. 11 July 2012.
19. Web site: DiTullo. Matthew. 30 Years of Belgian Imports Thanks to Vanberg & DeWulf. Brewpublic. 11 July 2012.
20. Web site: Mai. Jeffy. Publican Leads Nationwide Belgian Beer Celebration. Eater Chicago. 11 July 2012.
21. Web site: Rare Beer Club Selections Apr 2012–Brouwerij Dilewyns - Vicaris Generaal & Masia Agullons - Runa Brown Ale. My Beer Buzz. 11 July 2012.
22. Web site: Nason. Adam. Two Brothers, Castelain team up on Diversey and Lill(e) Collaborative Ale. 11 July 2012.
23. Contessa IPA Imported by Vanberg. Modern Brewing Age. 21 February 2012.
24. Web site: New beer labels: Westbrook, Evil Twin, Heavy Seas. Beer Pulse. 11 July 2012.
25. Web site: Green Jack Brewing Company Debuts at Churchkey. 21 May 2013.
26. Web site: Vanberg and DeWulf update: Olvisholt, Garun, Green Jack, Contessa, Gandavum. 14 October 2013.
27. Jackson, Michael. Michael Jackson's Great Beers of Belgium. Brewers Publications, 2008. Print.
28. Van Waerebeke, Ruth. Everybody Eats Well in Belgium, Workman Pub., 1996. Print.
29. Web site: Uyehara. Mari. Beer trends Industry experts give us the inside scoop on what 2012 holds for beer. Timeout NY. August 2, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120614220048/http://www.timeout.com/newyork/bars/beer-trends?package_id=42369. June 14, 2012. dead. mdy-all.
30. Web site: The Website of the Beverage Tasting Institute. Tasting.com. August 2, 2012.
31. Web site: James Beard Foundation Awards- Vanberg & DeWulf. 2014-02-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20140223125305/http://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/vanberg-dewulf-2013-384. 2014-02-23. dead.
32. Web site: 2011 U.S. Open Beer Championship Winners. 2015-07-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20150704204725/http://www.usopenbeer.com/index.php/pages/2011Winners.html. 2015-07-04. dead.
33. Web site: The Top Beers In The World.
34. Web site: World Beer Cup Winner List. World Beer Cup. 2 August 2012.
35. Web site: Vanberg et Famille Lambickx De Troch. World Beer Cup.