Belgium: Hoegaarden takes Gold at the 2006 World Beer Cup Competition

Hoegaarden, Belgium's original white beer, took first place in the Belgium-style wheat beer category in the 2006 Brewers Association World Beer Cup Competition, according to PRNewswire. Emerging victorious over 31 other entries in the class, Hoegaarden (pronounced "WHO-garden") was awarded the gold medal in what is referred to as the Olympics of Beer Competitions. This year's World Beer Cup brought together a panel of 109 expert judges from around the world to judge 2,221 entries from 540 breweries in 56 countries.

Belgium's unique style of wheat beer is called "witbier" in Flemish, "biere blanche" in French and simply "white beer" in English. It is called white beer because of the thick white head and distinctive cloudy appearance.

With its roots tracing back to the year 1445, Hoegaarden is considered the original white beer, and most other white beers are "descended" from it. Hoegaarden is available across the U.S., and enjoys almost cult status globally.

Hoegaarden today still uses centuries-old brewing methods. It is made with 45% unmalted wheat, is top-fermented and finished through classic bottle or keg conditioning. The beer remains unfiltered throughout the entire brewing process, allowing the savory sediment to be retained in the beer, thus delivering the special color, aroma, texture and flavor -- the unique Hoegaarden experience. The beer's shimmering, cloud appearance is mirrored by its one-of-a-kind taste -- soft, refreshing with a hint of citrus and spice. The Curacao orange peel and coriander are traditional ingredients originally added to balance the sourness of white beer when it was made by spontaneous fermentation in wooden kegs. The result is a refreshing beer that is perfect for summer.

Hoegaarden should be refrigerated for at least six hours before serving. Its ideal serving temperature is 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. In Belgium, every beer has its own unique glass designed to highlight the brand's special flavor, and Hoegaarden is no exception. The hexagonal Hoegaarden glass has extra-thick walls to keep the beer from warming too quickly, and is a recognizable icon of the world's most famous Belgian white beer. The special pouring technique recommended for Hoegaarden -- which calls for swirling the bottle after half of its contents are poured into the glass -- showcases the beer's natural yeast sediment and produces the proper cloudy appearance.

Hoegaarden is imported by InBev USA, and is available in bottles as well as on draught.