Tap Handle #799 - Kasteel (Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck)

March 05, 2023

Tap Handle #799 - Kasteel (Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck) - Kasteel Rouge

Tap size: 10"

Rarity: Tap no longer produced, import, fragile

Mounting: internal 3/8" nut

What's great about the Kasteel taps is that they are inspired by the Castle of Ingelmunster, in the village where the original Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck was located. There are 4 taps that are identical except for color, with each tap colored to match a particular beer: Donker Quad is brown, Chocolate Quad is purple, Rouge is red, and Tripel is orange. These taps were commissioned to celebrate the opening of the new brewery in Emelgem in 2016. However, in 2019 the brewery rebranded its beer, removing the castle from their labels and also discontinuing this tap. The tap consists of a colored battlement at the top, a tower of sculpted brick that also has a place for the label, and a colored base, with the color scheme matching the beer variety I described above. The front and back are identical to each other, as are the two sides, so I have reduced the number of photos taken. I listed this tap as fragile because it can be hard to find them without chips or even parts of the battlements broken off. There are a handful of these on the secondary market but only a few are free of damage. The prices of these taps are almost always pretty reasonable, ranging from $30-$45.

Classical depiction of the Castle of Ingelmunster around 1641

The Castle of Ingelmunster traces its origins bac to a monastery that was built by Saint Amandus of Nantes, a missionary bishop, in Ingelmunster, Belgium. In 740, the monastery was inhabited by English monks, who gave it the name Anglo Monaterum, Engelmunster, which meant "Cloister of the Angels". In 855, the monastery was plundered by Vikings, who set it on fire and left only ruins. Robrecht 1 de Frieze, the tenth count of Flanders, built the fortified castle on the site of the ruins in 1093. Philip the Fair, King of France and the most powerful monarch of the time, took up residence in the castle in the year 1297. From the years 1384 to 1580 the castle was owned by the Bourgondi and Van Kleef families, and then their successors. Each family left their own mark on the castle through renovations or embellishments. In 1580, the "Battle of Ingelmunster" took place with the apparent main prize being the castle, which at that time belonged to the Dukes of Cleves Nevers. The notorious Calvinist leader Francois de la Noue laid siege to the castle, but the Marquis de Roubaixdie, who was under the command of the Spanish king, outmaneuvered de la Noue, and after a short but fierce battle, de la Noue was made a prisoner of war.

Three years after this battle, the historic fortress changed hands and came into the possession of Otto de Plotho. In the 16th century, larger windows were placed in the castle, making the site both a rural mansion and a castle. Otto had to go to Germany on business and asked his cousin, Sir Gaspard, to watch over the castle. In 1588, Sir Gaspard had to protect the castle against the rebels and looters who roamed the country at that time. He also took it upon himself to protect the frightened and hunted population. Gaspard became attached to the castle of Ingelmunster, so Otto de Plotho donated the castle to his cousin for his loyalty and services rendered. Sir Gaspard died in 1605, and in the years that followed, various embellishments were carried out due to the succession within the de Plotho family. The towers got their battlements and domes, and the facades along the courtyard were decorated with columns and ornaments. The castle was besieged several more times and when it was bombarded with cannons in 1695, it had become virtually a ruin.

The castle was rebuilt, and Baron Charles de Plotho constructed the beautiful one-arched bridge that provides access to the castle. French insurgents, who had gained control of West Flanders through the French Revolution, imposed a tax of 250,000 pounds on the owner of the castle, which had to be paid within eight days. As soon as the Baron de Plotho was not at the castle, the republican administration entered the castle to confiscate goods in order to sell them publicly, but were stymied by the inhabitants of Ingelmunster. Charles died in Paris in 1757, and appointed Carles Alberic Clément Descantons de Montblanc as his successor. Later, Flanders was struck by a double plague of industrial crisis and famine, and the castle became a refuge for those seeking help. Kitchens and ovens were installed to prepare meals for the population. Carles Alberic died in 1861, and his son, Count Carles Ferdinand Descantons de Montblanc, succeeded him.

Count Carles Ferdinand was a learned, well-known chemist, explorer and linguist with a great knowledge of the Oriental languages. He died in 1893 and the castle of Ingelmunster fell to his brother, Alberic, who was a senator and member of the Chamber of Representatives. Alberic died in 1914. His brother, Count Ernest, succeeded him and took it upon himself to defend the castle and the villagers against its occupiers. Ingelmunster had been taken by the German army in 1914, and because of its strategic location, the municipality and the castle played an important role in the storage and delivery of goods and ammunition. In 1918, Belgian and French soldiers launched an attack. For three days the Germans put up strong resistance, but after 3 days of fighting, the war was over. After the war, the castle had to be repaired from the damage sustained during the four-year occupation. After the death of Ernest in 1925, Count Jacques de Montblanc continued the tradition of the house and a marked improvement in modern comfort was achieved.

In 1964, Count Jacques had the honor of receiving King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola in his castle. He died in 1970, leaving the castle to his children. The castle and its park were purchased by the Van Honsebrouck brothers, Marc and Luc, who ran the Van Honsebrouck brewery in Ingelmunster. Marc and his family moved into the castle to carry out renovations. In 2001 a fire broke out, and though Marc and his family managed to escape, the entire left wing, both the ground floor and the upper floor, burned out completely. Despite the fire brigade arriving on the scene very quickly, many pieces of invaluable art were lost in the fire. Marc decided in 2012 to fully take care of the castle and bought out his brother, with plans to restore it to its former glory. With the best craftsmen he could find, he started the renovations at the age of 81. The result of this hard work was the full restoration of the beautiful building.

The current Castle of Ingelmunster

For more about Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck, see this post.

Kasteel Rouge is a dark red, the “fruitiest” offering within the Kasteel beer range. It is mixed with Kasteel Bruin (Brown) and sour cherries and is left to mature for at least 6 months to give it unique taste and color. Under its dense and creamy pinkish foam, it has a lively effervescence. On the nose, the cherry is in all its splendor, fresh, candied, in syrup. On the palate, it is cherry and brown sugar notes ending with a buttery, rum-like finish. The malts barely manage to make their way to the palate; however, these malts give the beer a sweet and caramelized aspect, which balances the acidity of the cherries. This beer should be enjoyed with a chocolate dessert to take full advantage of its undeniable gastronomic assets. In 2016, Kasteel Rouge was awarded the silver medal at the World Beer Awards for the category of “Fruit and Vegetable Flavored Beer.”