Saving Moeder Lambic, A la Mort Subite and others

Moeder Lambic‘s two bars, A la Mort Subite and a few others in Brussels we know have indicated that they are in danger of going under. A group has formed to petition the government to save the bars, breweries and their staff, given the drastic lockdown on the bar sector for a month.

Jean Moeder of Moeder Lambic bars is looking for a way to raise money through an online auction. He made a request on Facebook, calling the month-long lock down of Brussels’ bars “a critical blow for our companies”.

He is thinking of selling some 500 to 2000 bottles from the cellar and is working on creating a list. He called on lambic lovers to provide ideas for an auction or a trade forum to sell the bottles.

Apparently he got some quick answers: “I got a few messages and we probably gonna do a part in raffle and a part in online auction”, he wrote.

Solidarity among brewers and bars

In response, brewer En Stoemelings has offered “la solidarité” and thanks beer lovers for all the orders this week, in an email. The brewer noted that online sales have saved it during Covid and allowed them also to raise funds for Saint-Pierre hospital and DoucheFLUX, an NGO that offers the homeless and others showers.

“It is this same spirit of solidarity…we are launching an action to support our friends and partners of HORECA. As of today, we will offer 25% of the volume of our beers sold on the e-shop every week to a customer, bar or restaurant, in difficulty,” says En Stoemelings.

The brewer is starting with one of its oldest clients Moeder Lambic, where the two bars were one of their first clients. No good deed goes to waste!

Slow death

Bernard Mouchart, co-owner of A la Mort Subite with Olivier Hautfenne, also sounded the alarm in an article in Bruzz.

He told the publication that turnover has plunged 85%. The cafe has been going since 1928. Fourteen of their staff are on temporary unemployment. He predicts that without aid then 60% of the sector will go bankrupt.

We can’t imagine the pressure on the newer and smaller craft bars in town, like Gist, which during the first bar lockdown, had to crowdfund to stay alive.

Brewdog Brussels, which has lots of money behind it, temporarily shut it doors on 29 September, even before the lockdown of the bars in town for a month.

Dire warning

A dire warning of the plight of bars and their staff can be seen in the video posted by Thierry Tillière, manager La Porte Noire,  and its manager Thierry Tillière has put out a dire video on the plight of bars and their staff given the month-long lockdown in Brussels. The Beer Idiots understand perfectly and are with you brother.