Rumours that I'd like squashed if possible?

1) Moortgat, the family brewery that produces the wonderful 'Duvel', has links with Vlaams Blok, the Belgian far right party.

2) Young's of Wandsworth have links with the National Front.

I patronise both their products so any info would be gratefully received. Surely these are just 'urban myth' type stories?
Anyone?

1) This was confirmed to me at the beginning of the 1990's by friends who worked in the British Embassy in Brussels. Whether it still does I do not know. Never drunk the stuff because of it.

2) The late Sir John Young donated money to the National Front in the 1970's. His obituaries last year glossed over this fact although Radio Five broadcast the fact in it's obituary. No mention if he ever regretted it.

I drink Young's now and again. There again it doesn't exist any more - it merged with Charlie Wells last year who took a 60% stake in the new company. The new company has just brought the Courage brand as well.

There is no active brewery in Wandsworth and it is going to be demolished to make way for the modernising of Wandsworth meaning that London now has only one major brewery in the shape of Fullers.

CAMRA nerd signing off

Didn't know about either of these but doesn't surprise me (esp the Belgium stuff)
The obvious one is Adolf Corrs off crap beer corrs fame living up to his name and being a fascist, but I'm sure it goes on a lot.
Don't even get me started on shepherds neame racist anti-German campaigns.
Not sure why we should be surprised about anyone holding any views - just appalled by them.
I was at a CAMRA event recently and an American casually used the 'N' word. Didn't know what to do, so changed the subject and went to talk to someone else....
Had too many of these run-ins over the years, the younger me would have shouted and screamed at him (as you usually can't reason with them).

the duvel - vlaams blok / vlaams belang link is an urban legend. i am belgian, left wing and love duvel. as far as i know (and i follow politics and the press very closely) the link has never been proven.

Mister Bungle I hope you're right. My local ASDA has bottles of Duvel for £1:38 each so I've bought a couple for later tonight. Where do you stand on serving temperature? I prefer it chilled from the fridge but it tastes good (but completely different) at room temperature.

Belgian beer is God's way of telling us that he loves us. ( as someone famously said)

GeordieLes wrote:

Mister Bungle I hope you're right. My local ASDA has bottles of Duvel for £1:38 each so I've bought a couple for later tonight. Where do you stand on serving temperature? I prefer it chilled from the fridge but it tastes good (but completely different) at room temperature. Belgian beer is God's way of telling us that he loves us. ( as someone famously said)

mine has to be chilled. also prefer my duvel "young" it gets more bitter once you get close to the expiration date

As belgian beer drinker I have never seen the moortgaat-VB connection confirmed. There are even bars that refuse to sell the Interbrew-beers, like Backdoor in Ghent (because of their economic cannibalism) that still serve duvel. I don't know if that has anything to do with that but it can be a sign.
Btw, are there any non-belgian beers that can be associated with the far right?