CORNET

CORNET's identity is rooted in a commission: according to brand history, a brewer named Theodoor Cornet was commissioned by the lord of Diepensteyn Castle to brew a special beer, and the brand takes its name and heritage from that origin in the region around Steenhuffel. Brouwerij De Hoorn, which produces CORNET, is part of the Swinckels Family Brewers group.

The 0.0% version, launched in 2022, is produced by first brewing the beer to its full character, then removing the alcohol (dealcoholisation: the beer is made at full strength and the alcohol is subsequently extracted). The aim is to retain the distinctive qualities that come from the wood-ageing process in the standard range. CORNET describes this as preserving the unique character of its blond beer in the AF format.

For the sober-curious drinker interested in Belgian ale tradition, particularly the wood-aged style that CORNET represents, the 2022 AF release makes that character accessible without reformulation from scratch.