Belgians pride themselves on lambic, and rightfully so. Early recipes show that this way of brewing dates all the way back to 1559. With the rest of the world turning to industrially-produced lagers in the late 20th century, traditional sour lambic was a dying breed. By the 1990s, only three blenders in the whole of Belgium remained.

Fortunately, winds of change blew, and today lambic is a very sought-after style among craft beer drinkers. Best known in the category is probably Brussels-based Cantillon, which has reached iconic status. Happily, lambic’s modern-day popularity has encouraged many of the breweries who previously only produced sweetened versions to add unsweetened lambics to their lineup as well.

After a 70 Euro cab drive we arrive in Gooik at 8:28 AM, two minutes prior to our scheduled meeting with Karel. The cab takes off and we're left standing in a desolate, quiet, gravel-covered courtyard. People in the beer business that I've met have all had something to say about Karel — generally painting a picture of a great guy, but somehow veiled in mystery. Standing there in that small village in the middle of Belgium I mostly think: "honestly, I don't know if he will show up". At 8.30 AM exactly, a white minivan spins into the parking lot and Karel steps out. He's welcoming, chatty, and passionate. Any worries I might have had disperse immediately, like the clouds in the blue sky above.

As early as it is, initially Karel treats us to Pottekeis, a Brussels gueze cheese spread. It's a tangy, creamy fresh cream spread made from soft cheeses, young spring onions, and gueze. Using an old oak barrel as a table, we stand in the Flanders morning sun feasting on our unlikely breakfast.

Karel is a serious character when it comes to his lambiek (Flemish spelling), but otherwise a relaxed and cheerful guy who quickly immerses us in his stories. DeCam (Cam is an Old-Dutch word for a brewery) was originally started in 1997, by Belgian beer legend Willem Van Herreweghen. When Willem left three years later to pursue his career as technical advisor for Palm Breweries (among others), Karel saw his chance to acquire the company.