Quality Tour: A playful call to celebrate Belgian quality beers in March

[Sint-Gillis-Waas, 10/03/2025] – Every year, Tournée Minérale encourages Belgians to abstain from alcohol in February. Although this is a valuable initiative for raising awareness, it also has a downside: especially small craft breweries suffer from the reduced sales. Combined with other abstinence campaigns such as Dry January and Sober October that have since spread from other regions, it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to survive.

Therefore, entrepreneur Koen Daalman, founder of PostMyBeer and BeerBuddy.be, launches the playful initiative Tournée Qualité: a positive counterpart that does not call for more drinking, but for better drinking. "If you choose to have a beer, choose something special: a craft Belgian beer, brewed with passion and craftsmanship," says Daalman. "Tournée Qualité is a wink, a way to say: drinking consciously can also mean enjoying real quality."

The idea for this action arose after Tom Heirman from Skøllmann Brewery in Sijsele pointed out the economic impact of the consecutive alcohol-free months and even suggested the name Tournée Qualité. "I thought it was a great idea to draw attention to small brewers in a playful way, without undermining the importance of conscious alcohol consumption," said Koen Daalman. "Tournée Qualité means choosing a unique craft beer instead of run-of-the-mill products from the big brands."

The campaign has a clearly positive approach. It's not about drinking more, but about putting quality over quantity. By consciously choosing local craftsmanship, consumers enjoy more and simultaneously support the brewers who are increasingly facing economic difficulties.

Tournée Minérale was launched in 2017 and has since been a great success every year. But while thousands of Belgians refrain from alcohol for a month, brewers and cafés feel the financial consequences. According to figures from Horeca Vlaanderen, the revenue in cafés and restaurants during the first edition of Tournée Minérale decreased by 10%. More than half of the hospitality businesses reported a loss of income, and for a third of them, that decline was even above 10%. The sales of specialty beers also dropped, which particularly affected small breweries. "The shortest month of the year is often the hardest for them," says Koen Daalman.

According to the Federation of Belgian Beverage Traders (Febed), the sales of alcoholic beverages in February 2017 were on average 15% lower than normal. The increase in non-alcoholic alternatives (+3%) could not compensate for that loss by a long shot. Supermarkets noted that February was the only month in which specialty beers sold noticeably worse. The trend continued in the following years, with persistent revenue declines in February.

"Don't get me wrong: it's good that people are more conscious about alcohol," says Koen Daalman. "But let's not forget that brewers and cafés who work with heart and soul are being hit harder by this. And while an authentic Belgian beer symbolizes enjoyment, not excess."

"Koen wants to bring back nuance in the debate around alcohol with Tournée Qualité. 'A former chemistry teacher of mine started his first lesson with the argument that there are no toxic substances, only toxic amounts. And that is also the case with alcohol: excessive drinking is certainly harmful – just like excessive sugar and/or fat consumption is. Therefore, moderate and conscious enjoyment should be able to retain a place in society.'"

Belgian brewers also endorse the importance of health awareness, but they also advocate for nuance in the debate surrounding alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse is harmful, there is no discussion about that. However, in the current discussion, every form of alcohol consumption is treated the same, they point out. In other words: occasionally enjoying a beer is seen as just as negative as excessive drinking, and that equivalence goes too far for the brewers. "Brewers have been advocating for a responsible consumption of their beers for years, without stigmatizing," it was stated earlier by the Federation of Belgian Brewers. They warn that "the pendulum must not swing too far" – responsible, moderate use can perfectly be part of a healthy lifestyle.

Belgium has one of the richest beer cultures in the world, with more than 400 breweries and an enormous range of beer styles. From Trappist beers to modern IPAs and wild lambics: behind every beer, there is a story. Tournée Qualité wants to encourage consumers to discover that story and support local brewers. "If we are not careful, those small brewers will disappear and only the big industry will remain," says Daalman. "And that would be a shame for our Belgian heritage."

Link to a video that was made especially for the occasion: https://youtu.be/73diOHWmvKw

PostMyBeer is a webshop that offers monthly discovery boxes with Belgian beers from smaller breweries. The company aims to promote the rich Belgian beer culture and also provides innovative services to support local brewers and increase their visibility. 

With BeerBuddy.be, that line is continued and Belgian craft beers are offered in a user-friendly webshop. 

"Every brewer, beer company, and supporter may use the Tournée Qualité logo: the message is more important than the messenger."