Another one bites the dust or possibly the bullet. Sterkens of Meer, in northern Antwerp province, appear to have admitted that they have not brewed for a couple of years. The definite facts (Belgian style) are that the bottling is done by Moortgat-Duvel but, er, bottling continues at Meer. Also nobody is sure who does the brewing but it might also be Moortgat. Which beers are actually originals is anyone's guess?

Welcome to another Dubuisson brewpub. The microbrewery of Brasse-Temps in Mons (Complexe Imagix, Zoning des Grands Prés, 1 Boulevard Initialis) has the same format as the one in Louvain-la-Neuve except that it serves the employees of an industrial estate rather than a load of students.

A new brewery is rumoured to have opened at Zonnebeke in West Flanders. However, the Guide has become so cynical about West Flanders' "new breweries" that it will wait for photographic evidence or sworn statements from Sherlock before believing it. With Deca allowing people to re-label Antiek Blond and Bruin with the brewery name of choice and both Proef and Van Steenberge insisting like a Swiss Bank that the customer must be the one showing integrity, who knows when a brewery is a brewery any more?

Another brewery rumoured to have opened is the Brabant in Baisy-Thy, Brabant Wallonie. Its products, should they exist, are called La Brabançonne Brune, Blonde, Tripel, Ambré, Miel & Sans Rute.

The extraordinarily energetic Jef van den Steen, when he is not writing elegant dining table books on Trappist beers, has pitched in at a new brewery in Erpe-Mere, near Aalst in East Flanders. Cheekily, the Glazen Toren brewery's first experimental beer has been the first official Flemish interpretation of a spiced saison (7.5%: ***/*). Brew runs are intended to be around 500 litres and, initially at least, all beers will be in 75cl bottles. Unlikely to be dull.

No news about Mibrana, Facon or Duwac - anyone heard anything fresh?

Also, can anyone assist in clarifying the rumour that Bosteels' Tripel Karmaliet and Deus Brut des Flandres were brewed at Van Steenberge?

Oud Beersel remains up for sale with increasing background stuff about a heritage buy-out being possible. Nothing close to a serious rumour yet though.