Belgium is a small country with remarkably diverse food and drinks. The country is bordered in the North by the Netherlands, in the East by Germany, in the Southeast by Luxembourg, and in the south and southwest by France. Its food culture is shaped by its three regions, each with its own unique food traditions.
This article covers Belgium's most important preserved foods and local drinks, the glass jars and bottles that suit them best, five interesting facts about Belgian glass and food culture, and four recipes you can make and bottle at home.
The Belgian Food Culture and its Transition to Glass Containers
Belgium's regional food diversity makes its food culture one of the most interesting in Northern Europe. Wallonia produces fruit spreads, fruit wines, and the iconic Sirop de Liège. Flanders has a tradition of pickled vegetables, mustard, and beer-based preserving. Brussels bridges both traditions and adds its own food culture.
The three regions rely on glass jars for preserves, bottles for beer and spirits, and the understanding that a good glass seal is what stands between a summer harvest and a bare winter table.
Belgium's glassmaking heritage dates back to Roman times, but it was the founding of Val Saint Lambert in 1826 that established the country's global reputation for glass manufacturing. At its peak, the company employed over 5,000 workers and produced approximately 120,000 pieces daily, exporting 90% of its production worldwide.
Belgian Preserved Foods & Local Drinks in Glass Jars and Bottles
Pickled Onions (Azijnuitjes)
Pickled onions (azijnuitjes) are a Flemish dish that is small, silver-skinned onions pickled in white wine vinegar with sugar and pickling spices, served as a condiment alongside cold meats, cheese, and charcuterie boards. They are stored in glass pickle jars and are one of the most commercially produced Belgian pickled products.
Sirop de Liège
Sirop de Liège is the most uniquely Belgian preserved food, which is a concentrated fruit spread made by cooking large quantities of apples and pears with no added sugar for many hours until the mixture reduces to a thick, dark, intensely flavoured paste. It is used as a bread spread (particularly on dark bread with fresh fromage blanc), a cooking ingredient in stews and sauces, and a glaze for meats.
Peket
Peket is Belgium's traditional juniper-based spirit from the Liège region, a genever-style eau-de-vie with strong juniper character, often infused with fruits and herbs. Home-made peket-style infusions are stored in glass spirit bottles and herbal infusion bottles. Fruit liqueurs made from cherries, pears, and plums follow the same glass bottle format.
Belgian Pale Ale pickled peppers
Belgian Pale Ale pickled peppers are a modern Belgian innovation. It is a mix of peppers pickled in a brine that includes Belgian pale ale alongside white wine vinegar, adding a subtle malt note to the acidity. These are packed into wide-mouth glass storage jars or preserving jars.
Fruit Syrups
Fruit syrups, including cherry, elderflower, and blackcurrant syrups, are made across Belgium as cordial bases and used in cooking and drinks. They are stored in glass bottles, including slim-necked cordial bottles and milk glass bottles.
Belgian Honey
Belgian honey, particularly from the Ardennes region, where bees feed on heather and wildflowers, is stored in glass honey jars for both domestic use and sale.
Kriek and Lambic Beers
Kriek and lambic beers are bottled in strong glass beer bottles that handle the bottle conditioning carbonation of spontaneously fermented Belgian ales, the glass bottle is not merely a container here but an active part of the ageing process.
Belgian Food and Drink with Recommended Glass Jars and Bottles
|
Traditional Delicacy |
Preservation Method |
Suitable Glass Container |
|
Sirop de Liège |
Long reduction, no added sugar, hot-filled |
Jam jars, hexagonal jars, preserve jars |
|
Pickled onions (azijnuitjes) |
White wine vinegar brine, heat-processed |
Pickle jars, preserving jars |
|
Belgian Pale Ale pickled peppers |
Ale and vinegar brine, wide-mouth packed |
Wide-mouth storage jars, preserving jars |
|
Fruit syrups (cherry, elderflower) |
Sugar reduction, sealed hot |
Glass bottles, cordial bottles |
|
Peket/genever infusion |
Spirit maceration with fruit/herbs |
Spirit bottles, alcohol bottles |
|
Belgian honey |
Raw extraction, sealed |
Honey jars, square jars |
|
Kriek/lambic beer |
Spontaneous fermentation, bottle-conditioned |
Strong glass beer bottles |
|
Artisan mustard |
Ground and brined, hot-filled |
Square jars, storage jars |
|
Fruit spreads (cherry confiture) |
Sugar preserve, hot-filled |
Jam jars, Bonta jars, Orcio jars |
Belgian Recipes for Your Glass Jars and Bottles
Belgian Sirop de Liège (Walloon Apple-Pear Fruit Spread) Recipe in Jam Jars
Ingredients
● 1kg cooking apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
● 1kg ripe pears, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
● 500ml water
● No added sugar. Sirop de Liège relies entirely on natural fruit sugars
Method
● Place the chopped apples, pears, and water in a large heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
● Cook uncovered for 45-60 minutes, stirring regularly and pressing the fruit as it softens, until completely broken down into a thick, rough pulp.
● Pass the cooked fruit through a fine sieve or food mill, pressing firmly to extract all the juice and soft pulp. Discard the skins and fibrous residue.
● Return the strained fruit liquid to a clean saucepan and simmer gently over medium-low heat. Cook uncovered for 2-3 hours, stirring regularly, until the mixture reduces and becomes a thick, dark, sticky concentrate. It is ready when a small amount dropped onto a cold plate holds its shape without spreading.
● Pour the hot Sirop de Liège into the sterilised jars immediately, filling to within 1cm of the rim. Seal with tight lids while still hot and leave to cool completely.
● Sirop de Liège last for up to 12 months if unopened.
You can find various sizes and designs of glass jam jars, hexagonal jars or preserve jars in our collection.
Flemish Pickled Onions (Azijnuitjes) Recipe in Glass Pickle Jars
Ingredients
● 800g small pickling onions, peeled
● 3 tbsp coarse sea salt
● 600ml white wine vinegar
● 150ml water
● 2 tbsp caster sugar
● 1 tsp mustard seeds
● 1 tsp black peppercorns
● 4 bay leaves
● 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Method
● Place the peeled onions in a large bowl, sprinkle with the coarse salt, and mix well. Cover and leave for 8-12 hours or overnight — the salt draws out excess moisture and helps the onions stay crisp during pickling. Rinse thoroughly and drain very well.
● Combine the white wine vinegar, water, and sugar in a saucepan and boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme and simmer for 3 minutes to infuse.
● Pack the drained onions tightly into sterilised glass pickle jars, distributing the spices and herbs between the layers.
● Pour the hot pickling brine over the onions, filling to within 1cm of the rim and ensuring the onions are fully submerged. Seal immediately with airtight lids.
● Process the sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for longer shelf life, or simply seal and refrigerate without water-bath processing for shorter-term storage.
● Leave for at least 2 weeks before opening: the flavour improves significantly over the first month.
● Water-bath processed azijnuitjes can last for up to 12 months in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate and use within 3 weeks once opened.
Find various sizes and designs of glass pickle jars and preserving jars in our collection.
Belgian Pale Ale Pickled Peppers Recipe in Wide-Mouth Storage Jars
Ingredients
● 500g mixed peppers (red, yellow, and green), cut into thick strips
● 300ml Belgian pale ale
● 200ml white wine vinegar
● 100ml water
● 1 tbsp caster sugar
● 1 tbsp coarse salt
● 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
● 1 tsp coriander seeds
● ½ tsp black peppercorns
● 1 dried chilli (optional)
Method
● Combine the Belgian pale ale, white wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the coriander seeds, peppercorns, and dried chilli.
● Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to allow the ale to mellow slightly and the spices to infuse. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
● Pack the pepper strips and garlic halves tightly into sterilised wide-mouth glass storage jars or preserving jars, filling to about three-quarters of the way up.
● Pour the warm ale pickling brine over the peppers, filling to within 1cm of the rim and ensuring everything is submerged. Seal immediately with airtight lids.
● Leave to cool completely at room temperature, then store in the fridge. The peppers are ready to eat after 48 hours and develop their full flavour over the first week.
● Serve alongside Belgian charcuterie, cheese boards, or as a condiment for sandwiches and grilled meats.
● Belgian Pale Ale pickled peppers can last for up to 3 months refrigerated in a sealed glass jar. Use within 3 weeks once opened.
You can find various sizes and designs of glass storage jars and preserving jars in our collection.
Belgian Peket-Inspired Herbal Spirit Infusion Recipe in Jars or Spirit Bottles
Ingredients
● 700ml good-quality gin or neutral grain spirit (as the base)
● 1 tbsp dried juniper berries, lightly crushed
● 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
● ½ tsp dried thyme
● Zest of 1 lemon (pith removed)
● Zest of ½ orange (pith removed)
● 1 star anise
● 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
Note: Traditional peket is a distilled spirit. This recipe creates a peket-inspired herbal infusion using maceration with gin or neutral spirit as the base.
Method
● Lightly crush the juniper berries and coriander seeds using a mortar and pestle or the flat of a knife; this releases the aromatic oils without turning them to powder.
● Place the crushed juniper, coriander, dried thyme, citrus zests, star anise, and cardamom pods directly into a sterilised glass spirit bottle using a small funnel.
● Pour the gin or neutral grain spirit over the herbs, filling the jars or bottle to within 1cm of the rim. Seal immediately with a tight-fitting lid, stopper or cap.
● Shake gently to distribute the herbs and store in a cool, dark place. Leave to infuse for 1-2 weeks, tasting every few days; the flavour develops quickly and can become quite intense if left too long.
● Strain through a fine sieve or muslin cloth into a clean glass spirit bottle once the flavour is to your liking. Seal with a fresh stopper.
● Serve chilled neat or over ice, or use as the base for cocktails and long drinks with tonic water.
● Peket-inspired infusion lasts for up to 12 months sealed in a glass bottle. The flavour is at its best within the first 3-4 months.
You can find various sizes and designs of glass spirit bottles and alcohol bottles in our collection.
Fascinating Facts About Belgian Glass and Food Culture
● Belgium's glassmaking tradition dates to Roman times, with continuous glass production in the Meuse valley and Ardennes region across nearly two millennia.
● Lacto-fermentation in glass jars was a year-round Belgian preservation practice long before refrigeration, with households fermenting cucumbers, cabbage, green beans, and root vegetables in glass jars filled with salt brine; a tradition that largely disappeared with the arrival of domestic refrigerators in the 1950s.
● Sirop de Liège is one of Belgium's most unique preserved foods: a thick, deeply flavoured concentrate made by cooking apples and pears (traditionally Walloon varieties) with no added sugar until the natural fruit sugars reduce to a dark, sticky spread. It has been made in the Liège area for centuries and is as central to Walloon food identity as Marmite is to British culture.
● Kriek is a traditional Belgian cherry lambic, a fermented beer aged with whole sour cherries and bottled in strong glass beer bottles that can handle the carbonation produced by continued fermentation in the bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Sirop de Liège keep in a glass jar?
Properly sealed and hot-filled Sirop de Liège lasts for up to 12 months in a cool, dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 6 weeks. The absence of added sugar means the shelf life depends entirely on the quality of the seal; always ensure lids are airtight before storing.
Is it safe to ferment vegetables at home in glass jars?
Yes, lacto-fermentation in glass jars is very safe when done correctly. The key requirements are a clean, sterilised jar, enough salt in the brine (approximately 2% by weight), and keeping the vegetables fully submerged below the brine level throughout fermentation. Lacto-fermentation creates an acidic environment that actively prevents the growth of harmful bacteria.
How do I stop my herbal spirit infusion from becoming too bitter?
Taste the infusion every 2-3 days and strain it through a fine sieve as soon as it reaches your preferred flavour. Juniper berries in particular can become quite bitter if left to macerate for too long. 1 week is usually the sweet spot for a balanced peket-inspired infusion. Once strained, transfer to a clean glass spirit bottle and seal.