To attract more tourists to their city, several Belgian cities have created their own beer-label. The city board sees the venture as an opportunity to create name-recognition among potential tourists, and as a way to create pride among its citizens. In some cases the beer label is a re-creation of an older local beer-name, which was lost in past decades because of the brewery mergers.

Contrary to the USA, where we see private initiative create local brewpubs or local microbreweries carrying the name of the city, like Santa Barbara Brewing Co. and Laguna Beach Brewing Co., in Belgium it is the city board itself that takes the initiative. A task force is appointed to research historical data, and to create the new label-design with the name of the city. A certain beer-style is defined, and a contract brewer is chosen. All local bars and restaurants are gently called on with some “light” political pressure to carry the beer.
Most of these “city beer labels” are launched on the occasion of a big yearly feast, where thousands of tourists show up. After the event, these labels tend to stay on for a while. They would certainly disappear, were it not for the yearly return of the event.
Since on these events thousands of gallons of beer are consumed, a third reason for the city to create such a beer-label is the license-fee income. That’s a way to pay for some of the costs of the event.

For example: a city in the USA could decide to pay for their yearly “Fourth of July” fireworks by creating a beer-label, brewed by the local microbrewery, and receiving a license fee on every barrel brewed.
What about ‘Newark Fireworks Ale’? During the whole year, the consumers of this beer would pay a small amount per glass for the fireworks. Of course it would need some political courage to face and resist the immature and intolerant reactions of some ‘Political Correct’ folks.

Only smaller cities in Belgium, without a brewery, are the ones who create these beer-labels. Larger cities or cities with breweries have already their name in a beer label thanks to the local brewer. For example: ICHTEGEMS, BORNEM, ENGHIEN, SILLY, BRUGES, HOEGAARDEN, ...