SDH Captioned
Grades 10 - 12, College, Adults
Directed by Jerry Franck
Produced by Jerry Franck, Courtney Marsh
DVD Purchase $350, Rent $95
US Release Date: 2025
Copyright Date: 2022
DVD ISBN: 1-961192-37-3
Subjects
Anthropology
Business Practices
Cultural Anthropology
European Studies
Fermentation Science
Food And Nutrition
Food Studies
Local Economies
Marketing and Advertising
Social Change
Social Psychology
Sociology
Sustainability
Awards and Festivals
CPH:DOX
DOCVILLE
Seattle International Film Festival,
Sonoma International Film Festival
Florida Film Festival
American Documentary & Animation Festival
Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival
Southside Film Festival
Sao Paulo Food Film Festival
Napa Valley FORK2FILM Festival
An intimate look at lambic beer and three of its most revered brewers and blenders as they each navigate the growing demands of consumers today.
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"[A] journey into the soul of beer...it's about artistry, history, and the unseen cosmic and magical forces shaping every bottle." Julia Herz, Co-author, Beer Pairing: The Essential Guide |
BOTTLE CONDITIONED explores the small Belgian community where lambic beer-one of the oldest, rarest styles of beer-is made. A cultural heritage almost lost after WWII, lambic is on the rise again today.
Academy Award® nominated filmmaker, Jerry Franck, follows three of the most revered lambic producers—Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, and Bokke—at a pivotal point in time, where each grapple with the growing demand for their beers.
Through their stories the film explores various themes and conflicts, from the challenges of running a multigenerational family business, to complications in expanding upon tradition, to difficulties in meeting expectations from consumers worldwide.
Reviews
"Bottle Conditioned provides an insider's look into how traditional brewing in Belgium is more than just a vocation but is a way of life. It follows the ups and downs of a centuries-old industry as the brewmasters and their families struggle with the changes within a society focused more on profitability than quality and tradition. It is a powerful illustration of how these conflicting pressures resurface as society replaces the old with the new."
John Sheppard, Professor of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Science, Director of the Wolfpack Brewery, North Carolina State University
"This film is a well-balanced and tasteful tribute to the artistry and evolution of Lambic beer. Much like the beer itself, it unveils how traditional Lambic brewers have survived and matured over time, historically through challenges of mass-produced beer marketing, and now, with a huge demand for production increases from a headstrong culture of beer enthusiasts ready to pounce on anything that is inauthentic! Bottle Conditioned is a well-blended intersection of old and new that celebrates the brewers who nurture the diverse populations of yeasts and microbes that ultimately create this unique and wondrous beverage."
Jeff Biegert, Professor and Brewmaster, Fermentation Science and Technology, Colorado State University
"This story of Belgium's passionate Lambic brewers is reverently told through archival footage and by the brewers themselves. If Bottle Conditioned doesn't inspire admiration and respect for Lambic beer's contribution to Belgium's brewing heritage, nothing short of a visit to the Pajottenland will. This is a beer appreciation must-see."
Marty Nachel, Founder and President, American Craft Beer Hall of Fame, Instructor, Business of Craft Beer Program, College of DuPage
"This superb film chronicles the lively story of the resurgent lambic brewing world told through the voices of some of its most recognizable brewers and blenders. The craftsmanship on display is breathtaking to witness as well as a surprisingly intimate affair passed between generations of family members. Particularly rewarding for academic classrooms is how the film explores key tensions at the heart of this trade: heritage and tradition versus innovation and change, artisanship versus business production, and the limits of small operations grappling with suddenly trendy consumer demand."
Eli Wilson, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of New Mexico, Author, Handcrafted Careers: Working the Artisan Economy of Craft Beers
"Viewers are immersed in a layered film that shines a light on...the clash between the old guard and a new generation dedicated to pushing the boundaries and exploring new ideas...All three of their stories are compelling and beautifully shot."
Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes
"Bottle Conditioned alludes to the fact that as Lambic is shaped by the decisions of its producers, so too are we all as humans conditioned by our heritage, environments, and choices."
Breandán Kearney, The Brussels Times
"The documentary is vivid, beautifully shot, and romantic. The storytelling is bracing, revealing, and one of the most true things I've seen from the world of beer."
Michael Kiser, Good Beer Hunting
"Refreshing...Intimate...Enthusiasts will love hearing about this fermented favorite straight from the legends who make it...For those unfamiliar with lambics, this is a fresh documentary about a beer known for being aged, and I recommend pairing it with a glass or two for yourself."
Jules Caldeira, Film Inquiry
"A fascinating look at a style, the blenders and brewers who make it possible, and the conflict between preservation and proliferation."
Richard Gray, The Reel Bits
"Blending breathtaking visuals, in-depth interviews, and a story that spans personal ambition and collective identity, Bottle Conditioned emerges as more than just a film about beer. It explores the enduring spirit of a community bound by a shared passion for craftsmanship, offering insights into the challenges of cultural preservation in an ever-changing world."
Chris Jones, Overly Honest Movie Reviews
"Bottle Conditioned dives headfirst into the world of lambic beer, which proves far more dramatic than one would assume...Franck's film perfectly captures a moment of real change in a craft defined by tradition."
Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex
"A sweet new movie...Bottle Conditioned is an insider's view of where we are today with these incredible beer styles and the producers who create them."
Pete Slosberg, The Alcohol Professor
"A deep and loving look at lambic and some of the revered blenders who have created flavorful, intriguing, and sought-after bottles."
John Holl, All About Beer
"Bottle Conditioned is a must-see love story for anyone interested in the resurgence of one of the world's most iconic styles of beer - lambic. As with most love stories there are hopes and dreams, anxieties and fears, tensions and conflicts. Bottle Conditioned has all of these, and more, as director Jerry Franck takes us deep into the world of lambic and the people who produce it; a world where competing visions of the future are discussed and debated. If you only watch one beer film this year, make sure it's this one."
Neil Reid, The Beer Professor, Professor of Geography and Planning, University of Toledo
"With each distinct lambic brew, Bottle Conditioned beautifully brings to life the unique stories of three lambic breweries: Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, and Bokke Blendery. The film highlights the generational challenges of producing, distributing, and selling lambic beers since World War II and the complexities of each brew's spontaneous fermentation, resulting in its characteristic flavor, color, and aroma. This film is essential for students involved in the hospitality and tourism business and anyone interested in brewing and drinking beer."
John Arthur, Professor of Anthropology, University of South Florida, Author, Beer: A Global Journey Through the Past and Present
"Bottle Conditioned provides the interesting background and explains the process of bottle conditioning these famous beer styles. Brewing is a marriage between science and creativity, and these two meet perfectly in the production of these historical beers. We see examples here of how you can't have one without the other to produce beautiful beers."
Glen Fox, Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences, University of California-Davis