Pauwel Kwak
Pauwel Kwak is an 8.4% amber Belgian specialty beer brewed by Bosteels Brewery in Buggenhout. The beer is fruity and soft, with a sweet note and a slight bitterness. The glass is particularly famous: a glass with a bulbous bottom that stands in a wooden holder.
The coachmen's beer
Kwak comes from Bosteels Brewery in Buggenhout, in East Flanders. The same brewery also makes Tripel Karmeliet. The beer is named after Pauwel Kwak, according to the brewery's story an innkeeper who brewed his own beer. Stagecoaches stopped at his inn. The coachmen were not allowed to leave their coaches unattended, so Kwak is said to have designed a glass that could hang in a wooden holder on the coach.
Whether it happened exactly that way, no one knows. The beer itself came onto the market in the 1980s. It is amber in color and has an alcohol content of 8.4%. The flavor is fruity and soft, with a sweet, woody note and a slight bitterness in the finish. People search for it as kwak and as pauwel kwak: it is the same beer.
In brief
An amber classic
At Gall & Gall, you can buy Pauwel Kwak in a 33 cl bottle. Curious about Bosteels' other famous beer? Then read about Tripel Karmeliet.
Pauwel Kwak
A fruity beer with a sweet woody note and a slight bitterness in the finish. Soft and full-bodied.
Tripel Karmeliet, Kwak's blonde sister from the same brewery: read all about it.
From amber and blonde to dubbel and tripel: all specialty beer styles in one overview.
Fruity, smooth and slightly sweet
Fruit and caramel
Ripe fruit and sweet malt, with a touch of caramel. Warm and inviting.
Soft and rounded
Full and smooth, with a sweet, woody accent. You mainly taste the 8.4% as warmth.
Slightly bitter
A slight bitterness finishes the taste and keeps the sweetness in balance.
Flavor profile of Pauwel Kwak.
How to drink Kwak
Drink Kwak chilled and slowly. With the real Kwak glass, it also becomes a bit of a ritual.
Chilled, not ice-cold
Pour Kwak at 8 to 10 degrees. This brings out the fruit and caramel nicely.
More about specialty beer →From the Kwak glass
The Kwak glass has a bulbous bottom and a long, narrow neck, and stands in a wooden holder. Drink slowly and tilt the glass gradually: because of the bulbous bottom, the remaining beer suddenly comes toward you quickly.
Without holder
Don't have a Kwak glass at home? Use a goblet or tulip glass on a stem. You can also smell the fruit and caramel well in it, and the glass stands firmly.
More about pouring beer →Kwak at the table
Kwak is delicious as an aperitif, with beef and with drinks and cheese. A delicious winter beer.
Before the meal
A small glass with some nuts or olives before you sit down to eat.
Beef
With stewed beef, steak or a beer stew. The caramel complements dark sauces.
Cheese board
With drinks and a selection of cheeses, from young to mature.
Winter evenings
With mashed potatoes, game or an oven dish on a cold evening.
The right glass for Kwak
We don't have the official Kwak glass with wooden holder in our webshop. A goblet or tulip glass on a stem is a good alternative: the bulbous shape holds the aromas of fruit and caramel, while the stem keeps your hand away from the beer. Choose 38 to 40 cl for a 33 cl bottle with a head. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about Kwak
Can't find your question here? Read more about speciality beer or get in touch.
Everything about speciality beer →What is Kwak beer?
How much alcohol is in Pauwel Kwak?
Why is the Kwak glass in a wooden holder?
Who brews Pauwel Kwak?
Which glass do you use for Kwak if you don't have a Kwak glass?
How do you drink from a Kwak glass?
Buy Pauwel Kwak
Want the bottle at home straight away? Order Pauwel Kwak online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of 9 October 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can find the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.