Fearless Belgians: A Beer, A Dog, and an Unyielding Soldier

 Badass: refers to someone or something that is impressive, bold, admirable and stands out.

From The Oxford Dictionary of American Slang.

         Bruz Beers, located in Denver, Colorado U.S.A., is an artisanal brewery dedicated to traditional Belgian style beers. Cofounders Charlie G. and Ryan E. discovered Belgian beer while backpacking through Europe. Their experience transformational. They returned to Belgium many times with a powerful thirst for Belgian beer and a profound love for Belgian culture. In the early 1980’s, Belgian beers were hard to find in the U.S.A. and craft breweries were few. As partners, they established Bruz Beers and have not looked back. Their brewery brings the flavors of centuries-old Belgian brewing techniques to Colorado and the American West. Bruz Beers only uses the finest Belgian malts, hops, spices, fruits, and a diversity of Belgian yeast strains to insure Authentiek Belgiё.  Their themed beers include labels like: Brussels Table Beer, Duvel/Devil, Dame Blanche, Tallus, Belgian Country Lager, Transatlanique Kriek, and others. So well received is their business model that patrons are presented with the option of joining what is known as the Badass Belgium Beer Club. Membership includes daily taproom specials, learning workshops and happy hour pricing.

      Perhaps no other dog meets the clinical definition of a badass than the Belgian Malinois. Highly intelligent, loyal, brave (sometimes to a fault!), alert, athletic and extremely trainable, the Belgian Malinois behavior sets it apart from most other breeds. However, these attributes are not necessarily the same as what makes for a great house pet. The have been described as a  “precision instrument” by handlers. They require a mission and an extreme amount of vigorous activity . They can be independent, strong willed and laser-like focused. For precisely these reasons the Belgian Malinois is the top pick for police work, military K-9 service, private sector protection and security work. They excel in detection and in search and rescue operations and law enforcement missions and have been described as “unstoppable and so intense they seem to vibrate.”  The Belgian Malinois has gained the moniker of various kennel clubs worldwide as the quintessential “Badass of the Dog World.”

     Brussels born Adrian Carton de Wiart ( 1880-1963) lived for warfare. In fact, he fought in three wars: the Boer War,  World War I, and Second World War II. In the Boer War he lied about his age (he was a teenager), gave a false name which allowed him to enlist in the British Army. Young Carton was severely wounded in the stomach and groin. His convalescence was slow but by the time of World War I , Adrian was ready for front- line action. He was shot twice in the face losing his eye and a good portion of his ear. He was undeterred. When given a glass eye, he tossed it aside and slung on what was to become his iconic black eye patch. On the Western Front, he was wounded seven more times; shot through the skull and ankle at the Battle of the Somme, through the hip at the Battle of Passchendaele (Belgium), through the leg at Cambrai, and through the ear (again!) at Arras. In 1915 he lost his left hand but not before pulling off his own fingers before a surgeon could amputate his hand. Later, in the Battle of the Somme, his men recalled seeing the one-handed Adrian pulling pins from grenades with his teeth and throwing them with his one good hand. For his bravery Carton di Wiart was awarded Britian’s Victoria Cross. He famously replied, &