Boerenerf
Website (Dutch): https://www.boerenerf.bio/
Contact: info@boerenerf.bio
Address: Sollenberg 3, 1654 Huizingen
Phone: +32 471310948
Contents
Overview
Het Boerenerf is a working organic farm and lambic blendery located in Huizingen. It is a revival of the former Eylenbosch Huizingen brewery (located down the street) under founder and blender Senne Eylenbosch after having started the project on his grandparents' farm in 2019. The name of the blendery is a Flemish translation of 'The Farmstead'. The farm also serves its own ice cream and grows its own fruits and grains.
History
The history of Eylenbosch in Huizingen extends to 1864 when it began as a brewery named Cammaert, which existed from 1864-1895. Cammaert's great-granddaughter Anna Maria married Martinus Josephus Eylenbosch in 1874, and he later took over brewery operations from Joannes-Baptista Wynants-Cammaert in 1895. Eylenbosch passed away in 1922, leaving the brewery to his sons Jan-Baptist and Georges, who continued managing the brewery and blending gueuze.
While gueuze and lambic were experiencing a boom in the early 20th century, by the mid 20th century much of the industry had seen a decline due to the introduction of sweetened drinks like sodas and lemonades, as well as the industrialization of lambic after World War II. By 1965, the brewery had brewed its last batch of lambic and continued to operate as liquor store for some years. Finally, in 2006-2008 the remaining brewery buildings were converted into residential lofts.
While the brewery did not survive the initial collapse of the lambic industry, the Eylenbosch family continued to operate the farm, raising livestock, growing grains and fruits, and managing a dairy on-site. Senne Eylenbosch worked at Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen until 2019, and then decided to convert a part of his grandparents' farm into a ‘geuzestekerij’ (lambic blendery). He started to lay the groundwork for the revival of the Eylenbosch (Huizingen) beers, and the initial name of his one-man blendery was “Het Boerenerf Eylenbosch”. By the end of 2020, Senne Eylenbosch contacted Vincent Alluin with who he worked together in the same team at 3 Fonteinen. Vincent Alluin joined forces with Senne Eylenbosch in February 2021 when they started the commercial process to release the blendery’s first beers. In June of 2021, the blendery announced a new range of fruited lambics that marked the first release of an Eylenbosch Huizingen family lambic in over 50 years. The first batch of fruited lambics were sold in a pack of 6 bottles at the farm mid June 2021. The partnership with Vincent Alluin meant that the blendery rebranded its name to “Het Boerenerf” in August 2021. The company’s semi circle curved logo stands for the 4 generations of Eylenbosch brewers in Huizingen. Senne Eylenbosch is the family’s 5th lambic producing generation. Despite sharing the same name, there is no recent family history with Eylenbosch Schepdaal because there is a 9 generation difference. Brouwerij Eylenbosch and Het Boerenerf are two separate lambic producers. There are currently no plans to join Horal, the consortium of lambic brewers and blenders.
Brewing and Blending Process
Het Boerenerf is a blendery and currently has no brewing equipment. The bottling is done manually by the blender at the farm due to the lack of a bottling machine. As of summer 2021, Het Boerenerf has 25 barrels of different sizes (500 and 220 liters) originating from Burgundy and Bordeaux. The first batch of lambic to go into barrels was brewed at 3 Fonteinen on April 28 and April 29 2020. This initial brew makes up the majority of Het Boerenerf's first fruited lambic release. As of 2021, Het Boerenerf has also recieved wort from De Troch as well as Lindemans. The first release of fruited lambic represents some of the shortest chain lambic available with all of the brewing ingredients and fruit coming directly from Pajottenland soil. The blendery intends to promote short chain beers with sales taking place only at the farm for the time being.
Beers
Fruit
Photos
Het Boerenerf courtyard
Installing hop poles at Het Boerenerf
Groene Belle hop bines at Het Boerenerf
2020 Schaerbeekse Cherry Harvest at Het Boerenerf
Apples fermenting at Het Boerenerf
Cherries fermenting at Het Boerenerf
Het Boerenerf’s terrace
Het Boerenerf
Het Boerenerf’s barrel room
Het Boerenerf
Senne Eylenbosch & Vincent Alluin
Shop at Het Boerenerf
