Brasserie Hygiëna

History

Brasserie Hygiëna was founded in Lembeek (Hondzocht) by Louis Paul in 1860. The brewery site dates further back to 1680 as a farm brewery and distillery. The brewery was also believed to have adapted the champenois method for lambic from Dom Pérignon, a French champagne producer. Delplancq suggests the origins of the name "Gueuze" were tied to Louis Paul from Brasserie Hygiëna in Lembeek, who in 1870 had the nickname "Geus" for his liberal politics. The people of Lembeek therefore called this beer "lambiek van bij de Geus" or "lambic of the Geus brewery". Delplancq, Thierrry. Les Brasseurs du Lambic: Données Historiques et Géographiques. P. 262-263. Around 1875, the brewery engineer Cayaerts began bottling Gueuze Lambic. The brewery was sold to Pierre Troch in 1898. In 1919, brewery ownership was under Réne Troch, and the brewery closed in 1927 after the economic crisis. The brewery and warehouse buildings were sold to Jozef De Vits, a local tavern owner and gueuze-blender. His son Réne De Vits continued the family lambic blendery here until 1978, who eventually sold the brewery to Frank Boon. 1