Brasserie Hygiëna

1919 Brasserie Hygiëna invoice. (Source: Coifparfum, delcampe.net)

History

Brasserie Hygiëna was originally founded in Lembeek (Hondzocht) by Louis Paul in 1860 as "Brasserie Sint-Roch".

The brewery site dates further back to 1680 as a farm brewery and distillery owned by the Claes family. 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 (he was also the town mayor). The people of Lembeek therefore called this beer "lambiek van bij de Geus" or "lambic of the Geus brewery". Delplancq, Thierry. Les Brasseurs du Lambic: Données Historiques et Géographiques. P. 262-263. Around 1875, the brewery engineer Cayaerts began bottling Gueuze Lambic. With no heirs, Louis Paul sold the brewery was sold to Pierre Troch in 1898.

The copper kettles in the brewery were seized during WWI, and iron kettles were then installed. It is believed that the brewery was renamed Brasserie Hygiëna at this time to emphasize the purity of the brewery, but there are earlier references to this name. 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 from 1937 until 1978, then eventually sold the brewery to Frank Boon. 1

Timeline

• 1860: Founded by Louis Paul, mayor of Lembeek
• 1870: Origins of the name "Gueuze"
• 1875: Begins bottling Gueuze Lambic
• 1898: Brewery sold to Pierre Troch
• 1919: Ownership transferred to Réne Troch
• 1927: Brewery closes following economic crisis
• 1927: Jozef De Vits purchases brewery and continues as lambic blender

Beers

• Gueuze Lambic
• Lambic

References

Delplancq, Thierry. Les Brasseurs du Lambic: Données Historiques et Géographiques. P. 262-263.

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