Brasserie Huygens

History

Huygens was a Gueuze blender in Vlezenbeek, founded by Jan-Baptiste Huygens (b. 1883) in 1911 during the interwar period. In 1897, at the age of 14, Huygens apprenticed at the Union Marchands de Bières in Uccle. The origins of the blendery began at the corner of Postweg and Schreinstraat, with a cafe and adjacent warehouse. After World War I, he built a new residence and second adjacent warehouse. Jan-Baptiste Huygens was the master blender from 1920 until his death in 1958. His son Dominiek and his two sons Henri Depever and Eugeen De Kegel continued the business until 1970. The closure was attributed to the decreased popularity of Gueuze in favor of sweeter beers.

Beers

• Gueuze
• Kriek

Links

Historical account (Dutch) (PDF).

References

Debraekeleer W. e.a., Brouwerijen en bierstekerijen in Beersel. Lambiek en Faro zijn de beste bieren van de wereld, Beersel, Het heemkundig genootschap 'van witthem' Beersel, 2003.