For the first time since 1833, De Koninck beers will no longer be brewed in Antwerp. The production of beers including Bolleke and Tripel d’Anvers will move to Duvel Moortgat’s main brewery in Breendonk for at least the next three years.
Bolleke is an iconic Antwerp beer that has been brewed in the city for decades. Alongside Tripel d’Anvers, it’s one of the best-known beers produced by the city brewery.
Since 2007, the city has even organised a Bollekesfeest, a festival that attracts tens of thousands of people. “The Bollekesfeest is not going to disappear overnight,” says Ellen Aerts, spokesperson for Duvel Moortgat. Duvel Moortgat took over De Koninck in 2010, but the brewing process remained in Antwerp. That is now changing, and so production of De Koninck beers will move outside Antwerp for the first time since 1833.
The reason for the move is the construction of the Klein Berchem neighbourhood on the site of the brewery. Aerts: “Because we want to guarantee the quality of our products and the safety of our employees, we are taking the safe option with this move.”
The work on the residential project is expected to take three years, so brewing will move from the city to the main brewery in Breendonk for three years. “All the brewers will have the opportunity to move with us,” Aerts says. “Discussions are still ongoing, so we can’t say anything about that yet.”
It's not an economic decision; it's purely related to the work in the neighbourhood
After three years, the move will be evaluated. “We are not going to jump to conclusions and cannot say anything about what will happen after that,” says Aerts. “In any case, it is not an economic decision; it is purely related to the work in the neighbourhood.”
The city brewery site includes a café, restaurant, butcher’s shop and cheese shop. They will all remain open and brewery tours will continue because all the equipment will remain in place. The move is scheduled for September.