Brasserie de Marsinne / Léopold 7

Brasserie de Marsinne, better known through its Léopold 7 beers, was established in 2013 by Nicolas Declercq and Tanguy van der Eecken at the château-farm of Marsinne in Couthuin, in the province of Liège. Their aim was to revive brewing at a site where a brewery had already operated in the nineteenth century.

The brewery says the Léopold name was inspired by a former brewer associated with the Marsinne farm. The 7 refers to the original recipe concept: three grains, three hops and a seventh element described as the “Léopold touch”, an aromatic signature intended to distinguish the beer.

From the beginning, the project placed unusual emphasis on sustainability and local sourcing. By 2020, when this Museum glass was made, Nicolas Declercq was the only remaining founder, but Léopold 7 had grown into a small brewing team producing all its beers on site at Marsinne and promoting recyclable packaging, local ingredients and lower-impact production.

The best-known beer, Léopold 7 Classic, is a 6.2% Belgian pale ale with citrus notes and a lightly bitter finish. The range later expanded to include beers such as Triple de Hesbaye, Dry Hopped and alcohol-free variants.

The story has since moved on. The current Léopold 7 website is operated by Brasserie 3F – L’Angelus, based in Frameries, Hainaut, and lists Frameries as the present contact address. That means the brand’s contemporary home is no longer the Marsinne site, although the 2013–2020 chapter remains central to Léopold 7’s identity and to the history represented by this glass.