Brouwerij Van Steenberge

Brouwerij Van Steenberge is an independent family brewery in Ertvelde, East Flanders, with roots stretching back to 1784. Jean-Baptiste De Bruyne began brewing alongside his farming activities under the name De Peer, initially producing an oud bruin matured in oak casks for local cafés. Through marriage and succession the brewery passed through the Schelfaut and Van Steenberge families, with six generations shaping the business that remains in Ertvelde today.

Its history is one of repeated adaptation. The brewery moved towards lager as tastes changed during the first half of the twentieth century, while in 1919 it became Brewery Bios — a name meaning “life” and reflecting the importance the family attached to its own yeast cultures. Marie Schelfaut, of the third generation of the brewing family, is credited by the brewery with helping preserve its independence during this period.

A decisive change came under microbiologist Jozef Van Steenberge. In 1978 the brewery was chosen by the Augustinian order to brew Augustijn, continuing a brewing tradition associated with the monks in Ghent since 1295. Their historic yeast strains became important not only to Augustijn but to other Van Steenberge beers. The successful relaunch of Augustijn with secondary fermentation in the bottle in 1982 helped distinguish the brewery from contemporary lager producers and pointed towards the strong, high-fermentation “living beers” for which it is now particularly known.

Today the range includes Gulden Draak, Piraat, Augustijn, Bornem, Baptist, Fourchette and Monk’s Café, alongside beers that deliberately revisit parts of the brewery’s own history. Its 1784 Schelfaut Export recalls both the founding year and the Schelfaut family, while Monk’s Café draws inspiration from the oud bruin with which the brewery began.

Van Steenberge continues to combine that history with experimentation. Fourchette, developed at the meeting point between brewing and gastronomy, has more recently provided a platform for barrel-aged Grand Cru versions matured in former Sauvignon Blanc and vermouth barrels. It is a modern expression of a theme that runs throughout the brewery’s history: remaining independent and rooted in Ertvelde while repeatedly adapting what and how it brews.

Address: Brouwerij Van Steenberge, Lindenlaan 25, 9940 Evergem

tel: 09 344 5071