History

The company

Brussels Event Brewery nv (BEB)was created in the summer of 2000. In a very short period the old bottlery of the former Bellevue Brewery became a temple for Corporate Events. BEB opened its doors in May 2001. The company's slogan: "the perfect location for your creation" is exactly what Brussels Event Brewery became: a place where organizers of all kind of events can live up to their own creativity. It didn't take long before they knocked at the doors!

History of the site

The history of the Site of the Brussels Event Brewery goes along with an important part of the family history of Mr.Constant Vanden Stock, legendary figure in Belgium for being the country's most important Gueuze en Cherry beer brewer of the famous 'Belle-Vue' and for being for years the charismatic chairman of the country's most famous soccer team R.S.C. Anderlecht.

From father to son

In 1913, at the eve of World War I, Philemon Vanden Stock, father of Constant, starts a trade in Gueuze beer. At that point he doesn't own a brewery but he is mixing 'Lambiek' (old Flemish beer) from different origin. In 1914(13-06-1914) his son Constant is born.

In 1927 the family acquires the Café Belle-Vue at the Paul Janson Avenue in Anderlecht. This Café (beer bar) would later give its name to the brewery and the famous Cherry beer. In 1943 the family, together with two other brewers, acquires a 'Lambiek'-brewery by the name of Vos Kina, which was located at the Vierwindenstraat 83 in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek. It was the launch of the brewery 'Ph.Vanden Stock' and the beginning also of the development of the Site.

The German occupant arrested Philemon Vanden Stock in 1944. He was deported to concentration camps, wherefrom he never made it back. His son Constant, not yet thirty at that time, takes the lead of the company. At the end of World War II, in most difficult circumstances, Constant will start up again the company's business. Three men and a hand pulled wagon to begin with. Very rapidly he succeeds in developing the company to a point that it became the fifth in rank of all Belgian brewing companies and first in its kind for the production of Gueuze and Cherry beers.

In 1962 Constant's son, Roger Vanden Stock, will join the management of the brewery. Today, Roger is, as his father was, the chairman of the R.S.C.Anderlecht soccer team.

From brewery to bottling company

In 1949 de Company Ph.Vanden Stock becomes sole-owner of the Brewery at the Vierwindenstraat.

In between 1943 en 1969 the beer brewing activity is gradually transferred to other production units in the Valley of the 'Zenne'(main river crossing Brussels). A first time after the acquisition by Vanden Stock of the Timmermans' Brewery in 1955, later after the acquisition in 1969 of the United Breweries and the De Coster Brewery. In this Brewery the production of the traditional Lambiek and Cherry Lambiek Beers in oak barrels still continues today.

The remaining and growing activity in the Site is the mixing of beers, later on the filtering and the bottling of course. As the company grows the Site will be subject of several expanding processes.

A first bottling chain for corked bottles was located on the level of the actual 'Brasserie' next to the huge 'Silos', who gave their name to the actual 'Silo rooms' of the Brussels Event Brewery. This chain had a capacity of 10.000 bottles. Four other chains were gradually installed in other parts of the building, reaching a total capacity of approximately 154.000 bottles.

The silos

In the actual 'Silo-rooms', beside the old bottling chain, three huge Silos were installed. Each of them could contain 900 hectolitres of beer. The beers brewed in the different production units were gathered in these Silos and mixed.

In those days one didn't use 'litres' or 'hectolitres' as a measure, as is in use today, but 'buckets' and 'tons'
A copper 'bucket' contained 20 litres.
A 'ton' was good for 250 litres.
A 'cittern' (container) equalled 100 'tons' or 250 hectolitre.
But the huge 'Silos' of Belle-Vue contained not less than 360 'tons' or 900 hectolitre.

After tasting, the brew was then matured, filtered, bottled and distributed

In the cellar of the 'Silo-rooms' (the Cave), the filtered beer was kept for 6 to 12 months. Also two artisan made beers by Vanden Stock were kept here:

'Stad Café': an exclusive brew, only to be sold in the sole brewery owned bar: Café Belle-Vue at the Place de la Vaillance in Anderlecht.

'Appel': an other exclusive brew, to be sold in the bars at the West Coast of Belgium.

The tower

The Tower in the Court Yard of the Site had a very specific function. The many bottling chains by times needed replacement and renewal.

The heavy pieces of machinery were towed up the Tower and brought in or removed at the level required. The Tower with its removable windows, was especially equipped for that purpose

From brewery to event hall

In 1991 the Brewing Group Interbrew acquired the Brewery Belle-Vue. Until 1996 this site at the Delaunoy street was still operational but then dismantled. The production was transferred to other locations in the Brussels' area.

A chapter of the brewery site came to an end. The industrial real estate group 'Warehousing & Distribution De Pauw' cva bought in the former building of the Brewery.

Today the Site harbours educational space for the RITS students.

In 2001 a large part of the Site was renovated for the Brussels Event Brewery.

ABOUT US

Brussels Event Brewery nv (BEB) was created in the summer of 2000. In a very short period the old bottlery of the former Bellevue Brewery became a temple for Corporate Events.

Copyright © 2003-2014 Brussels Event Brewery n.v. All Rights Reserved.
BRUSSELS EVENT BREWERY NV/SA | Rue Delaunoystraat 58 B/1 - B-1080 BRUSSELS | Tel.+32 2 410 78 78 | Fax.+32 2 410 69 38