Bourgogne des Flandres

The roots of this brewery go back no longer than 1765, when Pierre-Jaques Van Houtryve had a farm brewery in Loppem, a town close to Bruges. It’s his son however that moves the activities within the city walls of Bruges in 1825.
“Den os” ( The ox) brewery was born. almost 100 years later, just before the start of world war I, the family posesses 3 of the 34 breweries in Bruges: Den os, La Marine & Ten ezele. It’s back in those days that their most popular beer was born : Bourgogne des Flandres.

Brewery “Den Os” is closed since 1957, partly by the competition with German lagers, partly by the consequenses of the war. This was not the end of Bourgogne des Flandres, because it was brewed by different breweries with the same recipe, and still under the supervision of Michel Van Houtryve.

Back in 1985, that brewery was Timmermans from Iterbeek (close to Brussels), which in it’s turn was taken over by John Martin. Well known for his pale ale.

In 2015, the building of a new microbrewery in Bruges was started, at only 50 meters away where once was the “La Marine” brewery. Finaly, Bourgogne des Flandres is brewed in Bruges again !