De Dolle Brouwers

The name may translate as 'The Mad Brewers' but they make some pretty sensational beers!

Nestled in the West Flanders village of Esen, there has been a brewery on this site dating back to 1835.  But the De Dolle story only started in 1980 when Kris Herteleer purchased an old brewery that had been derelict for decades.  It was the perfect project for them create their own brewery, in an area that was historically significant in both brewing and war history.

De Dolle was the first of the new wave of Belgian breweries that would start up in the 1980's, and has remained somewhat of a pioneer in the way they produce their beers.

From the use of the big copper koelschip that the beers are rested in, to the generous use of hops in the Arabier, the use of red wine barrels for the much renowned Stille Nacht Reserva beers produced every five years or the brewery logo being 'Oerbier Man' - a yeast cell with arms and legs, the brewery is as non-confirmist as Kris is himself.

Producing around 1200 heclolitres of beer per year, this isn't a big brewery. But the beers do come with a big reputation!