15 years of Brouwerij Wilderen, where tradition lives on and flourishes

By Malin Norman

Housed in an old farm dating back to 1642 and surrounded by fruit orchards, Brouwerij Wilderen makes prized beers and spirits. Its café is a hit, especially in summer, with plenty of space both indoors and in the garden. Make sure not to miss this gem, in the small village of Wilderen, and enjoy a Tripel Kanunnik, Cuvée Clarisse or Wilderen Goud, or perhaps one of the whisky- or rum-infused beers.

Those who have met Mike Janssen know that he is an experienced, and energetic, entrepreneur in the Belgian brewing scene. Together with his wife Roniek Van Bree, he runs Brouwerij Wilderen since 2011. The couple bought an old farm a few years earlier, in the heart of the village Wilderen. Dating back to 1642, the farm’s previous generations had also added a small brewery in 1743 and a distillery in 1890. Janssen could see the potential, and that was the beginning of brewery and distillery Wilderen.

Photo: Brouwerij Wilderen

“This was a place that nobody wanted, but I’m crazy about old buildings and I like finding solutions for them. Walking into the old distillery is like stepping into a time-machine,” Janssen says. “Even though we’ve added a modern, fully automated brewery next to it, where the stables used to be, we can also show people the original distillery and the equipment that was used.”

After a few years of renovating extensively, Brouwerij Wilderen opened its doors in 2011 and it became an instant hotspot. Amazingly, it has around 120,000 visitors per year, 20,000 of which take part in the brewery and distillery tour. The rest come to eat and drink in the restored, half-timbered farmhouse, which is now the brewery’s café, and the surrounding garden.

Roniek Van Bree and Mike Janssen. Photo: Brouwerij Wilderen

Wilderen, a place full of flavour

Brouwerij Wilderen sits in a fantastic spot. The village Wilderen has around 1,500 inhabitants, an old church from 1190, and of course the site for the brewery and distillery. But this is also a significant fruit region in Europe, with an abundance of apples, pears, cherries, and more. Clearly, it is a place for entrepreneurs with a focus on flavour, with for instance De Gebrande Winning, named the world’s best beer restaurant, nearby.

Photo: Malin Norman

“It’s amazing, we can have up to 2,000 people in our garden on a sunny day – eating, drinking, and just enjoying the setting. People come to Wilderen because there’s always room here, even for the kids with our dedicated playground,” says Janssen. “And it’s such a beautiful place. Buying this old farm is one of the best things I’ve done in my life.”

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of Brouwerij Wilderen this year, Janssen shares; “We opened on 9 July in 2011, however this is in the middle of the busy holiday period. So, we’ve decided to have the anniversary during the last weekend of September. Come celebrate with us then, if you can.”

Photo: Brouwerij Wilderen

Tripel, blonde and whisky-infused

As for the beers, they are brewed with Belgian craftsmanship in mind. Combining classic styles with modern influences, the Wilderen team creates a relatively small range of beer. The flagship is Tripel Kanunnik, with around half of the production. The four-grain tripel – described as smooth, sweet and fruity – is brewed with barley, wheat, oats and rye, and noble hops.

Another popular beer is the Belgian blonde called Wilderen Goud, a great alternative to a thirst-quenching lager. It is served in a different type of glass, an original design that resembles one of the vessels in the old distillery, now considered an icon among beer glasses.

The Belgian dark strong ale Cuvée Clarisse is a must-try too, winning numerous medals including Brussels Beer Challenge and World’s Best Dark Style Beer at World Beer Awards. The team has also created whisky- and rum-infused versions of Cuvée Clarisse. And not to mention a range of prized artisanal spirits, in the on-site distillery – they are strong, balanced, and dangerously tasty.

15 years of Brouwerij Wilderen, where tradition lives on and flourishes