Brasserie De Proefbrouwerij

De Proefbrouwerij is distinctive in Belgian brewing because it was conceived from the beginning as an independent contract brewery rather than simply as a producer of one flagship beer. Founded in Hijfte, near Lochristi, by Dirk Naudts and Saskia Waerniers, it grew from a small family operation into a technically ambitious brewery serving both emerging brewers and established international brands. Built for brewing on behalf of others The brewery began in 1996 with an explicit focus on contract brewing, a comparatively innovative concept in Belgium at the time. Its role has been to turn other brewers’ ideas into finished beverages while developing its own technical expertise. The official history describes early bottling as a hands-on family effort, with friends and relatives helping as the young brewery found its footing. From small brewery to research-led producer De Proefbrouwerij expanded in stages: a bottle-refermentation room in 2002, a bottling plant from 2008, a warehouse in 2012 and a new brewing and fermentation facility in 2019. Alongside this growth, it developed laboratory and research work on hops, yeast and alternative fermentation, later extending into alcohol-free beer and other fermented drinks such as kombucha and water kefir. A modern Belgian brewing reference The brewery’s identity rests on flexibility, scientific process control and collaboration. Its official account credits the worldwide interest that arrived from 2007 onward to the meeting of Dirk Naudts’s pursuit of technical precision with the inventive projects brought by so-called gypsy brewers. Today, De Proefbrouwerij presents itself as a versatile, high-technology contract brewery with a strong family foundation. A Belgian brewery where contract brewing, research and practical experimentation became the defining tradition. Hijfte, Lochristi, East Flanders, Belgium 1996 1996: De Proefbrouwerij was founded by Dirk Naudts and Saskia Waerniers. 2000: The brewery obtained BIO certification. 2002: A bottle-refermentation room was built, marking the first major expansion. 2007: The brewery began attracting worldwide attention from independent and gypsy brewers. 2019: A new brewing and fermentation facility was constructed.