Brouwerij Bios

Brouwerij Bios is the historic Ertvelde brewery now known as Brouwerij Van Steenberge. Its identity grew from the older Brouwerij De Peer, passed through the Schelfaut and Van Steenberge families, and was formally associated with the name Bios in 1919. The site’s story is distinctive not only for its long family continuity, but also for the shift from traditional high fermentation to lager brewing and later diversification beyond beer. From De Peer to Bios The brewery was established in Ertvelde under the name Brouwerij De Peer. The official brewery history traces the family line from Jean Baptiste De Bruin through the Schelfaut family to Paul Van Steenberge, who adopted the name Brouwerij Bios in 1919. The Flemish heritage inventory likewise identifies the site as the former De Peer brewery and records Bios as its name from 1919. A changing industrial brewery The heritage record describes a brewery that adapted repeatedly. It began as a high-fermentation brewery and agricultural business, later adding maltings and hop cultivation. In 1929 it changed to low-fermentation brewing, with new brewing, fermentation and lager cellars. The site subsequently produced lemonade from 1932 and fruit juice from 1956, while new maltings and a bottling plant followed in the 1960s. The living-beer tradition today The present Van Steenberge brewery retains the Bios heritage while presenting itself as a specialist in strong, high-fermentation live beers. Its stated methods include house yeasts, natural maturation and secondary fermentation in bottles or casks. The Belgian Beer Glass Museum places this continuing brewery in Ertvelde and connects the modern family brewery with its De Peer and Bios phases. A long-running Ertvelde family brewery whose Bios identity bridges historic industrial change and modern bottle- and cask-conditioned Belgian beer. Ertvelde, Evergem, East Flanders, Belgium 1784 1784: The brewery’s official history traces its foundation to Jean Baptiste De Bruin. 1919: The brewery adopted the name Brouwerij Bios. 1929: The heritage inventory records a change from high-fermentation to low-fermentation brewing. 1932: Lemonade production began at the brewery. 1956: Fruit-juice production was added.