Brouwerij Maenhout bij Brouwerij Gulden Spoor

Maenhout Brewery began at the end of 2009 in the former Gerdox bouillon-factory buildings between Tielt and Meulebeke. Founded by Thijs Maenhout and Birgit De Rammelaere, it started with a modest second-hand 5-hectolitre brewing system, hand-bottling every bottle before demand led to a larger, more automated brewery in Pittem. A small beginning in West Flanders The brewery’s first home was in Meulebeke, where Maenhout and De Rammelaere worked with a used installation producing five hectolitres. Bottling and labelling were done manually, bottle by bottle—a distinctly small-scale beginning for a brewery that would later expand its production capacity. From Meulebeke to Pittem Expansion began in 2014 because the Meulebeke brewhouse could no longer meet capacity needs. The brewery moved to Brugsesteenweg in Pittem, where a new brewhouse entered service at the beginning of 2015. Its stated annual capacity was 1,200 hectolitres, supported by a counter-pressure bottling line and a smaller 60-litre test installation for developing new and seasonal beers. A modern artisan identity Maenhout presents its work as artisanal brewing combined with quality, experimentation and newer brewing techniques. Its current brewery site lists beers including Ferre, Koeketiene, Kollusion and Blinde Mol, while describing the brewery as based in Oostnieuwkerke. Maenhout’s defining character is a documented progression from hands-on five-hectolitre beginnings to inventive, professionally equipped artisan brewing. Meulebeke, West Flanders, Belgium End of 2009 2009: Thijs Maenhout and Birgit De Rammelaere started the brewery in the former Gerdox bouillon-factory buildings between Tielt and Meulebeke. 2014: The brewery began expanding and automating because its Meulebeke brewhouse lacked sufficient capacity. 2015: The new Pittem brewery entered service with stated capacity of 1,200 hectolitres per year.