Brouwerij Meesters

Brouwerij Meesters belonged to the small-scale Belgian brewing tradition of Galmaarden, where a former stable became a working brewery and dairy equipment found a second life as brewing hardware. Its documented range centered on three beers—Meesters Dubbel, Meesters Tripel and a Christmas beer—made on a modest 500-litre system before the brewery closed in 2002. A Galmaarden brewery in a former stable The brewery was started in 1993 at Hoogstraat 50 in Galmaarden, Flemish Brabant. Its compact, hands-on character is clear from the surviving description: the kettle and fermentation tanks had previously served in a dairy, while brewing and bottling remained largely manual. Production was a weekend activity for André and Karin, with an annual output reported at about 150 hectolitres. Three beers, one brewing method Meesters Dubbel, Meesters Tripel and the Christmas beer formed the brewery’s regular lineup. They shared the same broad brewing method, while the malt mixture distinguished them; the Christmas beer used seven malt varieties. Coriander was used in each beer. The process included four-step decoction, a two-hour boil, roughly two weeks of fermentation, lagering and bottling. A small brewery’s equipment lives on Brouwerij Meesters had ceased operations by 2002. The brewery’s legacy continued materially when De Glazen Toren acquired and reused its former 500-litre plant in Erpe-Mere. That connection is recorded on De Glazen Toren’s official history page, providing an unusually tangible link between Meesters and a later Belgian craft brewery. A small Galmaarden brewery defined by hands-on production, decoction brewing and a three-beer range rooted in malt variety and coriander. Hoogstraat 50, Galmaarden, Flemish Brabant, Belgium 1993 1993: Brouwerij Meesters was started in a former stable in Galmaarden. 2002: The brewery closed, and its 500-litre installation later became part of De Glazen Toren’s equipment.