Brouwerij Slaapmutske

Brouwerij Slaapmutske grew from homebrewing experiments in East Flanders into a distinctly international Belgian beer project. Its story begins with Dany De Smet, Marleen Vercaigne and small 50-litre kitchen brews, then turns on a family-born beer: the red-brown Slaapmutske Winterbier, created around the birth of their son Jonas and brought to the local market at the end of 2000. From hobby to brewery The brewing partnership began experimentally in 1992, when Dany, Marleen and Patrick Scheirlinck made small batches at home. Dany’s training as a brewery engineer and later teaching in brewing technology gave the project a technical foundation, while the couple’s own recipes gradually moved beyond the kitchen. In 2000, growing demand for Slaapmutske Winterbier led to licensed production with De Proefbrouwerij in Lochristi. A family name in a winter beer The original beer was first brewed as a strong amber Jonasbier in 1999, marking the birth of Jonas De Smet. A milder, high-fermentation red-brown version followed. During the search for a name, the family associated the beer with Jonas settling down and falling asleep, inspiring Slaapmutske—literally a nightcap. Because it was created in winter, the first market name became Slaapmutske Winterbier. The range takes shape Slaapmutske Blond arrived in March 2001, made with pils and wheat malt and given a pronounced hop aroma through dry-hopping. Slaapmutske Tripel followed around the turn of 2001–2002, completing the brewery’s original three-beer family. By summer 2002, the beers were regularly available both in bottles and on draught. A family-rooted Belgian brewery whose identity grew from careful home experimentation into hop-led, internationally minded beers. Melle, East Flanders, Belgium 2000 1992: Dany De Smet, Marleen Vercaigne and Patrick Scheirlinck begin making small homebrew batches. 1999: The birth of Jonas inspires the strong amber Jonasbier and the later Slaapmutske name. 2000: Slaapmutske Winterbier reaches the local market; licensed production begins with De Proefbrouwerij. 2001: Slaapmutske Blond is launched, introducing dry-hopped blond beer and the first draught production. 2002: Slaapmutske Tripel completes the original range, with the beers available in bottles and on draught.