Brouwerij St. Bernardus

In Watou, Brouwerij St.Bernardus grew from an unusual partnership between a cheesemaker and the Trappist monks of Westvleteren. Founded in 1946 to brew and market their beers under licence, it carried recipes, brewing knowledge and St. Sixtus yeast from the abbey into a new brewery beside the cheese workshop. When the licence ended in 1992, the brewery continued independently, turning a monastic connection into one of Belgium’s most recognizable beer names. From cheese dairy to brewery The site’s story reaches back to the Trappists of Mont des Cats, who settled in Watou in the early twentieth century and made cheese at the Refuge de Notre Dame de St Bernard. Evariste Deconinck later took over the dairy and expanded it. In 1946, Westvleteren invited him to brew and commercialise its beers, prompting the construction of a brewery beside the cheese business. A licensed Trappist connection The new operation was shaped by brewmaster Mathieu Szafranski, who brought the Westvleteren recipes, brewing expertise and original St. Sixtus yeast to Watou. The arrangement was renewed in 1962 for another thirty years. In 1992, the Trappist designation became restricted to beer brewed within an abbey, so the Watou beers moved forward under the St.Bernardus name. Independent Watou identity After a difficult transition, Hans Depypere took over in 1998 and modernised the brewery. New bottling, fermentation, lagering and brewing facilities followed, while Julie Depypere assumed leadership in 2011. Today the brewery presents its heritage through brewing, hospitality and visitor experiences at its Watou site. Brouwerij St.Bernardus is defined by a documented bridge between Westvleteren’s brewing tradition and an independent Watou brewery. Watou, West Flanders, Belgium 1946 1946: Evariste Deconinck began brewing and marketing Westvleteren beers under licence, and a new brewery was established beside the cheese workshop. 1962: The brewery and Westvleteren renewed the licence agreement for another thirty years. 1992: The licence ended as the Authentic Trappist Beer designation became limited to beer brewed within abbey walls; the beers were then marketed under the St.Bernardus brand. 1998: Hans Depypere took over and began a period of brewery modernisation and expansion. 2011: Julie Depypere took over the brewery’s leadership.