Brouwerij Van Eecke

Van Eecke’s story begins in Watou in 1624, when it served as the castle brewery of the Count of Watou. Its identity later became closely tied to the Van Eecke family’s high-fermentation ales, the Kapittel abbey-beer tradition, and the hop-growing culture of nearby Poperinge. Today its legacy continues within Leroy Breweries, where the Watou brewery’s historic name and beer families remain part of a larger West Flemish brewing heritage. A castle brewery in Watou The brewery was established in 1624 as a castle brewery for the Count of Watou. In 1862, the Van Eecke family acquired it through family ties and began brewing high-fermentation beers in Watou. The brewery was also known historically as In de Gouden Leeuw, or the Golden Lion, and its early modern character was rooted in local country ales rather than industrial-scale brewing. From abbey ales to Poperinge hops After the Second World War, the brewery became associated with Het Kapittel abbey beers. Its most distinctive later landmark was Poperings Hommelbier, created in 1981 by Karel Leroy for Poperinge’s hop festival. The name Hommel refers to the local dialect word for hops, linking the beer directly to the hop-growing landscape around Watou and Poperinge. A historic brewery within Leroy Breweries The Leroy family inherited Van Eecke in 1962. Bottling for the brewery’s beers was transferred to Het Sas in Boezinge in 1995, while the two brewing businesses were formally brought together under the Leroy Breweries name in 2016. The Van Eecke heritage remains visible through beers including Poperings Hommelbier, Cuvée Watou and the Kapittel range. A Watou brewing tradition shaped by castle origins, high-fermentation ales, abbey beers and Poperinge’s hop culture. Watou, West Flanders, Belgium 1624 1624: Van Eecke is established as the castle brewery of the Count of Watou. 1862: The Van Eecke family acquires the brewery and begins brewing high-fermentation beers in Watou. 1962: The Leroy family takes ownership through family ties. 1981: Poperings Hommelbier is launched for Poperinge’s hop festival. 2016: Van Eecke and Het Sas are formally brought together as Leroy Breweries.