Brouwerij Walrave

In Laarne, Brouwerij Walrave grew from a nineteenth-century village brewery into a family enterprise whose name became attached to both traditional brown ales and the local Pick-Up pils. Its historic site on Lepelstraat still preserves the brewery’s architectural setting, while the brewing operation itself ended in the 2010s. The story is one of continuity, adaptation and a distinctly local Belgian brewing identity. From Het Anker to Walrave Auguste Walrave founded the brewery, initially known as Het Anker, in Laarne in 1862. The business expanded soon afterward, and the Walrave family remained closely involved across successive generations. The brewery occupied the same rural domain as the Walrave brewers’ residence, a neoclassical house built in 1870 and now protected as a monument. Brown beer and the arrival of pils For much of its history, Walrave was associated with brown beers, including Bock Walrave, Faro Walrave and Klasse II Walrave. Responding to changing tastes during the interwar period, the brewery invested in equipment for bottom-fermented beers. In 1937 it introduced Pick-Up, a pils whose name referred to the English expression “pick it up.” A local brewery’s later chapter The range later included Toverhekske, an amber beer launched in 2007 for Laarne’s HEKSenVUUR event commemorating the 400th anniversary of the witch trials. Brewing at Laarne stopped in 2010, although Walrave continued to have the beers brewed elsewhere and distributed them locally. The brewery buildings remain intact beside the historic brewers’ house. Brouwerij Walrave is defined by a Laarne brewing tradition that moved from brown ales to pils while remaining rooted in its historic family site. Laarne, East Flanders, Belgium 1862 1862: Auguste Walrave founded Brouwerij Het Anker, later known as Brouwerij Walrave, in Laarne. 1870: The Walrave brewers’ residence was built on the brewery domain. 1937: The brewery switched to producing the Pick-Up pils. 2007: Toverhekske, an amber beer, was launched for the HEKSenVUUR event in Laarne. 2010: Brewing activities in Laarne were discontinued; the beers continued to be brewed elsewhere and distributed by Walrave.