Geuzestekerij Hanssens Artisanaal

In Dworp, Hanssens Artisanaal preserves a rare Belgian brewing tradition: the family no longer brews its own wort, but matures and blends lambic into gueuze and fruit lambic. The business grew from the former Sint-Antonius brewery and survived the upheaval of the First World War by changing its role—from brewery to geuzestekerij, or lambic blendery—while remaining in the same historic setting. From Sint-Antonius to geuzestekerij Bartholomeus Hanssens established the brewery and blendery complex at Vroenenbosstraat in 1897–98 after acquiring a farm and converting it for brewing. The heritage inventory identifies the site as both Geuzestekerij Hanssens and the former Sint-Antonius brewery. Its surviving brick stekerij includes storage levels, drainage channels for spilled beer and an old hoist, making the building itself part of the working history. A wartime change that endured During the First World War, the brewery’s copper kettles were confiscated. Rather than restart brewing afterward, Hanssens began purchasing wort and concentrating on maturation and blending. That distinctive role is central to gueuze: lambics of different ages are blended and allowed to ferment again in the bottle, producing a sparkling beer within the wider Brussels and Pajottenland tradition. A family tradition in modern form Theo Hanssens took over in 1929, and the brewing premises were converted into a residence in 1931. Since 1997, Sidy Hanssens has continued the family business with her husband, John. The current range includes Oude Geuze, Geuze Extra, Oude Kriek, Schaarbeekse Kriek and other fruit lambics; the brewery’s modern presentation still emphasizes traditional blending and fresh fruit. Hanssens is defined by the continuity of a family geuzestekerij that turned wartime loss of brewing equipment into a lasting lambic-blending tradition. Vroenenbosstraat, Dworp, Beersel, Flemish Brabant, Belgium 1897–1898 1897–1898: Bartholomeus Hanssens converted a farm at Vroenenbosstraat into the Sint-Antonius brewery and blendery. 1914–1918: Copper brewing kettles were confiscated during the First World War, after which Hanssens shifted to blending purchased wort and lambic. 1929: Theo Hanssens took over the business. 1931: The former brewery was extensively rebuilt as a residence beside the stekerij. 1997: Sidy Hanssens took the helm and continued the family’s geuze-blending tradition with John.