Roman

In Mater, just outside Oudenaarde, Roman brewery grew from a roadside inn into one of Belgium’s enduring family breweries. Its documented story begins in 1545 with Joos Roman’s De Clocke, a working place that combined hospitality, farming, milling, malting and brewing. Over the centuries, Roman moved from regional brown ale through postwar pils revival into a broad Belgian portfolio, while remaining in Roman family hands. From De Clocke to a brewing family The brewery’s roots lie at De Clocke in Mater, on the historic route between Germany and France. The site included an inn, farm, mill, malthouse and brewery. Brewing was initially one activity among several, but later generations made it the family’s principal work. Heritage records also note that the brewery was rebuilt after a fire in 1668 and had adopted steam power by at least 1885. A twentieth-century transformation Roman’s present industrial character took shape between the 1920s and 1930s. Full renewal began in 1926, the N.V. Brouwerij Roman was established in 1927, and major buildings and brewing spaces followed around 1930. Before the Second World War, Oudenaards Bruin was a defining regional product. After 1945, Romy Pils helped revive the business and opened a new phase of expansion. From pils to a wider Belgian range Under Louis Roman, the brewery developed beyond its primarily lager-focused identity. The official history records the arrival of Sloeber in 1983, Ename Abbey Beers in 1990, Mater Witbier in 1993, Black Hole in 2005 and Gentse Strop in 2011. The Museum’s Roman entry also identifies Roman Pils as the flagship lager most closely associated with the brewery’s name. A five-century family brewery whose identity bridges Oudenaarde brown ale, postwar pils and modern Belgian specialty beer. Mater, Oudenaarde, East Flanders, Belgium 1545 1545: Joos Roman operated De Clocke in Mater, a site that included a brewery. 1668: The brewery at De Clocke was rebuilt after a fire. 1885: The family brewery was using steam power by at least this date. 1927: The N.V. Brouwerij Roman was established during a major modernization. 1983: Sloeber joined Roman’s expanding specialty-beer range.