The Beer of Victory

The history of the Waterloo Brewery follows that of its historic Waterloo beer.

Owing to its healing properties, this beer was originally intended for soldiers and people convalescing from illness.

The flavour of the malt and barley, the sweet acidity of the hops and the purity of the water made it the favourite drink of the victors.

… A strong, healthy drink leading to victory!

The story of “Waterloo” beer began in 1456, with the foundation of the “Market Brewery” in Braine l’Alleud. The brewery’s major expansion came in 1815, at the Battle of Waterloo. Wellington installed his troops and headquarters in Waterloo, near the brewery. The “Market Brewery” supplied beer to the allied troops, including not only 24,000 English, Scots, Welsh and Irish, but also 44,000 men from Germany and the Low Countries (Belgians and Dutch). As well as giving them strength and energy, some soldiers found that the beer had healing properties.

In 1971, the “Market Brewery” closed its doors for the last time and production of its beers ceased.

Then in 2004 Adrien Desclée, supported by two well-known master brewers (Xavier Yernaux of the Brasserie du Bocq and Firmin Verleyen of Inbev), reintroduced the flavour of the beers formerly brewed by the “Market Brewery”. “Waterloo Triple 7 Blond” and “Waterloo Double 8 Dark” are today brewed using the purest traditional methods.

The same team has also applied its know-how to the brewing of a traditional wheat beer, “Blanche des Moines”, as well as a range of fruit beers based on wheat and natural fruit juices: “Brussels Red Fruit”, based on red fruits, “Brussels Peach”, based on peach juice, and finally “Brussels Apple”, based on apple juice.

The Waterloo Brewery is wholly independent and not associated with any large brewery group in Belgium or abroad.