De Koninck Brewery
Encyclopedia
De Koninck Brewery is a Belgian brewery
based in Antwerp (ntwerpen] in Flemish). The glass in which De Koninck's flagship beer is served is called a bolleke, although this term is most colloquially used to refer to a glass filled with the beer itself and is the way the beer is order in bars.
In the past the brewery has brewed several beers, for which the production has now been discontinued:
in Flemish), there was an inn 'De Plaisante Hof' (The Merry Garden). Despite the pleasant name, the inn was situated right across from the notorious gallows field (now King Albert Park) where, in the Middle Ages, murderers and other criminals were hanged. On this boundary between Antwerp and Berchem
, in front of De Plaisante Hof, stood a stone boundary post showing a put-up hand which was token for the merchants entering the town to pay toll. This 'toll hand' now shows on the green right-side escutcheon of the De Koninck Brewery. These days, you can still admire it in the brewery itself. The hand is also recognized as the symbol of the city of Antwerp, which is derived from the Flemish for 'hand'.
On June 26th, 1827, Joseph Henricus De Koninck, then husband to Elisabeth Cop, bought De Plaisante Hof. However, he died soon afterwards and his widow who then remarried Johannes Vervliet who bought back the goods from the inheritance in 1833. At that time Belgium
was barely three years old (created in 1830). He turned the inn into a brewery which he named 'De Hand' (The Hand), after the toll sign mentioned earlier.
When Johannes Vervliet died in 1845, the brewery's name was successful and it's beer had become well known. Though relatively small, this artisanal brewery De Hand was the beginning of Brewery De Koninck.
The name De Koninck appeared for the first time with Vervliet's stepson, Carolus De Koninck, who carried on with the business. When he died in 1883, he was succeeded by his son François Joseph, and later by his daughter Josephina Joanna, as head of the family business. Sales were consistently good and the barley-based beer had become the most popular drink in the city of Antwerp.
In 1912 the family business at the corner of the Mechelsesteenweg and the Boomgaardstraat was changed into a Limited Liability Company, Brewery Charles De Koninck, with Josephina De Koninck as principal shareholder. Florent Van Bauwel was appointed executive. According to the brewery's records, Van Bouwel acquitted himself so well, especially during the First World War, that Miss De Koninck favored him to take over the company. In 1919 Van Bouwel entered into a partnership with the Van den Bogaerts of Willebroek. Later, Florent Van Bauwel and Joseph Van den Bogaert were succeeded by their sons Joseph Van Bauwel and Modeste Van den Bogaert. Dominique and Bernard Van den Bogaert, sons of Modeste continued leading the brewery during the last two decades and in 2010 the brewery was sold to the Duvel Moortgat Brewery but still acts as an autonomous brand within the group.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
based in Antwerp (ntwerpen] in Flemish). The glass in which De Koninck's flagship beer is served is called a bolleke, although this term is most colloquially used to refer to a glass filled with the beer itself and is the way the beer is order in bars.
Beers
The brewery currently brews six beers:- De Koninck, 5% ABVAlcohol by volumeAlcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
. - De Koninck Blond, 6% ABV.
- Triple d'Anvers, 8% ABV.
- Winterkoninck, 6.5% ABV, a seasonal brew.
- Gusto Golden Blond, 8% ABV.
- Gusto Ruby Red, 8% ABV.
In the past the brewery has brewed several beers, for which the production has now been discontinued:
- Cuvee Antwerpen '93, introduced in 1993 when the brewery's home city was cultural capital of Europe, 8% ABV.
- Cuvee De Koninck, the commercial prolongation of the Cuvee Antwerpen '93, 8% ABV.
- Antoon, a special beer introduced for the Anthony van DyckAnthony van DyckSir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
year in 1999, 6% ABV. - Begyn, introduced for the BéguinageBéguinageA béguinage or begijnhof is a collection of small buildings used by Beguines. These were various lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries, comprising religious women who sought to serve God without retiring from the world.-Description:A...
Festival in HoogstratenHoogstratenHoogstraten is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises the city of Hoogstraten proper and the towns of Meer, Meerle, Meersel-Dreef, Minderhout and Wortel,...
in 1999, 6.5% ABV. - Pagadder, 6.5% ABV.
- Zomerkoninck, a seasonal brew with strawberries, introduced in 2007 for the Dutch market exclusively, 6% ABV.
History
At the edge of the city of Antwerp, along the road to Malines (now known as MechelenMechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
in Flemish), there was an inn 'De Plaisante Hof' (The Merry Garden). Despite the pleasant name, the inn was situated right across from the notorious gallows field (now King Albert Park) where, in the Middle Ages, murderers and other criminals were hanged. On this boundary between Antwerp and Berchem
Berchem
The 'Ring', Antwerp's circular motorway which follows the track of the former city defense walls, cuts Berchem in two parts, separating the urban inner city area of Oud-Berchem from the more residential and suburban areas Groenenhoek en Nieuw Kwartier .-Demography:Berchem's total surface is over ,...
, in front of De Plaisante Hof, stood a stone boundary post showing a put-up hand which was token for the merchants entering the town to pay toll. This 'toll hand' now shows on the green right-side escutcheon of the De Koninck Brewery. These days, you can still admire it in the brewery itself. The hand is also recognized as the symbol of the city of Antwerp, which is derived from the Flemish for 'hand'.
On June 26th, 1827, Joseph Henricus De Koninck, then husband to Elisabeth Cop, bought De Plaisante Hof. However, he died soon afterwards and his widow who then remarried Johannes Vervliet who bought back the goods from the inheritance in 1833. At that time Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
was barely three years old (created in 1830). He turned the inn into a brewery which he named 'De Hand' (The Hand), after the toll sign mentioned earlier.
When Johannes Vervliet died in 1845, the brewery's name was successful and it's beer had become well known. Though relatively small, this artisanal brewery De Hand was the beginning of Brewery De Koninck.
The name De Koninck appeared for the first time with Vervliet's stepson, Carolus De Koninck, who carried on with the business. When he died in 1883, he was succeeded by his son François Joseph, and later by his daughter Josephina Joanna, as head of the family business. Sales were consistently good and the barley-based beer had become the most popular drink in the city of Antwerp.
In 1912 the family business at the corner of the Mechelsesteenweg and the Boomgaardstraat was changed into a Limited Liability Company, Brewery Charles De Koninck, with Josephina De Koninck as principal shareholder. Florent Van Bauwel was appointed executive. According to the brewery's records, Van Bouwel acquitted himself so well, especially during the First World War, that Miss De Koninck favored him to take over the company. In 1919 Van Bouwel entered into a partnership with the Van den Bogaerts of Willebroek. Later, Florent Van Bauwel and Joseph Van den Bogaert were succeeded by their sons Joseph Van Bauwel and Modeste Van den Bogaert. Dominique and Bernard Van den Bogaert, sons of Modeste continued leading the brewery during the last two decades and in 2010 the brewery was sold to the Duvel Moortgat Brewery but still acts as an autonomous brand within the group.