Antwerp City Brewery De Koninck

The history of brewery De Koninck began some 200 years ago… Joseph Henricus De Koninck bought the inn “De Plaisante Hof”, which was located on the border between Antwerp and Berchem. There was a stone border post with a sculpted hand where merchants paid toll. This stone boundary marker can still be found today opposite brewery De Koninck, at the corner of Mechelsesteenweg and Prins Albertlei.

Unfortunately Joseph Henricus De Koninck died at a relatively young age. His wife Elisabeth Cop, remarried in 1833 with nation boss Johannes Vervliet. Mr. Vervliet decided to convert the inn into a brewery that was named after the image on the boundary post, namely “Brouwerij de Hand”. Since then, the hand that can be found in the logo of the brewery is a fact.

Soon, in 1912, “Brouwerij de Hand” was transformed into “Brasserie Charles De Koninck”. The owner Josephina De Koninck hires Florent Van Bauwel, a grain merchant. Thereafter, Van Bauwel becomes a manager. He was looking for some help. After World War I Joseph Van den Bogaert ensures Van Bauwel a smooth restart of the brewery. Van den Bogaert was a member of a well-known brewing family from Willebroek and, through his studies at the agricultural and brewing school of Leuven, had sufficient technical knowledge to offer Van Bauwel help for his brewery.

The Van Bauwel-Van den Bogaert duo ensured a spectacular expansion of the company. Meanwhile, in 1940, Joseph Van den Bogaert’s son became a war volunteer in England. The war didn’t do the company any good and the brewery came out of it badly damaged. Nine years later, in 1949, Joseph Van den Bogaert dies, his son, Modeste Van den Bogaert, then 27 years old, takes over the brewery from his father. He led the company for more than 50 years.

So many years later in 2010, brewery De Koninck is taken over by Duvel Moortgat. After a major investment and five years of work, the brewery was reborn into the city brewery that it is today. The brewery site was transformed into a dynamic, unique hotspot in the city. Not only the brewery tour was created, it also made room for other crafts that shared the same culinary passion.

How long does a brewery tour last?
As long as you want. You will spend approximately one hour in the exhibition areas. And then you can enjoy a snack and a drink in our bar. To quench your thirst from all that adventure, but also to expertly taste all our beers.

What exactly does a brewery tour at De Koninck entail?
Our interactive brewery tour will fully immerse you in the world of our city brewery. It will be educational, fascinating, but above all very amusing. In various themed rooms you will learn everything about Antwerp as a beer city, Belgian beers and the complete brewing process. Numerous interactive resources and audiovisual effects provide a 360 ° total experience. Don’t be alarmed if you suddenly find yourself in the middle of the action: you can feel the unique dynamics of our brewery on the four meter high bridge in the brewing hall. Such an adventure gets you thirsty! No problem: we treat you to a perfectly tapped beer before and during your visit.

What if I don’t like beer?
You don’t have to be a beer lover to enjoy our tour. Not only do you learn about our beers and the brewing process, but also about the history of Antwerp. You can also swap the tastings for a soft drink of your choice, so you won’t go thirsty.