Belgium
Brouwerij Hoegaarden
The brewery founded by Pierre Celis that revived Belgian witbier after the style had died out entirely.
Also known as Hoegaarden brewery, De Kluis.
Witbier had ceased to be brewed in Hoegaarden by the late 1950s. Celis, a milkman who had worked at the last wit brewery in the town, restarted production from memory and historical practice — so the modern style is a reconstruction rather than a survival.
Why it matters
Revived an extinct style and, in doing so, created one of the most widely brewed beer categories in the world.
Details
| Founded | 1966 |
|---|---|
| Where | Belgium |
| Status | Operating |
| Ownership | Part of the AB InBev group as understood at the review date. Recorded 2026-08-16; ownership changes without announcement. |
Reference beers
BeerHQ carries only the products that anchor something. This is not the brewery’s full range.
Styles it is associated with
- Witbier — A Belgian wheat beer brewed with unmalted wheat, coriander and orange peel — soft, hazy, citrusy and lightly spiced.
Traditions
- Belgian and French farmhouse brewing — Seasonal farm brewing in Wallonia and French Flanders that produced saison and bière de garde.
Other breweries in Belgium
3 Fonteinen · Abbaye de Leffe · Brasserie d’Achouffe · Brasserie d’Orval · Brasserie Dupont · Brouwerij Boon · Brouwerij Bosteels · Brouwerij Huyghe
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.