Oudenaarde and the wider Flanders area have always been known for great beer and breweries. Today, there are 4 breweries in Oudenaarde still in operation: Roman, Liefmans, Cnudde and Smisje. You’ll find something new and exciting in each of them, including typical dark and cherry beers which are definitely worth a try. If you’re planning a trip to a brewery in Oudenaarde, book great accommodation in Leopold Hotel Oudenaarde, either to prepare for or recover from a day of sampling delicious Flemish beer.
Brewery Liefmans
Some of the riches of Oudenaarde has roots in brewing and beer production. The history of Brewery Liefmans dates all the way back to 1679, before any modern machinery was even dreamed of. Around the year 1750, brewer Jacobus Liefmans set up a small brewery in the fertile soils of Oudenaarde, where the rich soil surrounding the river Scheldt provide natural nourishment for crops and grain. Liefmans brewery and its wonderful selection of beers were supervised by the talents of Master Brewer Rosa Merckx. She was the first, and for many years, the only female master brewer, leaving her mark on the business and guiding the way for over 45 years. We can still enjoy the result of her passion and expertise all these years later.
Today, you can still visit the place where locals would bring their surplus cherries to be fermented into delicious beer and see the machinery used to create it in the museum. It wasn’t until the 1900s that the brewery started to operate on a more commercial, larger scale until the guidance of the talented Ms Merckx. Today, when you visit, the master brewer Marc and his team will share their expertise, immersing you in the process and heritage of beer brewing. You can finish off with a beer tasting, sampling some of the finest beers in the Liefmans range.
Brewery Roman
Dating back five centuries, Roman is the oldest family-owned brewery in Belgium and is famed worldwide for its vast range of delicious beers. Most of the beer they produce is brewed in the traditional way with craftsmanship and passion at their core. It all started in 1545 with a man called Joos Roman who owned an inn, a farm, a mill, a malthouse and a brewery of course. In time, the family took over the business and brewing became their main activity, focusing on brewing the famous Oudenaarde brown beer. The brewery went from strength to strength, now run by 14th generation family brewers and often winning prestigious awards.
Today, you can visit to learn about the history of Brewery Roman, experiencing the brewing process first-hand and of course, taste their passion for delicious beer! The visit lasts about 2 hours and includes a tour with a guide, tasting and a gift set.
Brewery Cnudde
A less commercial and more unusual brewery setting next when you visit the unique Brewery Cnudde. Situated in Eine, Cnudde is a family-owned brewery that only brews a couple of times a year to produce a more exclusive, less widely available beer. The brewery only produces two beers, Cnudde dark beer and Cnudde Bizon (cherry beer). The water with which the beer is brewed comes from the borehole, located under the courtyard of the brewery, right next to the cemetery, which is why it got its nickname: “Kerkhofsop” or “Kerkhofbier” (“kerkhof” means cemetery).
In 2019, Brewery Cnudde celebrated 100 years of brewing and they are looking forward to welcoming you for a visit. For just €8 you can enjoy a two-hour tour of the brewery ending with a tasting of each of their artisan beers.
Brewery Smisje
Brewery Smisje is one of the younger breweries in the area, having been established by former printer and homebrewer Johan Brandt in 1995. The production from the brewery is a tiny 200 hectolitres per year compared with other, larger-scale operations. He started out with only one type of honey beer called ‘t Smisje with supplies coming from Johan’s other hobby, bee-keeping. He now produces 6 permanent beers and now and again you can book a visit and brew your own batch of beer under his expert guidance to take home with you.
To book your beer-filled stay in Leopold Oudenaarde, visit our official website. You’ll find all our packages, best available rates and special offers you won’t find on any other website. Don’t forget to finish off your visit by sampling some Belgian beers in our bar & restaurant. We look forward to welcoming you soon
