Brouwerij Verhaeghe

Verhaeghe Brewery was originally started as a brewery-malthouse.

The Polkes tonnenbier, as the beers of the brewer-co-founder Paul Verhaeghe were popularly called, was praised for its great clarity and quality as far away as Brussels, which was a long way from Vichte at the time.

When the First World War started and Paul refused to brew for the occupying powers, the brewery was dismantled to use the copper for the production of war munitions.

After the war, the installations were renewed and brewing was resumed.

During the Second World War, activities were again reduced to a minimum by the occupying power.

After the end of the Second World War, the Pilsener beer type finally broke through on the Belgian market, to which "Brouwerij Verhaeghe-Vichte" adapted, but remained regionally bound. They paid particular attention to the quality improvement of their existing beers and to the creation of higher quality beers.

The rise of the mixed fermentation beer "Duchesse de Bourgogne", a ruby-red Flemish red-brown ale aged in oak barrels and brewed according to a traditional brewing method typical of southern West Flanders, is living proof of this.