Breugem Bier

Breugem Bier (Brouwerij Breugem) is a Dutch specialty beer brand and brewery based in the Houthavens district of Amsterdam. It began as Stichting Breugems Brouwerij, founded in 2009 by Patrick Breugem and Court-Jan van Beek, with the explicit aim of running a "social brewery" that creates work for people with disabilities or other barriers to the labour market. Both founders had personal experience of reintegration after illness, which shaped the company's inclusive mission. The brewery installed its brewing equipment in Zaandam in 2010 and went bankrupt in 2013, restarting the same year as a contract brewer under the name Brouwerij Breugem. In early 2023 the brewery absorbed the Amsterdam Houthavens taproom that Brouwerij De Prael had opened in 2017, giving Breugem its own tasting room alongside production. Breugem brews part of its output in its own Amsterdam facility and outsources larger volumes to Brouwerij Jopen in Haarlem; small-batch specials are made in Amsterdam. Breugem's core range is built around approachable, sociable beers with names that evoke connection: Knipoog (a non-alcoholic/low-alcohol beer at 0.4% ABV), Zoentje (a golden blond at 6.2% ABV), Man Hug (IPA), High Five (tripel), Boks (a double IPA at 8.1% ABV) and Handdruk (quadrupel). The branding emphasises sharing beer with others — "bier dat je bij voorkeur samen drinkt" (beer best enjoyed together). The tripel High Five has won multiple awards over the years. Breugem is a member of CRAFT, the Dutch association of independent craft brewers. It operates as a private company and sells through its own webshop and on-premise channels in the Netherlands. Its social mission remains central: the brewery and its taproom employ people who face difficulty finding work due to physical or mental disabilities, a group the brewery refers to as "mensen met een makke".

Breugem Bier traces its origins to Stichting Breugems Brouwerij, founded in 2009 by Patrick Breugem and Court-Jan van Beek. The two founders had both been in comas and experienced first-hand how difficult it is to reintegrate into the labour market afterwards. Their plan was to create a "social brewery" that would employ people with an occupational disability. In 2010 the brewing installation was placed on the Dam in Zaandam. The brewery went bankrupt in 2013. After a restart in the same year, it continued as a contract brewer (brouwerijhuurder) under the name Brouwerij Breugem. In 2017 Brouwerij De Prael opened a taproom in the Amsterdam Houthavens; in early 2023 that taproom was merged into Brouwerij Breugem, giving the brewery its own tasting room in Amsterdam. Breugem brews its beers in its own brewery in the Amsterdam Houthavens, but outsources part of production to Brouwerij Jopen in Haarlem. Small-batch specials are brewed in Amsterdam, while large volumes are produced at Jopen. The brewery is a member of CRAFT, the Dutch association of independent craft brewers. Over the years Breugem has won many awards for its beers, with the tripel "High Five" winning particularly frequently. The company continues to operate with a social and inclusive mission, employing people who have difficulty finding their place in the labour market due to physical or mental disabilities — a group the brewery calls "mensen met een makke" — in both the brewery and its taproom.

• 2023

  The Houthavens taproom is merged into Brouwerij Breugem.

• 2017

  Brouwerij De Prael opens a taproom in the Amsterdam Houthavens.

• 2013

  Brewery goes bankrupt; restarts the same year as a contract brewer under the name Brouwerij Breugem.

• 2010

  Brewing installation placed on the Dam in Zaandam.

• 2009

  Stichting Breugems Brouwerij founded by Patrick Breugem and Court-Jan van Beek.

Accessible, sociable specialty beers with a social-inclusive employment mission; member of CRAFT.

• Knipoog (Non-Alc.)

  A low-alcohol beer at 0.4% ABV, softer than an IPA with notes of green tea and passion fruit.

• Zoentje (Blond)

  A golden blond beer at 6.2% ABV, fresh and fruity with notes of citrus and peach.

• Man Hug (IPA)

  An IPA in the core range.

• High Five (Tripel)

  A tripel that has won multiple awards over the years.

• Boks (DIPA)

  A strong, hoppy Double IPA at 8.1% ABV, bitter with tropical fruit characteristics.

• Handdruk (Quadrupel)

  A quadrupel in the core range.

1. 1Online Speciaalbier Kopen - Breugem Bier - Bonding Beerbreugembier.nl
2. 2Boks - Double IPA - Breugem Bier - Amsterdambreugembier.nl
3. 3Knipoog - Alcoholarm - Breugem Bier - Amsterdambreugembier.nl
4. 4Zoentje - Blond - Breugem Bier - Amsterdambreugembier.nl
5. 5Breugem Bier - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Brouwerij Breugem - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org