Cornelissen Brouwerij

Cornelissen Brouwerij (French: Brasserie Cornelissen) is a Belgian family brewery based in Opitter, in the municipality of Bree in the province of Limburg. It is one of the older family brewing operations in Belgian Limburg, with roots in the early nineteenth century and a formal founding date of 1859, when Jan Mathijs Cornelissen and Charles Vissers established the Sint-Jozef brewery in Opitter. For most of its existence the company traded as Brasserie Sint-Jozef; it adopted the Cornelissen family name in 2015. The brewery is best known for a portfolio that spans lower-fermentation pilsners and higher-fermentation specialty ales. Its principal brands include Sint-Gummarus, Ops-Ale and Pax Pils, as well as Herkenrode, a recognized Belgian abbey beer produced since 2009 in agreement with religious authorities representing Herkenrode Abbey. The house also brews Limburgse Witte, a white beer, and Bosbier, a fruit-tinged pilsner, alongside a range of tripels, dubbels and other specialty beers. Ownership and management have remained within the Cornelissen family across six generations of brewers. Jef Cornelissen, the only son of Josephus, became master brewer in 2004, representing the sixth generation. The company is privately held and operates from its historic site at Itterplein in Opitter, where a new brewery was built in the 1930s. It exports beyond Belgium, a strategy that began to be developed in the 1960s. In addition to its own brands, the brewery produces beers for the former Kerkom brewery of Sint-Truiden, which continues to market them under names such as Adelardus, Bink, Kerkomse Tripel, Bloesem Bink, Bloesem Kriek, Hop Verdomme and Winterkoninkske. This contract and brand arrangement broadens the brewery's production reach while keeping its identity centered on family ownership, Limburg heritage and abbey beer recognition.

The Cornelissen brewing tradition began in the early nineteenth century, when Jan Mathijs Cornelissen, then mayor of Gerdingen near Bree in northern Belgian Limburg, started brewing in his village. In 1859 he founded the Sint-Jozef brewery in the neighbouring village of Opitter together with Charles Vissers, a farmer and brewer. Jan Mathijs's son Jozef, born in that same year, married Sophie, Charles Vissers's daughter, in 1884, and took over the business created by his father and father-in-law. The couple had ten children. Sophie died young, while Jozef lived to the age of 91 and died in 1950. In 1929 Jaak, one of Jozef's sons, took charge of the company and decided to build a new brewery, still in Opitter, on the church square (Itterplein). It was inaugurated in 1934 or 1935. In 1937 the brewery began producing two pilsner-type beers: Pax Pils and Ops-Ale. In the 1960s Jan, Jaak's son, led the family business and developed exports. After his death in 1979, his son Josephus, who had trained at the brewing school in Ghent, diversified production by making Bosbier (literally 'wood beer') and the white beer Limburgse Witte. In 2004 Jef, Josephus's only son, became master brewer, representing the sixth generation of Cornelissen brewers. Since 2009, in agreement with religious authorities representing Herkenrode Abbey, he has produced the Herkenrode abbey beers. In 2014 he undertook major renovation works and decided in 2015 that the brewery would henceforth take the Cornelissen family name, replacing the long-standing Sint-Jozef name used since its creation in 1859. The brewery's product range reflects both its pilsner heritage and its specialty and abbey beer ambitions. It produces three lower-fermentation beers: Pax Pils, a blonde pilsner at 5% ABV; Ops-Ale, a blonde pilsner at 5.5% ABV; and Bosbier, a blonde pilsner with forest fruit juice at 3.5–4.5% ABV. It also produces seven higher-fermentation beers: Kriekenbier, a white beer with cherry juice at 3.5–3.8% ABV; Limburgse Witte, a white beer at 5% ABV; Bokkereyer, an amber beer at 6% ABV; Sint-Gummarus Tripel, a blonde higher-fermentation beer at 8.3% ABV; Sint-Gummarus Dubbel, a brown higher-fermentation beer at 7.1% ABV; Herkenrode Tripel, a recognized Belgian abbey blonde higher-fermentation beer at 7% ABV; and Herkenrode Bruin, a recognized Belgian abbey brown higher-fermentation beer at 7% ABV. In addition, the brewery produces the beers of the former Kerkom brewery of Sint-Truiden, which continues to market them. These brands include Adelardus, Bink, Kerkomse Tripel, Bloesem Bink, Bloesem Kriek, Hop Verdomme and Winterkoninkske. The company remains a privately held family business based at its historic Opitter site.

• 2015

  The brewery adopts the Cornelissen family name, replacing Sint-Jozef.

• 2014

  Major renovation works are undertaken.

• 2009

  Production of Herkenrode abbey beers begins under agreement with religious authorities.

• 2004

  Jef Cornelissen becomes master brewer, the sixth generation.

• 1979

  Josephus Cornelissen diversifies production with Bosbier and Limburgse Witte.

• 1960

  Jan Cornelissen leads the family business and develops exports.

• 1937

  Production begins for Pax Pils and Ops-Ale.

• 1934

  The new brewery on Itterplein in Opitter is inaugurated (1934 or 1935).

• 1929

  Jaak Cornelissen takes charge and plans a new brewery in Opitter.

• 1884

  Jozef Cornelissen marries Sophie Vissers and takes over the family business.

• 1859

  Jan Mathijs Cornelissen and Charles Vissers found the Sint-Jozef brewery in Opitter.

Traditional Belgian family brewery with abbey beer recognition and a broad pilsner-to-specialty portfolio.

• Pax Pils

• Ops-Ale

• Bosbier

• Kriekenbier

• Limburgse Witte

• Bokkereyer

• Sint-Gummarus Tripel

• Sint-Gummarus Dubbel

• Herkenrode Tripel

• Herkenrode Bruin

• Adelardus

• Bink

• Kerkomse Tripel

• Bloesem Bink

• Bloesem Kriek

• Hop Verdomme

• Winterkoninkske

1. 1Cornelissen Brouwerij - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Brasserie Cornelissen - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org
3. 3Official websitebrouwerijsintjozef.be