De Halve Maan brewery

De Halve Maan operates as a family-run brewery in central Bruges, producing traditional high-fermentation beers including Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik using time-honored methods passed down through six generations.

Leon Maes founded the brewery in 1856, establishing a business that has remained in the family for over 160 years, with each generation contributing innovations while maintaining traditional brewing practices.

Véronique Maes became one of Belgium's first female brewers in 1981 when she joined her father, introducing Straffe Hendrik beer named after the multiple Hendriks in the family lineage.

The brewery offers guided tours lasting approximately 45 minutes that showcase the brewing process from raw ingredients to packaging, concluding with a complimentary glass of Brugse Zot blond beer.

In 2016, the brewery completed a 2-mile (3.3-kilometer) underground beer pipeline reaching depths of 112 feet (34 meters) to transport beer from the city center to the bottling plant.

Location: Bruges

Inception: 1856

Industry: brewing industry

Website: http://halvemaan.be

GPS coordinates: 51.20249,3.22465

Latest update: November 28, 2025 15:21