Owner

Charles Leclef

Location

Mechelen, Belgium

Distribution Area

Delaware and New Jersey

Styles

Belgian Blonde, Belgian Strong Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Tripel

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About Het Anker

In 1872, the family Van Breedam bought the early 1400s brewery in Mechelen and built a modern brewery with a steam boiler. In 1990, Charles Leclef, fifth generation of the Van Breedam family and current owner, took over the brewery and modernized the brewing equipment. The same year Charles took over, Het Anker opened a three-star hotel in the brewery where it offers accommodations and tours. The brewery has now gained an international reputation and now exports to more than 40 countries.

The brewing process:

Step 1: The various malts are mixed with water in the mash tun and the mash is gradually heated from 55°C to 72°C to achieve saccharification.

Step 2: From the mash tun, the mash goes through the wort filter, which removes the grain fibre. This is used as animal fodder.

Step 3: The liquid wort then goes to the brewing kettle. Here hops and – depending on the beer – certain herbs are added. The wort leaves the brewing hall at 100°C. The remaining solid particles are removed by means of a whirlpool.

Fermentation: The temperature is lowered to 21°C using a heat exchanger. The brew is then pumped into cylindroconical fermentation tanks.

Aging: After the main fermentation which lasts seven days, the young beer is cooled to -1°C and the ageing process begins.

Bottling and consumption: Before bottling, the beer is filtered and in most of the beers, a small quantity of yeast and sugar is added for the refermentation in the bottle. After about three weeks in the ‘warm rooms’, the beer is released for consumption.