Ertvelde · 16th century
The legend of Laurent d’Affel
In the 16th century, when Flanders was a hub of trade and craftsmanship, the small village of Ertvelde was renowned for its inns and breweries.
Among them was a brewery founded by the brewer Laurent d’Affel. It was said that he knew the secret of a special yeast that made his beer light yet rich, with fruity notes. He did not find it in the hop fields like other brewers, but in the ancient oak groves of East Flanders.
When war broke out in the Low Countries between Spain and the Protestant rebels in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Affel brewery was destroyed and its recipes were lost.
Locals would tell stories that on foggy evenings, in the ruins of the old brewery, one could still catch the scent of hops and sweet malt — as if the spirit of Laurent d’Affel were still brewing his legendary beer.
Today, inspired by fragments of history, we recreate a taste worthy of legend.
Affel is a premium Belgian beer brewed in Ertvelde, in the heart of East Flanders — crafted in the spirit of ancient recipes, with respect for craftsmanship, time and Flemish tradition.
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