De Halve Maan Brewery
- Visit: 45 min
- from EUR 16
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Why go
- The 45-minute brewing tour, with a view over Bruges from the brewery's tower
- Brugse Zot, which quickly became the most popular beer in Bruges
Opening hours
Today10:00 – 18:00Show all
Drinks to try
- Brugse Zot Blond ("Bruges Fool"), brewed with four malts and two aromatic hop varieties, won the World's Best Belgian Style Blonde award in 2012.
- Brugse Zot Dubbel, a brown beer with 7.5% alcohol.
- Straffe Hendrik, meaning "Strong Henri", a 9% tripel brewed again in its original style since 2008.
- Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel, a brown beer with 11% alcohol, added to the range in 2010.
- Brugs Tarwebier, a wheat beer also sold as Blanche de Bruges.
- Brugse Bok, a seasonal bock first brewed in autumn 2008.
- Sportzot, a non-alcoholic speciality beer. The brewery was the first in Belgium to launch one, in June 2018.
Atmosphere
- The brewery stands on the Walplein, a small paved, tree-lined square with café terraces.
- The brick building has two stepped gables, typical of its architectural style.
- The Béguinage de Bruges lies about a hundred metres away.
- A viewing window was built into the passage to the Gasthaus.
- About 100,000 visitors a year come to the brewery and its beer museum.
Entry and dress code
- Tours start on the hour. Arrive at least 15 minutes early, because group size is capped.
- Entry includes one drink, Brugse Zot or Straffe Hendrik, served after the tour.
- The standard tour lasts 45 minutes. A longer version runs at weekends.
Good for
- Groups The 45-minute guided tour has a capped group size. A mobile tap truck serves at larger events such as fairs, street parties and evening markets.
- Business Rooms can be used for all kinds of events, and a mobile tap truck serves guests at private events. It is delivered and collected free within 50 km of the city.
History
- 1564A brewery called Die Maene stood on the Walplein by 1564.
- 1856Henri Maes buys the site, builds a modern brewery and names it De Halve Maan.
- 1919Henri III takes charge of the brewery and adds bottom-fermented beers.
- 1946The neighbouring Zeehaven brewery is taken over, which allows a major rebuild.
- 1981Straffe Hendrik is brewed for the unveiling of a statue of Saint Arnoldus, patron of brewers.
Show all
- 2002Brewing stops.
- 2005Xavier Vanneste restarts brewing and launches Brugse Zot.
- 2016A 3.3 km underground beer pipeline to the bottling plant opens, taking tanker trucks out of the city.
Sources: De Halve Maan - Wikipedia · Bruges - Wikivoyage (see) · Welcome to brewery De Halve Maan · History | De Halve Maan · Tap rental | De Halve Maan · De Halve Maan - Wikipedia · Brasserie De Halve Maan - Wikipedia · Brouwerij De Halve Maan - Wikipedia · De Halve Maan Brewery: description (its own sit… · checked 18 Oct 2026
- Website
- halvemaan.be/
- Phone
- +3250444222
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Questions and answers
How long is the tour at De Halve Maan Brewery?
The guided tour lasts 45 minutes and explains the beer-making process. A longer version of the tour runs at weekends.
What are the opening hours of De Halve Maan Brewery?
It is open 10:00–18:00 Monday to Wednesday and on Sunday, and 10:00–21:00 Thursday to Saturday.
Where is De Halve Maan Brewery in Bruges?
The address is Walplein 26, on the Walplein square in the historic centre of Bruges. Phone +32 50 44 42 22.
When do the tours at De Halve Maan Brewery start?
Tours begin on the hour. Arrive at least 15 minutes early, because group size is capped.
Is there a beer museum at De Halve Maan Brewery?
Yes. The beer museum is in the cellar, with restored historic brewing equipment.
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