Seef is an old Antwerp beer that gave its name to the Seefhoek quarter where it was originally brewed. The beer disappeared sometime in the 1920s when locals switched to De Koninck. But a marketing man at the Duvel Moortgat brewery came up with an ambitious plan to rescue Seef from oblivion.
Johan Van Dyck spent several years hunting in the city’s archives for the original recipe. He then established the independent brewery Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie to brew the beer using an old sample of Antwerp yeast kept at Leuven University. Launched in 2012, the beer taps into the nostalgia market with its chunky old-fashioned bottles and 1950s-style labels.
The brewery is now located in a former port building in Indiestraat in the heart of the Eilandje quarter. The building includes a huge taproom and beer garden with Seef beers on tap. It’s a relaxed summer spot with an adventure playground, food counter and a programme of DJ concerts.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
