Brasserie Dubuisson

Introduction: The Brasserie Dubuisson has deep roots and values that give it an authenticity that few breweries can boast… and that make it the oldest and most authentic brewery in Wallonia.

Created in 1769 by Joseph Leroy, the maternal grandfather of current manager Hugues Dubuisson, the Brasserie Dubuisson is the oldest brewery in Wallonia and is still situated on the same spot. Eight generations of brewers have succeeded each other in a direct line and the Brasserie Dubuisson is today still 100% independent.Edward Joseph Leroy en 1886, grand-père d'Alfred et Amédée Dubuisson et fondateur de la Brasserie.

The family’s brewing origins are older still, since before this date, Joseph Leroy and his family were brewing on the seigniorial estate of Ghissegnies just opposite the current brewery. In order to remove the unfair competition represented by the seigniorial breweries, until then exempt from tax, the Empress Maria-Theresa of Austria, who at the time reigned over our regions, ordered their unconditional destruction in 1769. Joseph Leroy then decided to set himself up on the current estate, which was non-seigniorial land, and at the same time acquired his independence as a farmer-brewer.

At this time, the brewing activity was much more limited than today and consisted mainly of producing beer intended for the farm’s workers and the villagers. It was only much later, in 1931, that Alfred Dubuisson decided to abandon farming in order to devote himself exclusively to the production of beer. He then went into partnership with his brother, Amédée Dubuisson, and together, they purchased the farm brewery from their parents, which later became the Brasserie Dubuisson Frères Ltd.

Between the founding in 1769 and 1931, the Dubuisson farm brewery experienced numerous periods of turmoil, in particular being occupied by Napoleon’s troops at the beginning of the 19th century and by German forces in 1914 and in 1940. The Dubuisson family got back on its feet each time and rebuilt and revived the facility.

In 1933, Alfred Dubuisson, Hugues’ grandfather, created a genuine fine Belgian beer in the English style, very fashionable at the time. He called his beer Bush Beer, the English translation of Bière Dubuisson. This beer, the recipe of which has remained unchanged for 75 years, is therefore one of Belgium’s oldest brands of beer still being sold.

From the very beginning, right up to the present day, the Brasserie Dubuisson has always remained true to its unchanging principles and values:
- 100% independent brewery.

- Production of completely natural beers, without any artificial additives.

- Refusal to produce private label beers (a single recipe sold under different trademarks).

- Total control over the brewing process without resorting to subcontracting.


A brewery resolutely turned towards the future

In 1990, Hugues Dubuisson began a new era of growth for the brewery with the gradual expansion of the range (Scaldis de Noël in 1991, Scaldis Blonde in 1998, Cuvée des Trolls in 2000). The growth of the brewery has been speeding up since 2000 with the creation of two micro-breweries in Louvain-la-Neuve and Mons, a new visitors’ centre and the nearly complete renovation of the production facilities that is still going on until 2008 with the full renovation of the brewing room, the putting into service of a new bottling line and the extension of the capacity of the storage cellar.
La Cuvée des Trolls In addition to the industrial investments made on the Pipaix site, the Brasserie Dubuisson has also grown considerably in commercial terms since the end of the 20th century. Its production has gone from 14,000 hectolitres in 2000 to 22,000 hectolitres in 2007. Exports are also growing in size in these volumes and in 2008 represent nearly 25% of the brewery’s total volumes. The Brasserie Dubuisson exports to around twenty countries, both near, such as France, Italy and Switzerland, and far, such as the United States, Australia, Vietnam and Chile.