Hoegaarden is a beer brand, founded in 1445 in Hoegaarden, Belgium, when it was still part of the Netherlands. It was first brewed by monks. Now the brand is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
One of the leading brewing centers in Belgium is the region of Flanders, and more specifically the village of Hoegaarden, where the famous Belgian beer Hoegaarden got its name. In the 18th century, there were about 30 different breweries in Flanders, however, the region faced a crisis at the beginning of the 20th century and all the production facilities were closed. The breweries were not revived until 1966 by a man named Pierre Celis, who owned dairy farms in the neighborhood.
Pierre Celis brewed a small batch of ale according to the recipe of monks from the 18th century – to improve and soften the flavor, they added coriander and orange zest from the island of Curaçao. The beer turned out so good that Pierre decided to go into the brewing business and founded the De Kluis company.
However, the obstacles on Brand’s path did not end there. There was a fire, and the factory, revived by the farmer, was almost completely destroyed. Pierre decided to sell the brand. The rights to the trademark were bought by Interbrew, and then the brand was taken over by the Anheuser-Busch InBev holding company. And in 2006, production was moved to the city of Liege.
Today, Hoegaarden is a very popular beer brand with several varieties of this foamy beverage in its portfolio. The brand’s products can be found in more than 50 countries around the world.
The Hoegaarden logo is a gothic-style typeface with an icon on top of it. The color scheme is traditional for many beer brands – blue, white and gold.
The Hoegaarden emblem consists of two elements – a mash paddle and a bishop’s crozier. The first is a tribute to all the brewers of Hoegaarden (there used to be more than 50 in this small town). The second is a symbol of power once wielded by the prince bishop of Liège.
Hoegaarden has a very special mascot: an orphan brewmaster. There is a legend about an abandoned orphan raised by monks and schooled in the art of brewing, he even “buried in a beer barrel at the age of 100.”
aOne more brand’s specialty – a famous Hoegaarden beer glass. The glass has become a brand signature and although more brands have their own glasses, Hoegaarden’s does look unique and standout, with it’s huge size.