7of 7
  • 4,944 messages
  • December 10, 2024 22:45
10K
added
25K
prices
100
info pages
250K
reviews
5K
posts
December 10, 2024 22:45
Misala

Ypra was originally a brewery in Ypres. The last Ypra from Ypres was brewed in 1976 according to my knowledge and sources. Almost half a century ago.

I have never seen or tasted one myself.

In 2021, Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste took over the name (a descendant of the last brewer Vermeulen is also the nephew of Omer Vander Ghinste), and since then they have been brewing three new IPA beers under the name Ypra in Bellegem:
  • Ypra Hoppy Blond (blue label and crown cap) (6%)
  • Ypra Hoppy Alcoholfree (Orange label and crown cap) (0.4%)
  • Ypra Hoppy Tripel (green label and crown cap) (10%)

Only the name (and font of the brand, and the special Y) were adopted to breathe new life into it (in honor of the Vermeulen family). The beers are own IPA creations and products of the brewer from Bellegem (Omer Vander Ghinste).

I have already seen and tasted these beers myself.

I think the three crown caps now assigned to Vermeulen may be changed?
But I'm not 100% sure, I can't find much about Vermeulen.
The new Ypra could have been designed by that descendant together with Omer Vander Ghinste, a family affair. Who knows, maybe a few were initially made with the mention 'Vermeulen' to appeal to the original market (Ypres region)? Or did that Vermeulen descendant catch the bug and has it now started again, to get the sleeping Ypres residents back to drinking after half a century?

From HLN of 30/05/2023, about the new Ypra beer:
" The Bellegem brewery Omer Vander Ghinste has launched a new version of the beer Ypra. This beer used to be brewed in the Ypres brewery Vermeulen. Not everyone likes the new version of the beer, and some fans are particularly upset by the disappearance of the link with the city of Ypres. "The last real Ypres beer is no more. "
Apparently (according to that newspaper) the people of Ypres were unaware that the brewery had already dried up in 1976. Could someone please extend the internet cable to that region?
I think that there probably aren't any real fans (connoisseurs of the former Ypra beer) around there. Or there must have been a huge overstock with a long shelf life in 1976.
The text is also rather bizarrely written: "that" beer used to be brewed in the Ypres brewery Vermeulen. No, not "that" beer. Completely different beers, which bear that name. Purely as a tribute to the former Ypres brewing family Vermeulen.

Anyone familiar with the possible (small-scale?) recent revival of a Vermeulen Brewery in Ypres?
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • Catalogue Moderator
  • Catalogue Moderator
  • 18 messages
  • December 11, 2024 11:15
5K
added
1K
prices
1K
reviews
December 11, 2024 11:15
Hello Raoul,
Read the story.
It is often difficult to determine exactly at which brewery certain beers were brewed and/or had them brewed, and this is one of them.
According to the data, this should indeed be from Vermeulen, but it could also have been brewed by Omer Vander Ghinste according to data on the internet.
But it seems to me that it is best that this indeed belongs to Vermeulen, as mentioned.
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • 4,944 messages
  • December 11, 2024 12:43
10K
added
25K
prices
100
info pages
250K
reviews
5K
posts
December 11, 2024 12:43
Well Michel, but all sources are unanimous: since 1976, not a single drop has been brewed at Vermeulen in Ypres ... The company did continue to exist as a depot/distribution point/trader. But nothing was made or bottled anymore.
And the current Ypra beers are now brewed with 100% certainty by brewery Omer Vander Ghinste. I was there last week for a tour and tasting :)
[ Tenandere, the visit to that brewery in Bellegem is highly recommended. Educational, tasteful, and you won't go home empty-handed!]
Also heard the story there that the old Ypra brand was dusted off by Omer. Together with his cousin, a descendant of the last brewer Vermeulen, and also the man of NATAN (active as an entrepreneur in the fashion world, not in the beer world).
As Belfort was previously also recuperated as a name (the Triple Lefort was not brewed in the Brasserie Lefort of Kortrijk, which has been gone for over 100 years). Shortly after its launch, Triple Lefort was internationally bombarded to 'best tripel in the world' (!) (World Beer Cup 2018 in Nashville, USA).
Both former breweries (takeover of the company and the name and the logo) had/have a link with Brouwerij Vander Ghinste (family connection). The world is small. Also in West Flanders fun

It is of course possible that there was a small-scale local restart under the name Vermeulen in Ypres. I can't find anything about that. I can't imagine that they would use the same names, logos and fonts. They have been owned by the brewery in Bellegem for years.
Hence: such crown corks with the Y letter in that drawing (logo) from 2023 and 2024 are with 100% certainty from bottles produced by Brouwerij Vander Ghinste, and not by Brouwerij Vermeulen, which has disappeared for almost 50 years.

The possible small-scale restart in Ypres (or somewhere else?) intrigues me. Maybe there is someone from that Ypres region active on LD, who knows something about it, and is willing to share the knowledge.


On the left fashion king (fashion house NATAN) Edouard Vermeulen (son of the last brewer Vermeulen who stopped in 1976) and on the right beer king Omer IV (the current boss of brewery Omer Vander Ghinste, Omer V is still crown prince but already works in the company) with a Ypra beer in his hand. Photo taken last year in the semi-circular at the entrance of the new brewing hall).
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • 829 messages
  • December 11, 2024 13:37
500
added
25
prices
500
posts
December 11, 2024 13:37
Raoul62 small mention (for what it's worth) on biernet :
The beer "Ypra" (which is discussed elsewhere in our Beer Café) was brewed for a while by the Van Roy brewery in Wieze (although the labels then also said "Brouwerij Vermeulen Ieper"). Another source mentions Van Roy: Ypra Special
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • 4,944 messages
  • December 11, 2024 14:44
10K
added
25K
prices
100
info pages
250K
reviews
5K
posts
December 11, 2024 14:44
Indeed, the Ypra Special from Brouwerij Vermeulen was brewed for some time after 1976 in Wieze by Brouwerij Van Rooy.
When brewery Van Rooy was declared bankrupt in 1994, a new start was made as Brewery Het Anker Wieze. At that time, Ypra Special was no longer part of the product range. The new start only lasted a few years. In 1999, the curtain fell completely. Logo and brand name came into the hands of Brewery Haacht.
In 2009, Brouwerij Wieze was founded, with the acquisition of the logo and brand name. But no Ypra to be seen.

In other words, there was still a Ypra beer until 1994.
#4945889 and #10448579 from the Beer Labels section are rightfully at Brouwerij Van Rooy, despite the mention 'Brouwerij Vermeulen' on the label. Jantje and Kamiel apparently know something about it.
It is not uncommon for a brewery to brew a beer for another company and to put that other name on it. It is often a product that is sold regionally (locally) by the client. If there is a 'local reference' on it, the acceptance (turnover) is greater. Both parties benefit from that.

#10621547 is incorrectly listed with Van Roy. It is a Ypra beer by Omer Vander Ghinste (also stated as such on the label, 2nd image). The first image (label) does still feature the ode to the origin: 'Brouwerij Vermeulen'. That is sowing confusion, but will be responsible from a marketing perspective.
'Omer Vander Ghinste, Bellegem' is still listed twice at Bieretiketten. Perhaps after the name change (to get them together) they forgot to merge :)

It is impossible that anything can be attributed to Brouwerij Van Roy after 1997.
If #5146399 was brewed there then the date is wrong (it now says 1999). In 1997 the game was bankrupt.
#3478849 also does not belong to Brouwerij Van Roy. It is a product of the newly founded Brouwerij Wieze in 2009 (which did take over the brand name Wieze and the Van Roy logo via Brouwerij Haacht).
A number of others may have been brewed (temporarily?) by Brouwerij Haacht.
For Karl Pils I think more of Martens from Boholt (now mainly focused on export). It is listed twice in the list of breweries at Bieretiketten.

Fun for $$$$$$$ to sift through I think. That's what makes collecting, and especially managing a section, interesting.
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • 829 messages
  • December 11, 2024 15:05
500
added
25
prices
500
posts
December 11, 2024 15:05
Well then: some more history of Ypres breweries (external)
Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
  • Catalogue Moderator
  • Catalogue Moderator
  • 18 messages
  • December 12, 2024 15:10
5K
added
1K
prices
1K
reviews
December 12, 2024 15:10
That's a lot of useful information, I can learn a lot from that. (hahaha) .
Of course it is an advantage if you are close to the brewery and can also enjoy a nice pint.

Message has been translated from Dutch
Show original message
7of 7