150 new breweries in Belgium this century

As of 2014, Belgium has 247 breweries, a significant increase compared to the beginning of the century, according to figures from the FPS Economy. The increase is due to the return of small, independent brewers.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Belgium had more than 3,000 breweries, but in the decades that followed, many brewers went out of business or were taken over by large industrial brewers such as Stella Artois in Leuven, which eventually became Interbrew, and now AB InBev.

As a result, by the end of last century only about 100 breweries remained in Belgium. Since then, however, the number of breweries in the country has increased by 70%. This positive trend is due in part to the rise of smaller craft brewers in Belgium, so that the country now boasts nearly 250 breweries.

photo: kazematten.be