On September 19, 2023, St Bernardus Brewery, located in Watou, West Flanders, made a substantial investment of 14 million euros aimed at meeting global demand and enticing beer

aficionados.

The brewery's new bottling facility, with a price tag of 12 million euros, has been in operation for nearly a year. An additional 2 million euros has been allocated for the development of the site to offer an engaging tour for tourists. The company aspires to double its annual visitor count to nearly 100,000.

Julie Depypere, the managing director, expressed, "The interactive brewery tour reflects our ambition to lead the way in Belgium when it comes to innovative visitor experiences within a brewery setting. We may not be monks, but St Bernardus is increasingly resembling a pilgrimage destination worthy of its name."

Following World War II, the Watou site initially served as a dairy until the owner was invited by the Trappist monks at Westvleteren to brew and market their beers under license. This arrangement continued until 1992 when the Trappist breweries decided to reserve the Authentic Trappist Beer label exclusively for beers produced within an abbey.

In 1998, the Depypere family acquired the brewery, constructing a new brewing facility that led to production surging from 8,000 to 50,000 hectoliters. The brewery now exports 15 million bottles to 80 countries. Photo by Arnaud 25, Wikimedia commons.