Since 1850, Six Generations of Expertise
Since 1850, brewing has been a craft passed down with passion through six generations at Brasserie de Silly. With a strong reputation for quality, it has won over both Belgian and international audiences through its proximity, attentiveness, and remarkable flexibility.
Today, the brewery offers a rich variety of Belgian beers. Every batch is the result of a rigorous selection of the finest raw materials: pure water, premium hops, top-quality malt, and unique yeasts whose secrets are held only by the master brewer.
History: From Agricultural Roots to Parisian Success
In the 19th century, large Hainaut farms had a custom of brewing barley and hops to quench the thirst of their seasonal workers. It was in this tradition that Marcelin Hypolite Mynbrughen founded the Cense de la Tour brewery in 1850. It settled in Silly, a charming village of 8,000 inhabitants nestled in the Ath-Enghien-Soignies triangle, crossed by the Sylle river that gave it its name.
The family’s expertise quickly gained recognition: in 1900, Adelin, the founder’s son, won a prestigious silver medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris, propelling the brewery onto the international stage.
The Evolution of the Brewery: Ongoing Creativity
The turning point came in 1947, when brewing activity definitively took over from farming. At that time, production focused exclusively on top-fermented beers such as the Grisette, the Saison, and the Scotch. By 1950, riding on an expanding café network, the brewery innovated and launched the Pils — its first bottom-fermented beer.
Over the decades, the range continually grew and diversified:
- 1975: the acquisition of the Tennstedt Decroes Brewery in Enghien brought in the celebrated Double Enghien beer family.
- 1990: the birth of the white beer Titje and La Divine.
- 2004: the launch of Pink Killer, an original fruity white beer with pink grapefruit.
Since then, the range has expanded greatly to explore bold and distinct flavors with the Abbaye de Forest, Green Killer IPA, Triple Swaf, Silly Kriek, and Silly Session IPA.
Attuned to new consumer expectations, the brewery has also built a solid organic portfolio including Silly Bio, Silly Triple Bio, and most recently the Silly Saison Village bio blonde and Be Silly — a certified organic non-alcoholic beer.
Brasserie de Silly Today: Heading Toward the Future and Sustainability
Having proudly celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2025, Brasserie de Silly is now led by the sixth generation of the family. Cousins Lionel and Bertrand Van der Haegen are at the helm with excellent complementarity: Bertrand oversees production while Lionel drives commercial development and marketing.
To support strong growth fueled by exports across five continents, the production facilities have undergone major modernization. In late 2025, a brand-new state-of-the-art brewhouse was installed for a multi-million euro investment. This new complex was specifically designed to meet today’s ecological and sustainability challenges.
This latest-generation equipment includes:
- A new ultra-high-performance malt mill.
- Optimized mash tuns, lauter tuns, and brew kettles.
- A modern whirlpool and plate heat exchanger with energy recovery for greener production.
- The addition of 6 new fermentation tanks to complement the existing 20, significantly increasing the site’s overall capacity.
Combining technological modernity with respect for tradition, Brasserie de Silly continues to write its story by championing the excellence of Belgian beer throughout the world.