JENLAIN ARTISANAL AND INDEPENDENT
This weekend, the Duyck brewery celebrated its centenary and opened to the public. The opportunity to look back on a passionate profession that is passed down from father to son and to celebrate the brewing adventure that seems to have never been as dynamic as it is today.
A visit to the brewery with a presentation of the products made on site
If Saturday, the brewery was open to all, Friday was devoted to family, friends, colleagues, customers and especially employees of the brewery. “Today, we don't do business, we fraternize. The idea was to create a moment of exchange with all the people who work with us and to share the pride of the work accomplished in a century”, explains Mathieu Duyck, CEO of the Jenlain brewery.
Even if some had considered celebrating this century of existence by organizing an event outside the company, this eventuality was unthinkable for Mathieu Duyck: “For me, doing it at Jenlain was the most important thing. We must not forget that we are in the courtyard of the family home. This place is steeped in the history of our family. I can't help but think of my grandfather who often told us “We don't sell beer, we sell moments of conviviality”.
To make the event as festive as possible, several activities had been planned. Among other things, visits to the brewery and a small museum, old games, concerts and a food truck to accompany the beer tastings.
CHOICES THAT ARE RELEVANT
For Raymond Duyck, father of Mathieu and former manager from 1990 to 2013, there is also a lot of pride on this anniversary day, with a little emotion all the same. “This is a great moment for the Duyck family. I remember my father when I decided to take over and who said to me: "it's going to be difficult, I hope you make the right choice". Today, I am happy to have resisted the solicitations of large groups. You have to keep in mind that in the 80s, there were only about forty breweries left in France. The large structures were trying to absorb the independent brewers,” he underlines.
The family has set up a small museum tracing the history of the brewery.
Today, with a completely different brewing landscape where the craze around beer has become global, other concerns dominate the daily lives of brewers. The world of beer is in turmoil. We invent, we test, we innovate. We are also reinventing ourselves. Are micro-breweries flourishing and perhaps shaking up historic brands? “I wouldn't say shaken up, but I never imagined such a development. It's ultimately a very good thing that generates momentum,” concludes Raymond Duyck. As for Mathieu Duyck: “Hostled, of course! But it helps to maintain a positive tension in creativity”.
Article the Voice of the North By Gérald DEFLANDRE
Posted: June 27, 2022