Roman Brewery History

1545 was the first year the brewery was mentioned as ‘De Clocke’ (The Bell) on an official document, and defined as the site of a well known tavern-hotel- farm where horses could be exchanged or rested. As in all such places of that era, the publican brewed his own ale. It was Justistius Roman who ran the place in that time. The brewery was built along one of the main roads between North West Germany and France, in the village of Mater (today a suburb of the Flemish city of Oudenaarde.) The name “Roman” could mean that the family was of Roman descent, and probably settled in the area in the first century A.D.

Fourteen generations of the same family built this brewery up into the largest brewery in East Flanders. Today, the brewery has grown, and over the centuries become a very large, impressive building, built into closed fortress with a large open space in the middle. This was the result of the many dangers and wars that tormented Flanders in the last 5 centuries, and against which the brewery had to defend itself. Today, the open space is used for rock concerts, where beer flows on-line straight from the brewery-tanks, for a festive a string of summer weekends each year.

Up until World War II the brewery built its success on ales, especially the typical Old Brown style of Flemish beers. After the war, the brewery jumped on the Pilsner bandwagon. Its Romy Pils became, and is still ‘til this day, one of the best selling and most appreciated Belgian Pilsners. Even so, the brewery’s international success is built on its world famous ENAME Abbey ales, the strong blond SLOEBER and the old brown ale ADRIAAN BROUWER, brewed in the same style as the original ancient family recipe.