De Ranke

Brewery De Ranke is a Belgian brewery Dottenijs in the province of Hainaut.

History

Around 1930

Germain Noffels starts a beer-bottling and lemonade-manufacturing facility at the Wijnbergstraat in Wevelgem.

Daughter Irene Noffels and son-in-law Napoleone Bacelle took over the business in 1948 after World War 2 and start the brand VALPO for their soft drinks.

Nino Bacelle (1958) starts experimenting with brewing beer in 1981 and takes over the business with his brother in 1986. In 1989 they close down the lemonade facility and his brother takes over the beer business. Nino starts working for a company specializing in refrigeration, and brewing becomes a hobby.

1994

Nino decides -after a lot of experimental brews- that he is ready to bring his own beer to the market. It’s the start of Brewery Nino Bacelle.

After a lot of research he decides to start brewing in an existing brewery, The Deca brewery in Woesten. After just one year, 9.000 litres of Guldenberg are sold!

1995

Nino meets Guido Devos through the beer tasters association HOP. Guido is a founding member of HOP and has been active as an amateur brewer for years.    

1996

Nino and Guido decide to pool resources and knowledge and hereby “Brewery Nino Bacelle“  turns into Brewery De Ranke. This name refers to the vines on which the main ingredient for beer grows: hops.

Père Noël is launched as a Christmas ale and the first batch of XX Bitter is brewed, which is considered a milestone in the history of the brewery.

2000

Kriek De Ranke is born, a unique cherry beer that consists of a blend of aged sour ale with cherries and lambic from the Zenne Valley.    

2005

After 11 years of brewing at Brewery Deca, Nino and Guido decide to start their own brewery in Dottenijs located in the province of Henegouwen

Cuvée De Ranke is born, an ale of mixed origin which balances between sweet and sour.

2007

Annual production: 1.700 hl (170.000 litres). About 60% export (U.S.A., Japan, The Netherlands, U.K., Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Austria and France).

2009

Noir De Dottignies is born, the first brown beer in the history of the brewery, known for its full, malty character and a hop bitterness typical of the brewery.

Hop Harvest is created. This is their first time using super fresh, undried wet hops, which is only possible immediately after the hop harvest.

2010

Nino decides to turn what started as a hobby into a full-time profession.

Launch of the Saison De Dottignies, a tribute to the origin of the farmhouse-ale typical to the Henegouwen province where the brewery is located. This beer is light and thirst-quenching.       

2015

Annual production: 5.000 hl (500.000 litres). About 50% export to more than 20 countries (for a full list; see “Distributors”)

By now, 6 people are employed at the brewery and plans are made to expand production to 10.000 hl/year.