Franciscus Van Ballaer from Berlaar marries Maria Embrechts, daughter of the butcher of Houtem.
In 1730 Franciscus buys the existing brewery De Swaen on the southwest side of the market, behind the church tower of Kasterlee.
This brewery was taken over from
the Van der Veken family. According to a deed, the brewery already existed in 1675.
Brewery De Swaen passed from father to son and continued to brew barley beer for generations.
Following Franciscus are Christianus 1729-1804,
Petrus 1764-1830, Joannes Cornelis 1805-1868,
Joannes Adolphus 1834-1908 (mayor and president of the brass band), Louis Adriaan 1879-1946 (town clerk).
1914-1918 WWI
The German occupiers confiscated not only the bells from the church tower but also the brewing kettles of the brewery.
A Wiedergutmachung did not materialize and the brewing activities were forced to stop.
Louis Adriaan (also called Lode Brèjer in Kasterlee) became a beer stealer. He bought beer from larger breweries, bottled it and sold it in Kasterlee and the surrounding area.
Children of Joannes Adolphus Van Ballaer. Seated from left to right: Octavie - Nathalie - Jef - Maria, standing: Ernest, Casimir and Louis Adriaan
Together they have 4 children. Arnold, Jef, Angèle and Mia
Arnold, Louis and Jef
Angèle, Anna and Mia
Bert Soete, grandson of Angèle Van Ballaer and great-grandson of Louis Adriaan Van Ballaer(Lode Brèyer) found among the dusty heirlooms in the attic a tin box with beautiful old photographs of the Van Ballaer family.
Fascinated by the pictures, this became the start of a long search for his roots in Kasterlee.
That the brewer's blood was in the genes he already knew, but what exactly was it like?
Was there anything left of the brewery? What was the recipe for the beer brewed at the time? Was there still a logo of the brewery?
The ideal starting point for an intense search for the history of the brewing family.
Bert goes back to beautiful Kasterlee after many years and meets honorary mayor Walter Otten who could tell him a lot of information about the family and the brewery.
However, the recipe can no longer be found but the wonderful shield of the brewery can.
“Nenivaba” Famil Van Ballaer 1938
That the Van Ballaer family not only brewed beer but also was not shy about a party is evident from stories of the memorable parties that were celebrated generation after generation.
One of them is the "Nenivaba" party that went on every year.
"Nenivaba" short for cousins Van Ballaer. A party at which even uncle pastor insisted on dancing with all the nieces....
The parties were held at the home of a family member, tables were set in a long line from the living room to the kitchen. Cutlery and plates for sometimes as many as 100 people. The 12-hour dinner feast was interrupted halfway through for a pleasant walk in the fresh air, perhaps to process the copious amounts of booze.
From left to right: Angèle Van Ballaer, Jeanne Borghgraef, Anna Truyens, Louis Van Ballaer and Mia Van Ballaer. Sometime between the 1930s - 38
Louis Adriaan alias Lode Brèyer
was a popular figure in the village. He was welcome by everyone and gladly took advantage of that invitation.
The first question his wife asked him when he returned home was "what did you eat and who did you sit next to".
A jovial man with his heart in the right place according to those who knew him.
January 2018
Bert starts Microbrewing training and slowly begins to master the secrets of brewing. There is no denying that blood goes where it can't go and that brewing blood is in one's genes.
November 2018: "Onze Louis"
100 years after the brewery closed, Bert brews his first beer in honor of the bygone De Swaen brewery. "Our Louis Van Ballaer" named after his great-grandfather is a refreshing spelt tripel with secondary fermentation in the bottle. The beer is refined with a typical "Kastels" aroma.
November 2019 "Onze Henri"
Together with Rik Vanblaere and Patrick Decock they set up the company Zwaan9BV.
This new collaboration results in a new beer "Onze Henri Decock" A beer in honor of Rik and Patrick's grandfather.
November 2021: "1730" 75cl
is a tribute to all the vanished breweries in Belgium.
"1730" is an Oak Aged Ale Normandic Single Cask aged for 8 months on a Calvados foeder. "1730" is therefore a unique experience for any connoisseur!
September 2023
2 Brothers and a sister
We are pleased to announce that a new phase has begun for our family business. After the successful cooperation with Rik and Patrick, now brother Antoon and sister Karolien are taking over from them. Zwaan9 thus remains a true family affair. To celebrate this new chapter, Bert is brewing the new beer "Ons Angèle Van Ballaer" in honor of their grandmother.
Our Angèle is a tribute to our moemoe from Kasterlee. Moemoe was a bon vivant who, as a young woman, had wanted to become an opera singer. In her time, however, that was more than a bridge too far but she continued to sing all her life. We got to hear Edith Piaf's "Non, je ne regrette rien" more than once. She knew how to cook like the best: her poule fricassee with mashed potatoes from the oven was one of those top dishes.
