Emelisse is a small and fairly new brewery in the Netherlands (Kamperland, to be precise) and for me, it has the benefit that it’s very close to my dad’s cottage in Zeeland. We went there two weeks ago to check it out, have lunch and buy some beers. On a Tuesday afternoon which meant we were the only ones there. Time for a chat with the owner, I’d say!

First of all, by new I mean spic and span new. The building has been there for only a couple of years in a location that used to be a meadow. The brewing equipment was actually added to the company after they decided that only doing a lunch café wouldn’t cover it. They still have the lunch stuff, you just eat next to a giant copper brew pot.

The lunch menu is small, but all the food on there is fresh and that’s more than you can say for many places in such a touristy area. We had fried fish (Kibbeling) and chips. The misses had an Ice Tea and I decided to go for the Emelisse White Label (Glen Elgin barrel aged). Delicious (both the food and the beer)!

Emelisse brews about 2000 hectoliters per year, which makes it about 40% of the size of Westvleteren, for example. The owner talked about expanding the brew routine from 4 days per week to 7 and thereby fully utilizing the brewery’s capacity. That’s not the case yet, but there are options!

What do they brew? Quite a lot, to be honest. Blond and Dubbel, Double IPA, Triple IPA, Espresso Stout, Russian Imperial Stout, Black IPA, Rauchbier, Pilsner, Weizen and seasonals, like spring and autumn Bock Beers. Then there are the white labels. Very limited editions which are cask aged or otherwise very special. I’ve tried a few thusfar (Ardbeg, Glen Elgin and Jack Daniel’s barrel aged) and they’re all good with the quality of the whisky really influencing the stouts. I believe there is a Barley Wine White Label now, available at Drinks & Gifts. They’re keeping busy!

If you’re in the area, stop there and have a bite to eat, with a brew and pick up some as you go out as well. Their prices are very good, for both the food and take out beers. That also meant I supplied myself with a selection of their stuff which I empties over the last two weeks. Great stuff!