Brouwerij Vagebond

Microbrewery in Merksplas, Antwerp, Belgium 🇧🇪

Established in 2011

Contact
Steenweg Op Hoogstraten 52, Merksplas, 2330, Belgium
Description
De bieren van ‘Brouwerij Vagebond‘ zijn sinds 2011 op de markt. Een Vagebond, synoniem voor een landloper of een zwerver, is al decennia verbonden met Merksplas en Wortel.

Tot in 1993 werden ze hier opgevangen, jaar waarin de wet op de landloperij werd afgeschaft en deze mensen, nagenoeg van de één op de andere dag, op straat stonden.
Als hobbybrouwers hebben we destijds bewust gekozen voor de naam “Brouwerij Vagebond”. Op onze etiketten staat dan ook te lezen:
“De Belgische Wet tegen de Landloperij werd in 1866 gestemd en in 1891 verfijnd.
Wie op straat kwam zonder pas of onvoldoende geld om een brood te kopen,
vloog als landloper naar de gevangenis van Merksplas of Wortel.
Deze wet werd in 1993 afgeschaft, omdat arm zijn geen misdaad is.”

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8.5/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 8 Overall 8.5
Aus der Flasche (bbe 31.08.2023) im 2026-05 getrunken. Dieses dunkle Ale kommt in einer Aromenmischung von Malz. Karamell, Kirschen mit feiner Säure, die aber im Hintergrund bleibt. Ein tolles Ale!
Tried from Bottle on 08 May 2026 at 22:04

6.5/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 7 Overall 6.5
Small cream-coloured head, soon reduced to rim over fully hazy brown beer. Melanoidins, brown bread with a sprinkle of brown sugar, dark malts. Dark malts reign with lots of restsugars. Bit of wood, bit of chocolate, and a drier finish. Medium bodied at least. Very carbonated, slick, going towards chewy. Uber-classic sweet dubbel, with, again a hint of homebrew.
Tried from Bottle at Dr. Beer - Bar & Shop on 31 Aug 2025 at 09:25

5/10
A clear golden beer with a white lacing. Aroma of moderate sweet pale malt, yeast, some spices. Taste of mild spicy pale malt, grains, yeast.
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2025 at 18:31

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Eher trockener, wenig würziger Beginn. Moderat hopfig, wenig hefig, geringe Süße. Gut trinkbar. 9/8/9/9/8/9
Tried from Bottle on 17 May 2025 at 16:24

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle from Drankenhandel Leiden. Yeasty and a bit herbal with soft hoppy notes (Target according to the label), peppery yeast, malt, a mild fruitiness. Flavour is medium sweet with a moderate bitterness. Medium body. Likeable Tripel, hoppy and herbal.
Tried from Bottle on 01 Feb 2025 at 07:08

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
Bottle from Drankenhandel Leiden. Aroma is dried fruits with raisins, brown malt, caramel, plum, and spicy yeast. Medium sweet flavour with a light bitterness and a hint of sourness. Medium body. Pretty heavy on the dried fruit, sweet with a slight tangy touch. Okay.
Tried from Bottle on 25 Jan 2025 at 06:59

7/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 8
Bottle 0,33 ltr: Slightly hazy orange coloured brew with an smooth sweet bitter taste with hints of oranges, white grape, caramel and spices.
Tried from Bottle on 29 Dec 2024 at 11:13

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Clear brown colour with lasting head. Very malty and sweet. Also has a tanginess like red fruits giving it a slight sweet sour note.
Tried on 23 Aug 2024 at 21:05

6.6/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 6.5 Texture 5 Overall 6.5
Very good, dense, cream-tan head over unclear dark brown beer. Raspberry, chocolate, dark malts. Some stoutlike acidity over the roast, old chocolate, other coloured malts, candi syrup. Finish has some wood. I fear the acidity has more to do with autolysis of the yeast. Medium bodied, overcarbonated. Ho-hum. Tastes as a classic Walloon brune in homebrew version.
Tried from Bottle on 01 Nov 2023 at 08:56

6.9/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Huge off-white head gushing over unclear yellow beer with a greenish sheen. Fresh hops' nose, pale malts, not overboiled. Bitterish, fresh hops' flavours, fresh green herbs, almost-sweet malts. feels lighter than the base Vageblond. Very carbonated to overcarbonated, and the hopcone isn't helping. Meritorious.
Tried from Bottle on 01 Nov 2023 at 08:23