Brouwerij De Kluis is a historic Belgian brewery located in Hoegaarden, in the Flemish Brabant province. Its story is inseparable from that of Pierre Celis, who founded the brewery in 1965 with the mission of reviving the centuries-old witbier tradition of Hoegaarden — a style that had all but disappeared. Celis obtained the original brewing recipe from a local family and set about producing an unfiltered, spiced wheat beer that would go on to reshape Belgian brewing history. The witbier tradition in the region itself dates back to 1460, when Bogaarden monks were already brewing in the area. The brewery grew rapidly in popularity throughout Belgium during the late 1960s and 1970s. In 1985, a devastating fire destroyed the brewery, threatening the survival of the revived witbier style. Brouwerij Artois stepped in, agreeing to rebuild the brewery in exchange for a 45% ownership stake. The brewery eventually came under the umbrella of AB InBev, which continues to operate the Hoegaarden site. Beyond its iconic witbier, De Kluis also brewed other Belgian specialities, including Verboden Vrucht — a strong, bottle-conditioned ale of 8.5% with a reddish-brown colour and fruity character, brewed using top fermentation. Brouwerij De Kluis holds a significant place in Belgian beer heritage. Its role in saving and popularising the witbier style influenced brewers worldwide, and the Hoegaarden site remains part of the broader AB InBev brewing complex to this day.