Oersoep Brewery

The Netherlands

"With simple ingredients we brew flavorful Oersoep beer with a quirky character"

The story behind the name: Oersoep Brewery in Nijmegen

Like many Dutch craft breweries, the story of Oersoep brewery in Nijmegen began as a humble kitchen experiment. Brewing small batches on the stovetop, the founders combined just a few simple ingredients to create remarkably complex and flavorful beers.

This creative process inspired the name Oersoep, which means primordial soup in Dutch, a reference to the ancient mix of organic molecules from which life on Earth began. It is (or was) a fitting name for a brewery that thrived on experimentation, fermentation, and the creation of something truly original from the most basic elements.

Brewery crowdfunding

When founders Kick van Hout and Sander Kobes decided to take Oersoep Brewery from a passionate homebrewing project to a full-fledged craft beer brewery, they found the perfect location: a former soup factory in Nijmegen. A fitting coincidence, given the name of the brewery.

As the demand for their beers grew, the brewery quickly hit its production limits. In 2015, a successful crowdfunding campaign gave Oersoep the chance to expand its capacity, improve production processes, and elevate the quality of its beers.

From 'slow beer' to hoppy and sour Oersoep beer

Oersoep Brewery first made a name for itself by crafting layered, complex beers they proudly referred to as slowbeer. These beers, often brewed with wild yeasts and aged in barrels, could take anywhere from three months to three years to fully mature.

Inside their former soup factory, visitors were greeted with an impressive sight: rows of large German and French wine barrels, including massive 7,000-liter French Foeders, imported directly by the brewery.

Their passion for experimentation even led them to build their own coolship, a traditional open fermentation vessel, for which they teamed up with the American wild ale experts at Jester King Brewery in Austin, Texas.

As Oersoep evolved, so did its focus. Today their lineup includes dry, hoppy beers and refreshing sours. The core range features approachable styles like IPA, Blonde, and Witbier, while their seasonal specials and international collaborations explore the more adventurous side of Dutch craft beer.

From Honig Complex to NYMA

The former Honig Soup Factory in Nijmegen transformed over the years into a vibrant creative hotspot, attracting entrepreneurs, artists, and food vendors. Located on the banks of the Waal River, the industrial site became a hub for local markets, fairs, and cultural events. However, with urban development plans underway, including new housing projects, the future of the site was uncertain.

Thankfully, Oersoep Brewery found a new, permanent location just downstream along the Waal, at another historic industrial site, the former NYMA textile factory. This evolving area is set to become Nijmegen’s next creative and cultural destination, featuring not only Oersoep’s brewpub but also a mix of restaurants, bars, startups, and sports facilities.

Updated: 05-06-2025