Stadsbrouwerij Vos Brewery (Elburg)

The Netherlands

"Brewing beer is a fascinating process that presents a new challenge every time."

Sometimes the best brewery discoveries are closer to home than you expect. For our visit to Stadsbrouwerij Vos, we travelled to the medieval town of Elburg. Although it was a rather cloudy summer day, it gave us the opportunity to explore Elburg for the first time. An interesting destination for anyone who enjoys craft beer as well as Dutch history and heritage.

An inclusive family business

After parking just outside the historic centre of Elburg, we walked along the small harbour towards Stadsbrouwerij Vos. The brewery is situated right behind Brasserie Aan de Gracht (Brasserie Along the Canal), which is owned by the same family, together with Restaurant De Haas, located elsewhere in the old town.

The brasserie is housed in a historic building that has served many purposes over the years, including a tannery, a basket-weaving workshop and an eel smokehouse. Rather than letting the building lose its character, the Vos family transformed it into a place where craft brewing and social impact come together.

One of the family's ambitions was to create meaningful employment opportunities for people facing barriers to the labour market. Today, this location combines a brewery, workshop and lunchroom, giving it an important role within the local community. Bringing these plans to life required patience, with the necessary permits taking several years to obtain.

The return of brewing to Elburg

During our visit to Stadsbrouwerij Vos, we discovered that brewing has a much longer history in Elburg than the current brewery might suggest. As far back as the 17th century, the town was home to Het Witte Paard (The White Horse), a brewery whose beers were known throughout the region. It remained in operation until 1905, after which Elburg was without its own brewery for more than a century.

That changed in 2017, when the Vos family started Stadsbrouwerij Vos. As we learned during our visit, the brewery's origins go back much further than its opening date. Current brewmaster Coenraad van Bommel and Gerrit Jan Vos were already good friends and shared an interest in beer. Around 2001, they decided to take their interest more seriously by following a brewing course and experimenting with brewing their own beer.

Their first commercial beer followed in 2010: a Tripel brewed at a contract brewery. The beer proved successful and rather than continuing with contract brewing, they wanted to establish their own brewery in Elburg. While the Vos family worked on obtaining the necessary permits and preparing the historic building, the brewing equipment was already being selected and assembled. The complete installation was eventually shipped from Slovakia to Elburg, ready for the start of a new chapter in the town's brewing history.

A brewery of their own

When we visited Stadsbrouwerij Vos, we learned that 2017 marked an important milestone: after years of planning and preparation, the brewery in Elburg finally opened its doors. The original Tripel was joined by four new beers straight away: a Porter, Barley Wine, IPA and a Pale Ale brewed especially for the opening. It was quite a lineup for a brand-new Dutch craft brewery.

The brewery initially had more brewing capacity than they could use themselves. To make the most of the installation, they partnered with Brouwerij Eem Bier, renting out part of the brewing capacity. Coenraad van Bommel brewed alongside Ruud from Eem Bier until 2023, when the time came for Stadsbrouwerij Vos to continue independently.

Among the first beers brewed entirely under Coenraad's direction were Het Witte Voswief, a wheat beer, and a pilsner that immediately caught our attention. This pilsner named Vergulden Vos, is lagered for 100 days and has a surprisingly light citrus character, making it a refreshing choice for beer lovers looking for something crisp and distinctive.

Today, Stadsbrouwerij Vos offers a varied selection of Dutch craft beers, ranging from accessible classics to more distinctive styles. The brewery's beers have also received recognition at the annual Dutch Beer Challenge, adding a few awards to the story that started with two friends brewing beer as a hobby.

Visiting Stadsbrouwerij Vos in Elburg

During our visit to Stadsbrouwerij Vos, we quickly realised that the brewery is only part of the attraction. The historic fortified town of Elburg is well worth exploring too. The town's history goes back to the early 13th century, although the original settlement was demolished towards the end of the 14th century and rebuilt at its current location. The prosperous town was fortified as part of the reconstruction, and traces of these fortifications can still be seen today, including at the impressive Vischpoort.

Elburg was once situated on the Zuiderzee, the former inland sea that disappeared as a result of the construction of the Afsluitdijk, completed in 1932. Fishing played an important role in the town's history, which makes the location of Stadsbrouwerij Vos particularly fitting. The brewery is housed in a former eel smokehouse, connecting its modern brewing activities with Elburg's maritime heritage.

One of the things we enjoyed about our visit was the option to explore the brewery independently. With your smartphone, you can follow the self-guided brewery tour at your own pace and scan QR codes to discover more about the brewing process and the history of Stadsbrouwerij Vos. Some of the videos are even projected onto the brewing kettles, creating an original way to learn about the brewery.

The tour features colourful animations created by Rianne Stremmelaar, who also works with brewmaster Coenraad on the brewery's beer labels. For those who prefer a more personal experience, brewery tours with a guide or sometimes even the brewer himself are also available. We would certainly combine one with a tasting of the beers afterwards!

Updated: 14-08-2026