Tesselaar Family Brewery in Texel
The Netherlands
"We decided it would be a fantastic idea to start our own family brewery on Texel."
Texel is home to several breweries, making it a great destination for anyone who enjoys discovering local Dutch beers. One name you'll come across quite often on the island is Tesselaar Family Brewery. Its beers are widely available across Texel, which made us curious about the brewery. So, on our latest visit to the island, we paid a visit to Tesselaar to discover how this family brewery came about and what makes its Texel-brewed beers worth seeking out.
From Butcher to Brewer
We love a good story, and this one is certainly worth telling. It all started with Maurice Diks, who was working as a butcher in South Holland when he decided to move to the island of Texel with his wife, Helma, in 1992. They saw potential in a former dairy factory called De Eendracht, which had stood empty for around seven years. Maurice took over the building and turned it into a canning business, processing beef, pork and lamb for many years.
With more space than he needed, Maurice decided to rent out part of the building to a homebrewer who wanted to turn his hobby into a professional brewing business. Using dairy factory equipment, the brewing system was put together, and in 1994 the Tesselse Beer Brewery opened its doors. The locally brewed beer quickly became popular with islanders and visitors alike. However, turning the brewery and its adjoining tasting room into a financially sustainable business proved more challenging than expected. It was the beginning of an interesting chapter in Texel's brewing history.
Expansion, Heineken and the Changing Future of Texel Beer
The brewery closed its doors at the end of 1998, but its story wasn't over. It soon reopened under a new name: Texelse Bierbrouwerij. Under new ownership, the brewery became a more professional operation. Maurice decided to sell his canning business, take on the role of brewery manager and learn the art of brewing himself. Over the following years, brewing capacity increased considerably. Texelse beers were no longer just a local favourite: they were finding their way onto shelves and beer menus across the Netherlands.
Growing demand meant that further expansion was needed, but plans for a much larger brewery on Texel were not welcomed by everyone on the island. Maurice eventually left the brewery in 2017, although he retained ownership of the property. In 2020, Texelse Bierbrouwerij was acquired by Heineken. Plans for a new, larger brewery were subsequently abandoned, and today, much of the familiar Texelse beer sold throughout the Netherlands is no longer brewed on the island itself.
A New Brewery on Texel
Maurice wasn't ready to sit still for long. In 2017, his daughter Marinka came up with an idea that would set an entirely new family adventure in motion. Why not start a brewery together? Before long, a new business was taking shape, with Maurice, his wife Helma and Marinka working full-time to turn their plans into reality.
The family gradually grew into the business. In 2018, son Jasper left his job to join them, followed by two more family members in 2020: Marinka's husband, Sander, and Maurice and Helma's eldest son, also named Sander. The Diks family brewery was complete!
During our brewery tour, Marinka's husband Sander told us the fascinating story behind their brewing installation. The family had travelled to eastern Germany, where they found a complete brewhouse in a brewery that had closed down. Its centrepiece was a set of hand-hammered copper kettles dating back to 1967, originally heated over an open fire.
The entire front façade of the German building had to be removed to get the enormous copper vessels out. Once the kettles had been transported to the Netherlands, the façade was carefully restored. Seeing this historic brewing equipment back in operation makes you understand why it was worth it.
From Potato Storage to Brewery
After an initial period of contract brewing at another brewery, the Diks family found a location of their own on Texel in 2019. They named their business Tesselaar Familiebrouwerij Diks, and it didn't take long for the new brewery to outgrow its premises. By 2021, production had already increased to the point where expansion was needed. While looking for a larger location on the island, the family came across a former Agricultural Centre. The building had previously been used for sorting and storing potatoes, so turning it into a modern brewery was no small undertaking.
First, a substantial amount of asbestos had to be removed from the roof, which was then fitted with an extensive array of solar panels. Maurice took on much of the renovation work himself, while his son Sander put his experience as an electrician and lighting technician to good use. The family also organised almost the entire move themselves, from the logistics and installation to the interior design and finishing touches.
By early 2025, the new brewery was finally ready, and Tesselaar beer could be brewed on Texel at its new home. It also marked an important moment for the family: Maurice and Helma officially handed over the business to their children, although they certainly haven't disappeared from the scene. Maurice, for instance, is now building his own malt house. When we visited, we could already see the first stages taking shape.
The Tesselaar Family Logo and Beer Range
The family connection is even reflected in the logo on Tesselaar beer bottles. Its octagonal shape represents the eight family members involved in the brewery. The two large hop cones to the left of the island symbolise Maurice and Helma. On the right, three larger hop cones represent their children, while the smaller ones stand for their partners and grandchildren.
Tesselaar Family Brewery produces an extensive range of approachable beers, catering to a broad audience that includes both island residents and the many visitors who come to Texel. There are around fifteen beers in the regular range, offering plenty of choice. At one end of the spectrum is Tesselaar Texfree, an alcohol-free beer; at the other, Tesselaar Dukdalf, a powerful 10% ABV Quadrupel. In between, you'll find beers such as Tesselaar Strandstruner, a copper-coloured Weizen with an alcohol content of 5%.
We also enjoyed discovering that several restaurants, cafés and even the Jumbo supermarket on Texel stock their own specially brewed house beers from the family brewery. Spotting these local collaborations made us curious, of course, and gave us yet another excuse to try a few more Tesselaar beers!
Looking for a lovely place to stay on Texel, not far from Tesselaar Family Brewery? We have a soft spot for the charming Het Heertje, a Bed(no)Breakfast for two in the heart of the quiet village of Den Hoorn. You'll find a supermarket and several restaurants just down the street.
Updated: 10-11-2026
