Controlled experimentation at Mølder & Coöp. Microbrewery

‘Molder’ and ‘Coop’. The brothers-in-law Eddy Sevens and Danny Braeken have long been known by these nicknames in Pelt. But these names were also given a different meaning in 2019. “The Mølder & Coöp. Microbrewery is our passion project,” says Eddy. “But our partners are also cooperating. That’s why the dot is at the end: so ‘Co-op’ is also ‘cooperation’. (laughs)”

Eddy and Danny have been hobby brewers for a long time. “While watching the TV show Tournée Générale, about Flemish beer culture, we noticed that there aren’t that many breweries in North Limburg. When De Verhuisbrouwerij gave a workshop in our community centre a little while later, we got a taste for brewing ourselves. Every 14 days, we’d use a Brouwland kit to brew one and a half crates.”

Decided in Berlin
Those first brewing steps eventually evolved into Mølder & Coöp. “The actual decision was made in Germany. We visit a local brewery on every city trip we take. About four or five years ago, we were at Hops & Barley, a microbrewery in Berlin that is very similar to what we dreamed of. A few pints later, the decision was made and Mølder & Coöp. was born.”

The brothers-in-law attended training courses at Brouwland, Syntra, and CVO Panta Rhei in Ghent. Thus, they became professional brewers in September 2019. It’s important to note that the enjoyment one takes from hobby brewing must remain. “We’re 59 and 61 years old, so we want to brew because we like it, not because we have to. Rock ’n’ roll is part of our vision.”

Keeping a finger on the pulse
The first beer from Mølder & Coöp. was a triple, based on the first beer they ever brewed. The range has since expanded enormously. “The counter is at 34 beers. But you won’t find all 34 different beers available now. We don’t brew 12 beers any more and much of our range is barrel-aged and therefore limited.”

Mølder & Coöp. deliberately works very locally without the aim of growing. “Expansion often comes at the expense of creativity. Because you have to brew more of the same. However, we are looking to fill our capacity differently and focus more on sour beers and even more on barrel-aged. You have to keep your finger on the pulse. Belgium is a beer country but has relied on traditional styles for too long. The US and the Netherlands have been meeting the, shall we say, more exciting trends. Small breweries are important because they dare to take risks.”

Tip for beginning brewers?
“Danny and I document everything in detail. We’ve been doing this since the beginning using the small Brouwland kits. Now, we’ve got a rich archive from with to draw. Our recipes are sacred, but not sanctified. We are critical of what we brew. Getting to know your resources first is key. Know the effect of your malt and hops. Don’t go for 500 different species right away, but manage a small selection and use that to grow. Controlled experimentation. We always try to do better whenever possible. I like to quote Pippi Longstocking; ‘I’ve never done it before so I think I can’.”

The Jeroen Meus of the beer world
The Mølder & Coöp. brew kettles are fired up every 14 days. You can even watch from the street. “We brew in a showcase. We’ll wave to our audience just like Jeroen Meus [Flemish TV chef] (laughs). We’ll brew either 400 litres (one beer) or 800 litres (two beers). Everything is done by hand. We have our own hops garden for our aroma hops. We brew in a Polsinelli brewing system. We started out with a 525 L Polsinelli fermenter, but we recently expanded that with two new Speidel fermenters from Brouwland. That’s how we manage to brew 2,000 litres a month.”

Feeling hungry?
Mølder & Coöp. also organises tastings in addition to brewing beers. “Our wide range of beers lends itself well to tastings. We pair it perfectly with food. Those are always good times.” Another idea is their beers for local hospitality businesses. “Covid broke out not long after we opened our brewery. We received support from the local hospitality sector back then. In return, we brewed a unique house beer with each of them. From idea to brewing process to label, everything happens together. That’s still half of our production.”

Full agenda

“Because of the combination of everything, we’re very busy. We’re currently working on the beer we’ll be brewing here in the next two months. You always have to think ahead, especially when it comes to stock. For example, we once talked about also making beer in a cask, but we just haven’t gotten around to it. It has to stay fun. Because we don’t feel like becoming chained to our work.”

And where do their nicknames ‘Molder’ and ‘Coop’ come from? “My family is full of molenaars [the Dutch word for millers]. Phonetically, I was ‘Eddy van de meulder’, and that became ‘mølder’. I’ve known Danny by his nickname ‘coop’ since he was a teenager. Even he doesn’t remember its origin. (laughs)”

Mølder & Coöp.’s beer is only available in Bosland, the region in which the brewery is located. “We stick to that,” Eddy makes clear. “We respond to requests guardedly, including those from beverage shops. You can only buy our beers in the local pubs and in our bottle shop on Saturdays. It’s always busy then. That direct link with and feedback from the customer is what we really like.”

Would you also like to attend a brewing workshop?
Brouwland has a fascinating range for you to choose from!

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