The Brewing Heritage of Jopen: Unravelling the Mystery of the 112 Litre Barrels

As we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Jopen Brewery’s first beer release, it’s time to delve into the rich history that has shaped this Haarlem-based brewery. Founded in 1994 by a group of local beer enthusiasts, Jopen aimed to revive and promote traditional beers from the region. But what about the intriguing story behind their name? Where does “Jopen” come from, and is there truth to the claim that they once used 112-litre barrels?

In the Middle Ages, Haarlem was renowned for its brewing prowess. The city’s byelaws provided valuable information on reviving lost beers. To create a genuine historical beer, the University of Leuven developed a recipe based on historical records. In 1994, Jopen Hoppenbier made its debut in the brewers’ chapel of St. Bavo church, marking the beginning of one of the Netherlands’ most important craft breweries.

As Jopen grew, so did their range of beers, including extra stout, bock white beer, and Mooie Nel IPA. But what about those 112-litre “Jopen” barrels? In the 14th century, Haarlem’s breweries were thriving, with beer transported via the Spaarne river in large barrels. Sounds authentic, right? However, upon closer examination of Dutch beer history, we find all sorts of barrel sizes, from groftons to smalvats and Rostock herring barrels – but no “Jopen” barrels containing 112 litres.

The answer lies in Medieval Dutch beer history. Leendert Alberts, an expert on the subject, revealed that he had never heard of a “jopen” barrel. Instead, he knew of the jopen beer from Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland), a top-heavy, pitch-black brew exported to the Low Countries from the 16th century onwards.

Danzig’s jopen beer was so heavy that it was often used as medicine rather than a beverage for enjoyment. Dutch breweries quickly copied this popular beer type, and Haarlem’s city council issued an ordinance on Christmas Eve 1544, mentioning “hoppen or Haarlem joopen beer.” This dark-coloured hoppenbier had been around for over a century and was apparently similar to Danzig’s jopenbier.

Fast-forward to the 20th century, when the Haarlem Beer Society was founded in 1994. Their goal was to revive and promote traditional beers from Haarlem. They studied historical archives and literature, finding recipes for koyt (from 1407) and hoppenbier (from 1501). The first beer they chose to bring back to life was the hoppenbier, with a new recipe compiled by Belgian experts Freddy Delvaux and Etienne Moerman.

As Jopen developed their own brand, they needed a name. They drew inspiration from a 1950 dissertation on Haarlem’s brewing industry, written by Jacques Cornelis van Loenen. There, they found the mention of “Haarlem joopen beer” from 1544. The devil is indeed in the detail: it seems that Jopen’s name is rooted in Haarlem’s history, but not in a specific type of barrel.
As we celebrate three decades of Jopen Brewery, let us appreciate the rich heritage and brewing traditions that have shaped their story. Whether you’re a craft beer enthusiast or simply looking to learn more about the brewing industry, there’s no denying the importance of understanding our past.