The story of Liefmans began in the 17th century, when Jacobus Liefmans set up business as a brewer in Oudenaarde. The building on Aalststraat, on the banks of the River Schelde, has now been standing for more than 300 years.Schelde, has now been standing for more than 300 years.

The original brewing apparatus has been retained and forms part of a living museum. It was around 1900 that Liefmans started filling maturation tanks with black cherries, on a small scale. Local farmers brought their excess crops of black cherries to Liefmans and swapped them for beer.

The taste and colour of this cherry beer has undergone a metamorphosis since then.One individual who played a key part in this was Rosa Merckx. A highly gifted lady (her talents included ballet), she was closely involved in the brewery’s operations over several decades.