© Christophe Hochard
Leslie, Tim, Thierry, Sven, Ben, and Steve share a decades-long friendship, forged through their annual participation in the Dudelange castle festival.
Their journey took an unexpected turn in autumn 2020 when the festival was cancelled due to the pandemic. Determined to channel their camaraderie into a new endeavour, the friends seized upon the idea of brewing beer. Leslie and Tim swiftly transformed their laundry room into a makeshift brewery, marking the genesis of their brewing adventure.
With enthusiasm and limited expertise, the group delved into the craft of brewing, guided by recipes sourced from books ordered over the Internet. "It all started with a mulled wine pot," recalls Tim Hornick, a professional firefighter.
Their brewing process, spanning eight weeks from fermentation to bottling, culminated in the creation of their very first beer. Reflecting on their journey, the friends described their first batch as "definitely drinkable" during an RTL interview at their microbrewery, Minettsdapp Brauerei, in Dudelange.
From concept to fruition
It took one and a half to two years for the group to agree that their beer was ready for sale. Embracing a traditional brewing method, they combined malt, hops, yeast, and water in their Saturday morning sessions.
Currently brewing light-coloured beer, the friends plan to expand their repertoire with the addition of a dark brew in the future. So far, they have already experimented with three batches of dark brews.
"Brewing beer is a hobby"
It started as a hobby and for now, the friends want it to remain a hobby, even if brewing is an activity that requires a lot of patience and time. Each batch brewed in their pot yields 60 litres of beer.
The friends' beer has even found some local success. In Dudelange, they have two customers - a bar and a restaurant - that sell their beer. In order to meet demand, they have sought collaboration with a professional brewery. "We sold over 8,000 litres in the first year," says Thierry Steinmetz, not without pride. Larger quantities of their beer are now brewed and bottled in Heiderscheid.
Customers can order their brews online through the website www.mdb.lu (website only available in Luxembourgish).
History of the "Brasserie de Dudelange"
The history of brewing in Dudelange stretches back to 1937 when Jean-Pierre Steyer founded the Dudelange brewery at Forge du Sud. Following its acquisition by Funk-Bricher Brewery in 1964, the brewery ceased operations in Dudelange in 1970, marking the end of an era.
Full interviews by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish)
From concept to fruition
"Brewing beer is a hobby"
