1864 - 1953
In the mists of time.
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For many lambic brewers and geuze blenders, their earliest history is shrouded in some mystery. Brouwerij 3 Fonteinen is no exception. The foundation goes back to at least 1864, when Jacobus Vanderlinden and his wife Joanna Brillens opened an inn in Beersel (at the location of today’s Hoogstraat 13).
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The Hoogstraat in the village centre of Beersel, late 1800's.The name 3 Fonteinen probably refers to the three porcelain hand pumps from which lambic, faro and kriek flowed, but that is not entirely certain. Recent research refers to the valley behind the brewery where three springs—then also called ‘fountains’—welled up. A third explanation is ancient mythology: many places take their name from three springs, such as the Tre Fontane abbey in Italy among others.
Jacobus and Joanna’s son Jan-Baptist, better known by the name of Tisjke Potter, continued the family business. From 1947 onwards, Tisjke got involved in local politics and even became mayor of Beersel in 1953. That is why, for lack of a successor in the family, he looked for a buyer for the inn called ‘In de 3 Fonteinen’.