A brand that revived the Haarlem brewing tradition and has continued to surprise everyone with surprising and unique beer ever since.
Named after the old 112-liter cask size in which Haarlem beer was transported back in the day in Haarlem, Jopen has stood for abnormally delicious beers and a heavy dose of passion for the craft since 1994. What began as a civic initiative to the brewing history of Haarlem revived, grew into a pioneering brand in the world of craft beer. The idea originated in 1994, when Haarlem celebrated 750 years of city rights. The Haarlems Biergenootschap Foundation was founded, and beer enthusiast Michel Ordeman joined in with a dream of setting up a "pub brewery. His graduation project led to the reintroduction of a historic recipe: the Jopen Hoppenbier from 1501. On Nov. 11, 1994, the first bottle of Jopen Hoppenbier was brought from the medieval Sint Maartenskapel to the Haarlem Town Hall for the official inauguration. This day marked not only the return of an iconic beer, but also the start of something bigger. Michel was determined: what began as a tribute to Haarlem tradition he would continue.
A brand with a mission: Let's Beat Boring
With the founding of Jopen as a company in 1996, Michel began looking for investors and growth opportunities. The goal? To build an innovative and distinctive beer brand that offered an alternative to the industry standard. Soon, Jopen's motto was born: Let's Beat Boring. The result? A range of beers that combine flavors and tradition in a way that continues to enrich and surprise beer lovers.
After several years of growth, Jopen opened its iconic Jopen church in the center of Haarlem. This former church was transformed into a brewery, café and restaurant and quickly won awards for its unique and innovative concept. From then on, things started going fast: in 2014, Jopen opened a larger brewery in the Waarderpolder to keep up with increasing demand and expand capacity from 15,000 to 60,000 hectoliters.
A growing brand at home and abroad
Jopen is still firmly in the market in 2024. With a focus on craft beer and specialty beer, Jopen is responding to changing demand. Whereas in 1994 almost everyone still drank lager, today some 12.5 percent of beer drinkers choose specialty beer. Michel and Lydian, his life partner and commercial director, saw an opportunity in this. By now you can find Jopen not only in over 2,500 catering establishments and (almost) all supermarkets in the Netherlands, but also in fifteen countries worldwide, including Spain, Italy and Vietnam.
Future plans: taprooms and tasting rooms
To offer beer lovers an increasingly rich experience, Jopen plans to open tasting rooms in other cities in the coming years. As an interim step, the brand is working with 't Taphuys, which has taprooms has taprooms in Utrecht, Arnhem, Tilburg and Eindhoven. Here, visitors can tap their own beer, with Jopen beer flowing from a quarter of the taps. Michel explains: "In the U.S., taprooms are hugely popular; people are more likely to take a sip to try something new. If you like it, you tap your glass full. That's how we want to do it here as well: easy, approachable, and always surprising."
A growing community and new opportunities
Jopen has earned a unique place in the world of craft beer. Innovation, craftsmanship and a deep-rooted love for Haarlem's brewing history remain the driving force behind this brand.
With the growth of Jopen, the fan base has also expanded considerably. To involve these fans even closer to the brand, Jopen recently launched a crowdfunding campaign through which fans can become co-owners of the brand. Thanks to this support, Jopen was able to invest in a new can line. Michel explains: "Tin has its advantages: it's lighter, more compact, keeps light out and it also cools faster."
As for future plans, Lydian and Michel are not thinking of stopping for now. Their ambitions are as great as ever, and the work continues to inspire. Lydian: "I once said: when we are fifty, we will do something else. But honestly? I get so much pleasure from this work that I'm staying. Besides, the craft beer business is 99 percent 'asshole free'-an industry with almost only friendly people."
