From Brewery De Zwaan and Mouterij Menu to Mouterij Kloosterzande and finally The Swaen – our company has a rich history. Over the years, we have remained dedicated to quality and tradition. As a result, we have successfully evolved by combining traditional malting techniques with modern innovations. With more than a century of experience, our story is deeply embedded in our DNA.
The story of The Swaen
The Swaen was established in Kloosterzande, in the southwest of the Netherlands. Since then, we have played a significant role in the brewing and distilling industries. By supplying high-quality malts to craft brewers and distillers worldwide, we continue to support the creation of exceptional beers and spirits. Most importantly, our commitment to excellence has never wavered. This dedication is what we call the art of malting.
Our journey began in 1906 with the founding of Brewery De Zwaan. At that time, breweries often operated their own mills and malting installations. In 1923, the Menu family took over, allowing the brewery to grow even further. However, during World War II, the business faced serious challenges. Since the occupying forces seized all copper kettles, brewing became impossible. Consequently, after the war, the owners made a bold decision. Rather than continuing to brew, they chose to focus entirely on malting.
Making malt a craft
This decision proved to be the right one. In the following decades, Mouterij Menu expanded significantly and became a global player in the malting industry. Eventually, after more than 75 years and three generations, the Menu family sold the malthouse to Grolsch in 1999. Thanks to this acquisition, the business gained new opportunities, as Grolsch’s expertise and connections provided fresh momentum.
Nevertheless, when Grolsch itself was sold, the malthouse – now known as Mouterij Kloosterzande – was acquired by the De Groen family. Once again a family-owned company, the malthouse was rebranded as The Swaen. From that moment on, we focused on specialty malts and embraced a new adventure. By blending innovation with tradition, we continue to uphold our passion for quality. To this day, The Swaen remains dedicated to making malt a craft.
The story of De Zwaan
It’s time for a real throwback. Our story began in 1906, long before we became known for our varied range of specialty malts. Back then, however, De Zwaan started as a brewery.
Our own B2B platform
To better serve our customers, we launched our very own B2B platform – Birdys. You can now easily order your malt essentials with a click of the button.
Roaster
Our specialty malts are crafted using a cutting-edge drum roaster. Tailor-made for The Swaen, this colossal machine is the largest in the industry.
