Bal & co

Distillerie Bal & Co was a jenever distillery in Merksem, founded in 1861.

History

Zwart wit foto van een bedrijfswagen van stokerij Distillerie Bal & Co

After an early career as clerks at the Van den Bergh Distillery, Jan Baptist and Corneel Jozef Bal opened their own jenever distillery under the name La Couronne - De Kroon Distillery.[1]

When Jan Baptist Bal died in 1866, his brother Corneel Jozef and his 4 sons continued the company under the name Distillerie C.J. Bal & Cie. In 1894 the company's name was changed to Usines Bal & Cie.

The Neoclassical offices (1888) of De Kroon Steam Distillery, a.k.a. Distillerie à vapeur 'La Couronne', were located in Korte Winkelstraat in Antwerp. They were designed by Antwerp architect Joseph Hertogs (1861-1931).[2]

The company expanded its activities to include a yeast factory, on the corner of Cassiersstraat and Van de Wervestraat in Antwerp, and the production of butter and margarine in Merksem.

In 1959 the company was taken over by Frans Hol.

International Exhibitions

The distillery took part in several international exhibitions:

Products

Known registered labels of the company:

  • Bal's Oude Klare, registered on 11 May, 1906
  • Hollandia Bitter (eau-de-vie d'amer), registered on 28 May, 1907
  • Zuivere Oude Graan Genever van 't kruikje, registered on 8 November, 1923
  • Graanjenever van 't kruikje, Bal & Co, registered on 8 November, 1923

References

  1. ^ Scheerlinck, Karl, ed. (2016). Jenever & likeur: affiches die blijven hangen. Lichtervelde: Hannibal. ISBN 978-94-92081-70-4.
  2. ^ "inventaris onroerend erfgoed".
  3. ^ Exposition universelle d'Anvers (1885) (1885). Exposition universelle d'Anvers 1885 : catalogue officiel. Getty Research Institute. Anvers : Stockmans.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Exposition universelle d'Anvers (1894) (1894). Catalogue officiel général; préliminaires, section Belge, sections spéciales. Getty Research Institute. Bruxelles, A. Mertens.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)