Although the oldest documents which are currently in the archive of Mechelen date from 1369, the brewery was in operation before that time, which proves that it is probably the oldest brewery still working in Belgium. These historical extracts show that “Jan in den Anker” was paying his penny membership to the Saint Rombout Chapter of the Guild. The Van Breedam family bought the brewery “Het Anker” in 1873 and enlarged it to one of the first modern steam-breweries. The strong interest in the glorious period of Mechelen under the Dukes of Burgundy strengthened them to promote the favourite beer of Emperor Charles V.