In the previous century and the one before, Aalst was home to numerous breweries and distilleries, some larger and more renowned than others. Brewery Zeeberg was one of the Three Greats and, from the 1930s onwards, was by far the largest in the city. It is there that the story of The Fox also begins... It was Auguste Van der Schueren who started Brasserie Le Renard – Brouwerij De Vos at the Zeeberg Bridge in 1861. The Van der Schueren family originally hails from Appelterre but immigrated to the nearby city early on. Many Van der Schuerens from the same branch would enter into business in Aalst and start various companies, including the still-active Stokerij Van der Schueren, of which Auguste is the great-uncle of founder Joseph Van der Schueren. Later, the brewery would change its name to Brouwerij Zeeberg, with the fox's head always serving as a symbol of reference. In the 19th century, Brouwerij Zeeberg caused a sensation both domestically and internationally with its exceptional beers and striking advertisements. It is also here that the city's most renowned writer, Louis Paul Boon, worked in the cold storage cellars in the 1930s. They brought many iconic beers to market, such as Bergenbier, Bière Triple d’Alost, Ouden Bruinen, and Plumet Export, but also Best Fox Beer and Fox Pils, logically named after the brewery's original name and specially made for the English market. In 1973, The Fox Pub saw the light of day on Parklaan. An employee of the brewery, responsible for exporting Fox beers to England, was inspired by the convivial English pub culture. He realized that there was nothing similar in his hometown and began the search for a partner to open an English pub-style café and name it after the beers he represented abroad. And so it happened! Today, The Fox is an established institution and a piece of Aalst history where everyone can stop by to enjoy themselves in an extremely cozy setting. And that for more than 50 years!