Saar Gansner

“I don't need much to be happy. Being able to do what I love every day is enough for me. In the monastery brewery, no day feels like a workday, and that feeling is fantastic! What I've been able to create here together with my father is very special. From a building with a leaking roof and no running water, we've made a beautiful place that is fully intertwined with the monastic history of Steyl."

I could never have imagined that I would eventually end up here. I grew up in Tegelen and as a student, I wanted to become a translator. I have a knack for languages and after obtaining my high school diploma, I went to the Translation Academy in Maastricht. I was 17 years old at the time and within six months, I was overwhelmed by all the novelties. I quit in Maastricht and decided to follow the Make-up and Hair Artist course in Arnhem. I moved into student housing and learned to create hairpieces, wounds, masks, and prosthetics. It was incredibly fun, but I already knew then: this is temporary. Every weekend I returned to Venlo to be with my family and friends. I never fully unpacked the moving boxes in Arnhem.

In 2017, I contracted mononucleosis. I developed liver inflammation that caused me to no longer tolerate fructose and lactose. With the help of a dietitian, I learned to adjust my diet to accommodate my food intolerances. I decided to focus on what I could still tolerate, instead of only paying attention to what I could no longer have. This forced me to delve into the food industry, and as I did so, I found it increasingly interesting. So interesting, in fact, that I decided to study Food Innovation at the HAS green academy. Looking back, I sometimes think: it was meant to be.

During the same period, my father started brewing his own beer. My father is a food technologist, and together with a friend, he bought an 80-liter brewing installation in 2018. From our garden shed, they started brewing and organizing tastings. It was my father's ambition to turn his hobby into his profession. When my father's friend decided to stop brewing, I saw my chance! From August 2020, we settled in part of the old Schlösserei, and together with my father, I started experimenting with brewing new types of beer. I helped with tastings, took care of the promotion, and increasingly brought knowledge from HAS.

In the summer of 2025, after a 5-year preparation, we opened our current location in the monastery garden of Steyl. In our production area, there is a 500-liter brewing installation. The adjacent space has become a tasting room and lunchroom, and outside there's a cozy terrace where our guests are warmly welcome. It has become a fantastic place, and it has something magical nestled among the old monasteries and gardens. I used to come here with my grandparents. They would take me to the Mission Museum, which made a great impression on me.