[Ludovic Willay (1877-1941): "Fizzing--healthy--enjoyable--digestive, require Autobrasseur"]

Ludovic Willay (1877-1941), pharmacist in Lens (Pas-de-Calais), native of Hénin-Beaumont (Pas-de-Calais), developed, in 1922, a preparation to facilitate the brewing of a household beer. The preparation and the small company, located in the backroom of his pharmacy, are called: Autobrasseur. The formulation involves for ingredients: barley, hops, roasted chicory, coriander and juniper fruit. The recipe has not changed for almost a century: "Put the contents of the Autobrasseur package in a canvas, make a decoction with boiling water, let cold, add beaker yeast and sugar". With this formula, thousands of families made their own natural style drink beer (alcohol content 1-3% abv. according to the recipe). Autobrasseur, a part of the beer culture in the Nord Pas-de-Calais, has replaced beer during the German occupation (1939-1945).