​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishTOURISMWestmalle Trappist brewery opens to public for first time18 June 2024 Westmalle Brewery will open to the public for the first time in September The brewery will be open on 25 and 26 September Online booking opens on Wednesday via the abbey's website The brewery produces about 120,000 hectolitres of Extra A lay crew of about 50 people manages operations under the supervision of the abbey community Westmalle began brewing at the Antwerp Kempen abbey in 1794 and from 1836 it has been producing beers bearing the authentic Trappist product label Only four other Belgian abbeys produce Trappist beers: Westvleteren "We have had to disappoint many people for many years Now we think the time has come to give them that chance after all," Bart Wellens told VRT of the decision to open for the first time the tradition has been to focus on community life The brewery shouldn't disrupt that either The abbey has also understood that the world has changed and that it is important to show for once what happens behind the walls." Visits to Trappist breweries are extremely rare Orval Brewery in Wallonia occasionally opens to the public All places for that event are already booked Westmalle says it would consider repeating its visitor days if there is demand a charitable foundation working in palliative care The visits last 90 minutes and include a tasting Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu Victoria was born and raised in an international environment where she developed a passion and understanding for culture at a very young age Speaking five European languages with six years experience in creative communications she is passionate about bringing people together and tackling sensitive topics to drive transformational change in society one of Belgium’s long-standing breweries will open its doors to the public for the first time on 25 and 26 September Westmalle Trappist Brewery will welcome visitors between 8:30 am and 3:30 pm Visit duration is one hour and thirty minutes with the last visit of the day beginning at 3:30 pm officially named Abdij Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart van Jezus and takes around an hour to reach by public transport from Antwerp Central Station Ticket sales began at 10:00 am on Wednesday 19 June 2024 and sold out within minutes there will be another opportunity next year Proceeds on beer sales will go to Coda ABSL a non-profit organisation specialised in supporting palliative care there has been great resistance from the abbey’s residing monks to allow public visits Westmalle Trappist makes an annual production of 120,000 hectolitres of its Extra The abbey’s resident monastic community supervises the brewery’s team of 50 laypeople The brewery is situated within the abbey’s walls classifying the beers as real authentic Trappist.The 1h30 visit includes an immersive tour of the brewery’s unique brewing process followed by a tasting of Westmalle’s variety of Trappist beers and there will be an opportunity to purchase the Trappist beers and Westmalle cheeses along with further official products and gift sets including tasting glasses cheese boards and more.There are currently four Trappist breweries in Belgium but only one other brewery It is expected that around 1,500 people will attend this long-anticipated opening at Westmalle Trappist Essential cookies enable basic functions and are necessary for the proper function of the website Statistics cookies collect information anonymously This information helps us to understand how our visitors use our website the Westmalle Trappist brewery will open its doors to the public for two days in September The announcement was made in a press statement released by Westmalle Abbey’s Trappist community Monday The Trappists began brewing beer at the abbey in the Kempen area of Antwerp Province in 1836 The brewery is located within the abbey walls and as such the beers brewed are authentic Trappist beers Chimay and Orval) also produce Trappist beer Over the years many local people and fans of Trappist beers from all over the world have asked to visit the brewery up until now these requests have always been declined On Monday though the monks finally gave in Around 1,500 people are expected to visit the brewery on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 September Reservations for a ticket to visit the brewery open tomorrow Wednesday 19 June and they can be made online Each visitor will have to pay 12.50 euro and part of the proceeds will be donated to the not-for-profit group Coda that is active in palliative care Coda is one of the groups supported by the monks at the abbey Part of the proceeds from the sale of beer during the open days will go to charity The Westmalle brewery produces 120,000 hectolitres of Extra Production has been deliberately at the same level for many years Around fifty lay people work in the brewery under the supervision of the monastic community that still includes 17 monks The country’s oldest Trappist brewery faces an uncertain future after a decline in people entering monastic life Belgium’s Trappist beers under threat as vocations run dryThis article is more than 2 years oldThe country’s oldest Trappist brewery faces an uncertain future after a decline in people entering monastic life They began brewing in this corner of Flanders in 1836 to have an alternative to milk or water with their daily bread producing 40m bottles of three varieties of beer a year but also enjoyed by beer connoisseurs in Britain Yet uncertainties hover over the future of Trappist beer production in this traditionally Catholic country where fewer people are drawn to a life of monastic contemplation Those questions became more acute in January when Belgium’s Achel beer lost its Trappist status after being taken over by a private entrepreneur The new owner has vowed to keep the recipe unchanged Achel can no longer call itself a Trappist beer “It must be admitted that the state of most monastic communities is precarious,” said Brother Benedikt in a rare media interview in which he answered the Observer’s questions in writing According to the International Trappist Association (ITA), beer cheese or other goods can bear the “authentic Trappist product” label only if made inside an abbey with all profits destined for the upkeep of the religious community View image in fullscreenThe brewhouse at Westmalle Photograph: Trappist WestmalleAt Westmalle we don’t have a lot of vocations,” said Philippe Van Assche the secular managing director of the brewery He is not confident people will be seeking to become monks in 10 or 20 years’ time: “To be honest Van Assche began working at Westmalle 25 years ago just as the monks were handing over day-to-day production to secular staff the demands of running a brewery – negotiating with retailers or marketing – were seen as incompatible with a monastic life that prizes the discipline of silence Alongside four secular independent administrators they form a supervisory board to oversee the brewery Westmalle is part of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance which traces its origins to 1098 and follows the Rule of Saint Benedict Founded in 1794 by monks who had fled the French Revolution, Westmalle went on to survive the hostile rule of Napoleon and flourish. Today, while numbers of Trappist monasteries in Africa, Asia and South America are growing, the situation in Europe is in decline View image in fullscreenWestmalle abbey’s church in northern Belgium Photograph: Trappist WestmalleMonasteries with the “most severe” rules and routines “are nowadays the most successful” Here the monks rise at 3.45am for a precisely ordered day of prayers it is not really difficult [to become a monk] – at least no more difficult than any other life choice,” said Brother Benedikt today’s society offers few starting points that can give rise to a monastic vocation Religious life is no longer considered important and is seen as mysterious Joining a monastic community has become a big step in that respect more meaningful and fascinating form of life than one might suspect.” Westmalle is now one of only five Trappist breweries in Belgium, alongside Chimay, Orval, Rochefort and Westvleteren. These, along with foreign Trappist beers, remain “some of the best in the world”, said Luc De Raedemaeker, director of the Brussels Beer Challenge He rates Westmalle Dubbel as one of the finest beers lively carbonation and lingering bitterness from the hops Trappist beers are determined by their ethos it can make an IPA or a triple [a strong beer] It can make a white beer or whatever you want,” said De Raedemaeker although he points out the traditional Belgian Trappist beers were doubles triples – a reference to their alcoholic strength – or blonds Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters the Belgian Trappist beer world is holding discreet discussions about the future which is part of an ITA working group on future Trappist identity is considering becoming a foundation to secure its future “If one day another monastery would just cease to exist with the values we have been living for?” Van Assche asked “How can we still be loyal to the values of what Trappist [monasteries] stand for and preserve this unique way of running a commercial activity for future generations?” View image in fullscreenWestmalle beer is produced by one of only five Trappist breweries in Belgium Photograph: Scott Biales/AlamyWestmalle also wants to secure the jobs of its staff: 51 lay people work in the modern But Van Assche is not convinced that ITA rules – determining what makes a Trappist product – should be watered down then we will just be abbey beers,” he said referring to ancient religious houses that have lent their names to large drinks companies which is owned by Belgian multinational Anheuser-Busch InBev which is controlled by Alken-Maes in Belgium and the Carlsberg group elsewhere She expects monks will come to Belgium from other parts of the world where Trappist monasteries are still expanding “I think the Trappist monk communities may be more multicultural and more diverse,” she said And in a country where new breweries are opening every year with 1,500 brands jostling for attention at the bar “The most special part is that it’s not brewed for profit,” said Sofie Vanrafelghem “If they take extra time to make a perfect beer They want to make a true and pure beer.”The brewers of Westmalle “So that’s more expensive,” Vanrafelghem said “But that gives the beautiful bitterness at the end.” She added: “If you put Belgian beer experts in a cafe and you don’t give them a menu they will order a Trappist because they are sure of the quality.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media If you're unhappy with your product in any way Simply email us at shop@goodbeerhunting.com SHIPPINGAll orders will be processed and shipped in about a week's to ten days time This isn't always perfect (we're not Amazon) so if you have a rush please email us ahead at shop@goodbeerhunting.com to make sure we can pull it off in time Your email or personal information will never be shared or sold to anyone Longreads and photographic journeys documenting our ongoing worldwide adventures in beer The little bar sits directly across the road from the large estate of the Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in the village of Westmalle The bus stop outside the café is simply called “Abdij” (Abbey) Trappisten’s location was once the mid-point between the cities of Antwerp and Turnhout in the Campine region of Flanders (“Kempen” in Flemish) took day-trippers from both cities to the “Trappist station.” As visits to the monastery and the brewery are not permitted a trip by beer lovers to Westmalle today starts and ends at the café a pipeline crossed the 500 meters underground from the Abbey to supply the café with water Its existence gives rise to tongue-in-cheek rumors among regular café visitors today that the beer is pumped straight from the abbey brewery to the tap through an underground system of pipes Manu Pauwels—who’s worked at Westmalle Brewery since 2002 in a sales and marketing role—regularly has a Trip-Trap with his lunch here.  and what people in the Antwerp region order when they want a Dubbel of Westmalle Westmalle was the first brewery in the world to brew a Strong Golden Ale and call it a Tripel In the Beer Judge Certification Program’s guidelines the Tripel’s “history” section consists solely of these eight words: “Originally popularized by the Trappist monastery at Westmalle.” In his seminal book Jef Van Den Steen describes the beer as “the Mother of all Tripels.” “When the World Beer Cup defines their Tripel category they ask us to say how a Tripel should be,” says Philippe Van Assche “It’s a nice compliment that they consider Westmalle to be the reference.”  Michael Jackson suggests it was Hendrick Verlinden who created the first golden Tripel in 1906 when he released Witkap Pater from his Drie Linden brewery Stan Hieronymous digs deeper in Brew Like a Monk establishing a consultancy relationship between Verlinden and the Abbey in the 1920s Westmalle acknowledges the relationship with Verlinden but suggests that it’s impossible to know exactly what form the contribution took.  “Verlinden had a brewery and he had some connections with this Abbey,” Van Assche says “I don’t think Hendrick ever brought yeast into the brewery I think he helped the monks with problems that they had during the brewing process in a consulting role He was a friend of the Abbey and he helped them with some major brewing issues.”  It’s largely undisputed that Westmalle Tripel is now the model for the modern Belgian Tripel It makes up 70% of what is brewed at Westmalle and due to its pronounced carbonation and complex flavor profile it has been christened by the people of the surrounding region as “the Champagne of the Kempen.” Westmalle Tripel (9.5% ABV) brings together in calculated balance a soft “The pale orange-golden Tripel is the stuff of eulogies,” Tim Webb and Joe Stange write in their Good Beer Guide Belgium “It’s a strong ale that darkens and sweetens with (strongly recommended) cellaring The 175th anniversary of the Abbey’s official recognition occurred in 2011 Pauwels approached the monks to propose that something might be done to celebrate the occasion “I thought it might have been a good idea to brew a special beer for Café Trappisten,” he says They told me there was nothing to celebrate.”  “There’s only one shareholder here,” Van Assche says The monks are very nice people with values that I cherish If you have a shareholder who thinks about money and market share and improving margins and growing all the time it’s a completely different mentality.”  a Trappist brewery producing International Trappist Association-approved beers with the “Authentic Trappist Product” logo on them The majority of profits from the brewery are re-invested into the monastic community and selected charities and their beers are produced only within the walls of the monastery three monks worked full-time in the brewery: Brother Thomas as brewmaster all hands-on work was being carried out by lay people albeit under the direct supervision of the monks Their influence is maintained through the considered structure of the brewery board.  “We have a board of administrators made up of monks and independent lay people with skills from the outside such as engineering The lay people act as their sparring partners Most companies have four to six directors meetings a year We have 10 meetings with the board of administrators a year we’ll submit it to Brother Benedikt for remarks,” Van Assche says “He has a background in architecture and design and will always keep an eye on what this will do to the Abbey image if it goes into the market and it should be sober in the sense that it has a certain simplicity.” Disengagement with the outside world is part of the deal The brothers give up their birthday when they arrive and take on the birth date of the Saint whose name they have been given with six services a day and hours set aside for private study of the bible.  This desire for a more simple way of life permeates into the brewery When they installed a new bottling line in 2002 they purposefully bought one with more capacity than they needed as a mark of respect to the lifestyle of their lay workers Pauwels lives next door and cycles to the Abbey for work Van Assche moved to Westmalle to be beside the brewery He’s been living and working here for 18 years “I think that the Trappist breweries we import are different from any other brewery in a significant way,” says Craig Hartinger of Merchant Du Vin “They are more free of the commercial mandate or profit motive I’ve been in the beer business a long time and many of us proudly seek to drive sales Our Trappist breweries are not out to drive and win in that manner—they make and sell a product that brings real pleasure to people Most of Westmalle’s production—nearly 70% of it—stays in Belgium The growth in awareness of “Brand Trappist” and the explosion in the beer market globally in the last five years have presented challenges to the monks that could not have been previously foreseen “There’s a lot of unknown export going on,” Van Assche says “There are beer distributors that take mixed pallets and charge a price for one-stop shopping There are third parties in China and South Korea who own the name ‘Westmalle’ in those countries They registered the brand in their jurisdictions and we were not even aware that this was happening We’ve been trying but we haven’t been able to recuperate our brand back from them.” While the monastery has been brewing beer since 1836 it wasn’t until 1856 that it did so commercially The Tripel in its current incarnation appeared first in 1934 after a brewhouse expansion and several years of tests originally as a Strong Blonde Ale referred to as ‘Superbier’ and then for the first time as Westmalle Tripel in 1954 after Brother Thomas made minor alterations to the recipe by adding more hops The Tripel emerged as a strong pale top-fermented beer that would compete with the influx of Pilsner-style Lagers into Belgium from Germany The naming convention is born from the additional amounts of raw ingredients used in comparison to other beers being brewed at the time although the word Tripel wasn't always used in Belgium for beers similar to the type Westmalle would create.  "My great grandfather was brewing an 'Ouden Tripel' in 1892," says brewer Omer Vander Ghinste of the West Flemish brewery which goes by his family name "Tripel then had a different meaning than it does today more raw ingredients than the every day beers of 2% ABV which people drank on the fields in agricultural regions Our Ouden Tripel was a beer of mixed fermentation but almost triple the strength of those beers at 5.5% ABV." and so synonymous with the word “Tripel” did it become that other breweries in Belgium like Omer Vander Ghinste were forced to change the way they described their beers to consumers "It was Westmalle who changed the meaning of Tripel," Vander Ghinste says "They launched this Westmalle Tripel and people started to see Tripels as something completely different We were forced to change the name of our beer because when people were asking for an Ouden Tripel they believed they would be getting a blonde beer of 8-9.5% ABV and not a sour brown ale of 5.5% ABV as it always had been with us." the monks have invested in production in a big way Ten years ago they installed a pilot cylindrical conical tank (CCT) to run several tests on fermentation “We wanted to gather experience with this technology,” Pauwels says “After a long testing period we decided to continue and we installed 14 CCTs which we have used successfully now for one and a half years.”  they placed a new Steinecker brewhouse alongside the copper kettles of yesteryear Brewmaster Jan Adriaensens heads up a team of lay people who work in different capacities in the brewery There’s also a small team working in the bakery and farm—all within the walls of the Abbey’s estate.  and we work with three Belgian malteries who follow specific Westmalle instructions,” Adriaensens explains we’re using five aromatic varieties as flowers added in different stages during the boiling.”  The Tripel comes out at 39.5 IBUs and the commitment to the use of whole hop cones has become part of Westmalle’s story.  you cannot see the flower in its original condition,” Van Assche says “We still love to see what we get and examine the quality of the hop flower We can still send hops back if they are not the quality that we require While Westmalle’s hop contribution is often underestimated it’s true that the yeast does the majority of the lifting when it come to the Tripel’s personality “Our yeast is cultivated in-house and shared once a week with Westvleteren,” Adriaensens says “It develops a typical fruity Westmalle aroma with strong hints of banana.” “We have some very old bottles and have carried out DNA analysis What we can say is that there has been a very low evolution in the yeast strain A team of five lab technicians and an obsession with healthy fermentations means Westmalle’s quality control has become the standard bearer in Belgium “If any other Trappist brewery asked assistance of our lab we would give it to them,” Van Assche says you would find out that Orval and Chimay will help Rochefort The smaller breweries are helped by the bigger ones because we are more equipped with our tools.” Production of the Tripel takes just less than two months in total “We ferment for one week at 21-22°C,” Pauwels says “Conditioning takes place at 10°C for 3 weeks in the case of the Dubbel and between 4 and 5 weeks for the Tripel.”  the beer is centrifuged and several brews are blended for consistency before the beer is primed with liquid sugar and yeast for bottle conditioning in a warm room for about 10 days The monks are firmly in control of the Abbey and their values permeate almost every element relating to the production When their French importer asked that the Tripel be brewed to a slightly lower alcohol content to circumvent prohibitive changes to the tax regime in France “The monks said no straight away,” Pauwels says “It’s their beer and they call the shots.”  we made the decision to package the Tripel in 75cl bottles,” Pauwels says “We wanted to make it a bit more special by calling it ‘Reserve.’ The monks didn’t want that and Publications that’ll drive you to drink Belgium | After the Abbey of Achel in Belgium was closed Stift Engelszell in Austria announced its dissolution Joseph's Abbey in the US ceased production beer connoisseurs began to fear for the future of Trappist breweries There have never been more than 13 Trappist breweries in operation around the world at a given time making their beers very much a niche yet important part of the craft beer world the secular Managing Director of the Westmalle brewery admitted in an interview with the UK newspaper that Trappist breweries face an uncertain future after a decline in people entering monastic life The headline had screamed: “Last orders?” Mr Van Assche reportedly said: “Nowadays we don’t have a lot of vocations.” He is not confident people will be seeking to become monks in 10 or 20 years’ time: “To be honest I was therefore glad to hear that the 135,000 hl brewery is planning to spend upwards of an estimated EUR 20 million on a new bottling plant More than 90 percent of its output is packaged in bottles In case you wonder why Westmalle’s investment is so big compared to its beer output: the monks already decided more than 20 years ago when they installed the current bottling plant that it is to run from Monday to Thursday only the old plant is massively oversized – as will be the new one – but that idea will only cross your mind if you employ mundane operational criteria the monks are not given to mundane thinking they chose to keep their distance to the outside world and that includes how they do business Although Westmalle brewery is not small by any standards – it ranks second largest Trappist brewery behind Chimay - the monks categorically put people first: no one is expected to work overtime their staff have the right to a private life many staff members work at the brewery all their lives only retired in March after 41 years with Westmalle He was succeeded by Lieven Van Hofstraeten (48) who has worked at the brewery for 26 years already Both of them joined Westmalle straight after university also spent decades at the brewery before he handed the baton to Bart Wellens There is no need to survey employees for their job satisfaction The abbey’s 23 monks may no longer show up on the factory floor at Westmalle but what happens at the brewery is ultimately their decision There is a supervisory board consisting of two monks and four independent directors who advise the monks on all kinds of business matters fundamental decisions will be taken by all the monks Sometimes it can take years before they arrive at a decision In the world of the monks with its strict daily routines of prayer When the brewery’s management wanted to buy a new stainless steel brewhouse to replace the old copper one the monks worried that this might alter the taste of their beers Only after their fears were assuaged did they eventually consent to the purchase They also insisted that it only produces two batches per day When the brewery staff suggested that they switch from their horizontal tanks to cylindro-conical ones years of careful deliberations followed before the monks gave their permission Perhaps it was the argument that the upright tanks cleaned themselves which swayed them The monks may abhor the principles of modern business they added a Westmalle Extra (4.8 percent ABV) to their Dubbel (7.0 percent ABV) and Tripel (9.5 percent ABV) brands They clearly saw the need for a lower alcohol beer which was previously only consumed by the monks and their guests during meals “Will Westmalle eventually offer a non-alcoholic beer?” I asked my host the monks drew the line: no 0.0 percent beer Westmalle beers are ubiquitous thanks to the brewery’s longstanding cooperation with merely nine distributors who share its values The brewery directly supplies the three major supermarket chains This has made one publican I spoke to complain that the monks have become too commercial for his likes When I asked him what he meant by “too commercial” he added that the beers must make the monastery a nice bit of profit maintains vast ancient buildings in constant need of repairs and uses its proceeds to do good deeds I could have told him that the brewery does not push its beers into the market by running promotions to increase sales annual output has risen from 120,000 hl to 135,000 hl in recent decades because this allows the brewery to better manage spikes in demand I fear it was my argument about the monks’ need to fix roofs that made him relent in his criticism What I should have said is this: “Westmalle beer represents the values of the monks there is a message attached to it: We offer quality we brew humanely [that is caring about our staff] and we ask people to drink in moderation so part of the proceeds go to charities.” This is what Guido Bastiaensen told Dutch media in 2008 international beer market Belgium company news investments Newsletter archive and information SEATTLE — Merchant du Vin’s winter seasonals are arriving now: Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale: 31st Release the first imported winter seasonal beer & still the benchmark: rich amber-gold color; inviting flavor notes of caramel & honey; full body; wonderful fruity finish This year we “Welcome Back” our friends and partners at bars and restaurants Every purchase of Winter Welcome Ale 2020-2021 supports the US Bartender’s Guild: MdV will make a cash donation to the USBG based on Winter Welcome sales this winter Samuel Smith’s Gift Box: The Samuel Smith’s Gift Box has one 550 mL bottle each of classic ales: Nut Brown plus a brewery-logo tulip glass and two coasters This “British Pub in a Box” will let you give the gift of a pub Lindemans Framboise lambic; one Peche; one Strawberry popular wild-fermented lambics from a family-owned 1822 brewery Westmalle Trappist Gift Box – new design for 2020: Two 11.2 oz These Trappist ales define the dubbel and tripel styles This Belgian Trappist monastery was established in 1794 For More Information:https://merchantduvin.com/ Early Registration Open You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Spencer – America’s first and only Trappist brewery is shutting down Joseph’s Abbey announced Saturday that they would cease the brewery operations at the Spencer Brewery which opened its 36,000 sq.ft brewery on the scenic monastery grounds in 2013 For many generations, Trappist monks in Europe have been brewing beer under strict guidelines to cover living expenses at their monastery and along the way, they’ve brewed some of the most highly regarded beers on the planet. Trappist breweries like Westmalle have garnered utmost respect among the beer community across the world [caption id="attachment_26510" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Spencer Brewery in Spencer in the midst of an American craft brewery boom it became just the ninth brewery to be approved to use the Authentic Trappist Product label they also became the first brewery to use the Trappist label outside of Europe Spencer never seemed to create an impact as its Belgian counterparts like Westvleteren [caption id="attachment_26511" align="alignnone" width="1024"] A monk at the Spencer Brewery “After more than a year of consultation and reflection Joseph's Abbey have come to the sad conclusion that brewing is not a viable industry for us and that it is time to close the Spencer Brewery We want to thank all our customers for their support and encouragement over the years Our beer will be available in our regular retail outlets while supplies last Please keep us in your prayers.” says a post from the brewery's Facebook page With Spencer brewery ceasing the operations, the overall count of the Trappist breweries around the world now drops to ten. Westvleteren, Westmalle, Chimay, Rochefort, Orval, La Trappe, Zundert, Engelszell, Tre Fontane and Tynt Meadow are the only ones that remain as the authentic Trappist breweries By entering yes you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy words: Aaron Goldfarb In September I received a PR email that actually surprised me Westmalle the brewery run by Trappist monks since 1836 they had only sold two beers: Westmalle Dubbel slightly herbal ale that literally invented the style the monks were ready to release a new beer and way lower in ABV (4.8 percent) than their iconic Dubbel and Tripel; it was said to be the same beer the monks consume during meals and had it wasn’t a hazy IPA or a fruited sour or some pastry stout loaded with coconut and Madagascar vanilla beans But the mere fact a Trappist brewery was doing something new Were the Trappist monks finally preparing to take on our modern beer age Trappist monasteries have formally existed since the 17th century after branching off from the Cistercians they decided to live by a tenet of following a self-supporting existence produce cheese and preserves; they soon began brewing beer for their own purposes and those of the local community (Other non-Trappist monasteries had been brewing beer even earlier than this.) Abdij Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart van Jezus was founded in 1794 and by 1836 was the Trappist abbey in Westmalle Father Bonaventura Hermans and Albericus Kemps began brewing beer and by 1856 Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle had produced their first strong a progenitor of what would become a sort of Trappist style if there is one and by 1921 the beer was being distributed If there were less than a dozen craft breweries when Merchant du Vin launched in 1978 The craft beer boom had been ignited and people were drawn to the sorts of robust and often boozy beers that the Trappists offered Moving to Manhattan in 2001 I found the biggest city in America mostly lacked any sort of craft brewery scene But there was a ton of Trappist beer being imported and available at classier bars and restaurants I quickly fell for the dubbels and tripels of Westmalle the even more intense dark ales of Rochefort Other nascent craft beer drinkers clearly were falling for Trappist beer, too. By 2001, Beer Advocate magazine had begun listing its Top Beers overall and two Trappist beers would appear: Rochefort 10 at No Another six Belgian or Belgian-inspired beers would also make the Top 20 By 2005, the site’s No.1 beer in the world was Westvleteren XII a quadruple from the only Trappist brewery not distributed to America this early passion for “Westy” would predict a future of rarity and hype culture in American beer.) Additionally Westvleteren XII would remain No. 1 until 2012, when the Saint-Sixtus Abbey, in need of cash flow for some monastery renovations, released 90,000 bottles into the U.S. No longer rare the beer almost instantly fell out of the top 10 but the glory days of Trappist beer in the U.S Today there are some 10,000 American breweries, and the styles that drive excitement remain hazy IPAs, pastry stouts, and fruited sours — that’s what dominates the current Beer Advocate Top 250 So how do these century-old Trappist breweries obstinately making styles lacking in de rigueur hops and often not even written in English manage to compete “It’s not about trying to stay on top of market trends or create something new and sparkling and shining,” says Jhon Gilroy who has worked for Merchant du Vin for the last 16 years after a previous stint at Portland craft brewer McMenamins though they’re cloistered and their life is centered around quiet contemplation doing the work that they do for everyone’s soul and spirit they want to be connected and current with a contemporary world.” Which is to say that the monks are more than aware of beer trends in the States But you’re probably never going to see a Westmalle Hazy or a Chimay Pastry Stout the Trappist breweries are non-profit entities Most only even run the bottling line one day a week because it’s noisy and makes quiet contemplation very difficult it’s not the end of the world so long as they can still be monks “They only use beer as the means to support themselves and do their charitable works,” says Gilroy To a certain extent, in this increasingly secular age, Trappist monasteries and monks themselves are dwindling. (In 2021, the former Trappist brewery Achel lost their ITA designation as they had run out of monks.) But even so, there is some innovation going on in the Trappist scene, notably with La Trappe of the Netherlands. Unlike their Belgian brethren, and very much like many American breweries, they are not afraid to throw their beers into any sort of crazy barrel they can find Recently that has meant everything from Laphroaig single malt barrels and Caribbean rum casks to Calvados barriques “The monks are really aware of what’s happening out there,” says Christa van der Laan Trade of Swinkels Family Brewers “Trappists are known for quite heavy beers ‘We really need an alcohol-free beer if we want to grow with the world.’” the only N/A beer ever released from a Trappist brewery they did collaborations with winery Château de l’Horte as well as one with the much-maligned BrewDog ‘Hmm… we don’t know if it’s the perfect fit,” says van der Laan But the monks changed their minds when BrewDog agreed to donate a portion of sales of Practise What You Preach a Belgian Quadrupel made with Scottish Heather Honey and American hops something very important to the head of the monastery Merchant du Vin’s latest brewery to introduce to America Right around the release of Westmalle Extra, there was some other big Trappist brewery news. Spencer Brewery at St. Joseph’s Abbey Joseph’s Abbey have come to the sad conclusion that brewing is not a viable industry for us and that it is time to close,” the brewery announced Located on a pastoral 2,000-acre property in Spencer, Mass., it was a uniquely American Trappist brewery. Launched in 2014 with a Belgian-style golden ale that was quite good, St. Joseph’s soon shifted to making more of-the-moment American styles you find at nearby craft beer darlings like Tree House or Stone Cow Spencer released a grapefruit IPA with Citra hops, a peach saison, an imperial stout aged in Weller bourbon barrels, German-style pilsners and Oktoberfests, and even a canned pumpkin beer regrettably named The Monkster Mash admitted this trend-chasing was way too “reactionary.” That’s perhaps why it’s so interesting that Spencer is seemingly the only Trappist brewery that has failed Trappist breweries aren’t supposed to be reactionary They aren’t supposed to pivot to pounder cans because that’s what hazebois want And they certainly don’t need to release a hard seltzer line for an easy cash grab They just need to be true to themselves and their missions It’s an ethos a lot of secular craft breweries might be smart to remember themselves “These monasteries have been through two world wars and had governments after them,” says Gilroy “If anyone’s in a good position to survive these are the folks that are going to do that.” This story is a part of VP Pro, our free platform and newsletter for drinks industry professionals, covering wine, beer, liquor, and beyond. 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Imagine an elixir so delicious and complex that individuals from three different continents tasted it and were simultaneously moved to write about it A small league of extraordinary gentlemen convened with six beers curated by our Belgian beer aficionado Stefan were intrigued by the story behind monasteries and these monks’ brews and joined us on the spot was already pregaming with a coconutty concoction but he gladly joined our tasting experience Only ten Trappist monasteries in the world are officially recognized as Trappist breweries you may find yourself transported to a beautiful countryside where the practice of brewing has taken place for many lifetimes You can finally discard your countless cans of generic beer and enjoy a drink with some lore and personality Enough monk–y business; it is time to share our memorable tasting experience with you Our first beer passed the vibe check unanimously: Orval from the Orval Brewery While its written enchantment factor is 6.2% Orval can vary from 5.9% to 7.2% depending on the brew age this delicious liquid becomes smoother and more flavourful Then comes the first sip – a delicate and effervescent symphony This monk’s concoction blasts us with some gentle citrusy hops slight herbal taste and dried fruits as a base and long finish enhance the drinking experience nearly a century of brewing and expertise in a bottle Orval has earned itself the Stefan Stamp and the Daniel Seal of Approval The modern recipe for the Westmalle Dubbel is nearly one hundred years old This brew has an enchantment factor of 7% and a wine-like aroma balanced by a gentle sweetness reminiscent of maple syrup The colour of the beer is quite typical of a dubbel showcasing a light brown hue with red undertones we find a quite light-bodied beer with typical chocolaty notes and subtle hints of red fruits While the Westmalle Dubbel remains a good brew it did not quite stand out among the other contestants The Westmalle Tripel brings us into new territory coming in with an enchantment factor of 9.5% This strong pale ale is a beautiful golden colour and has a medium body which lends itself to be drunk quickly or slowly depending on your preference Its prominent tasting notes include cereals Daniel from Tennessee says that this beer “smells like the beers I used to make back home with my friends.” A short grassy finish and toasty mouthfeel will leave you anticipating the next sip The Chimay Blue is a true darling of Trappist Beer enthusiasts due to its relative commercial availability and its time–honoured taste it may be the best entry level beer in this genre Upon opening a bottle you will catch a scent of bread and spice which serve as a prelude to its myriad tasting notes you can admire Chimay Blue’s copper colour as well Some sips you may find particularly roasty or fruity while others showcase a smoky or sugary profile The full body and 9% enchantment factor makes the Chimay Blue filling but not overbearing we recommend you try the Trappistes Rochefort 8 A dragon’s breath of sweet caramel notes will be wafted toward you as you begin to drink with a gentle flavour of malt and fruit in the foreground and a slight tartness close behind The Rochefort 8 quickly earned the Stefan Stamp “I feel hugged by the Trappists.” We will all accept the Trappists’ embrace (except for Umut) The Trappistes Rochefort 10 is a true heavy hitter veering into wine territory with an 11.3% enchantment factor this beer takes on a rich chocolate brown colour and emanates scents of spice A medium body and strong finish will prevent you from drinking this too quickly – this allows you to ponder how many flavours are tucked away inside the bottle The Rochefort 10 received dual honours: the Stefan Stamp and the Daniel Seal of Approval Roux Magazine is made by students at the University of Luxembourg. We love their work, so we decided to team up with them and bring some of their articles to our audience as well. You can find all of their issues on Issuu This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The future of Trappist beer faces uncertainty due to fewer people in Belgium being drawn to life as a monk In an rare interview Brother Benedikt the abbot of Westmalle told The Observer: “It must be admitted that the state of most monastic communities is precarious.” The ‘Authentic Trappist Product’ label is only given by the International Trappist Association (ITA) to breweries that make their beer inside an abbey, under the supervision of monks or nuns and, in addition, all profits must go towards the religious community, the Trappist order or to charity Achel Brewery in Belgium is no longer considered to be of Trappist status since it does not have any living monks working there despite its beer recipe remaining unchanged the secular managing director of the brewery Philippe Van Assche reportedly reassured that even though “nowadays we don’t have a lot of vocations” people could return to choosing monastic life in the future and added: “To be honest I think there is a kind of caesura…a kind of break.” monasteries with the “most severe” rules “are nowadays the most successful” and hinted that Westmalle was only “a bit strict” Brother Benedikt added: “For someone with a true vocation Van Assche asked: “If one day another monastery would just cease to exist How can we still be loyal to the values of what Trappist [monasteries] stand for and preserve this unique way of running a commercial activity for future generations?” director of the Brussels Beer Challenge revealed that Westmalle is now only one in five Trappist breweries in Belgium alongside Chimay yet these breweries remain “some of the best in the world” De Raedemaeker reiterated how “Trappist beer can be anything It can make a white beer or whatever you want” and highlighted how Westmalle Dubbel still remains one of the finest beers ever made Westmalle reportedly has wanted to secure many of the jobs of its staff including 51 lay people to work in the brewery but Van Assche is cautious and not convinced that ITA rules can be made flexible enough to accommodate those needs Belgian beer expert Sofie Vanrafelghem added: “I think the Trappist monk communities may be more multicultural and more diverse” and observed how “the most special part is that it’s not brewed for profit” and hinted that people should remember that “the quality is really high” and “if they [the brewery staff] take extra time to make a perfect beer Vanrafelghem outlined how it isn’t just down to the ethos but the quality of ingredients that the Trappist breweries use plus they don’t compromise or cut any corners but that gives the beautiful bitterness at the end If you put Belgian beer experts in a cafe and you don’t give them a menu We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I am a cartoonist and author who focuses on Visual Drinks Education.Follow AuthorJun 27 10:23am EDTShareSaveCommentSome of the best beers in the world are under $10 a bottle But if you want to try some of the world’s best beers And here’s the bonus—most of these beers are easy to find I used a large liquor store chain in California for the basis of all the prices These are the brews the beer industry considers to be the best of the best and who doesn’t want to drink like a brewmaster Westmalle is a 9.5% ABV beer made for celebrations and good times a blonde style of beer brewed by Trappist monks Northern Belgium’s Westmalle Brewery invented the tripel in the 1930s and the beer is sublime Open Beer Championships in 2021 and has a 97 rating from Wine Enthusiast Pliny the Elder has been admired for decades as one of the best double IPAs on the market The decadent Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout is a fan favorite when it is released in .. The original golden lager with a rich history is also our cheapest option on this list The original golden lager was first brewed in 1842 and took the world by storm leading to golden lagers becoming the most popular beers on Earth Still brewed in Plzeň in the Czech Republic the fact that you can buy four cans of this for under $10 is astounding Pilsner Urquell is the largest exporter of beer in the Czech Republic and its fame still holds true over 175 years later after its first release Orval is a unique and delicious beer that renowned beer writer Michael Jackson called a "world .. Orval is a different type of Trappist beer in that it doesn’t have the same flavors/aromas as other Trappist ales Brewed in Southern Belgium and bottle conditioned with wild yeast the longer you hold on to a bottle of Orval Fresh Orval has a lovely pineapple note while older bottles have more flavors of dark fruit leather Saison Dupont is a beloved beer amongst beer professionals and an excellent food beer So empty that jar of coins you keep somewhere in your house and I’m going to bet there’s enough in there to buy at least one of the best beers in the world. Cheers to great beer! It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. ‘In high concentrations alcohol is bad for the gut but if you drink just one of these beers every day it would be very good for you,’ say researchers I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Certain beers could be considered “very healthy” thanks to the amount of gut-friendly bacteria they contain according to scientists specialising in gut health are rich in probiotic microbes that offer a range of health benefits Presenting his research at an event held by probiotic drink maker Yakult Professor Claassen said that unlike most mainstream beers which go through a single fermentation process The second fermentation not only creates a drier flavour and boosts the strength of the beer but it also uses a different strain of yeast found in traditional pints This strain of yeast produces acids that kill harmful bacteria in the gut that can make us ill “You are getting a stronger beer that is very While the professor stressed that the research does not mean it’s OK to start guzzling pint after pint it might mean that those who consume these beers in moderation could see major health benefits “We don’t want to give people a licence to drink more beer,” he added “Those of us who advocate good health know it’s very difficult for people to stop at one “In high concentrations alcohol is bad for the gut but if you drink just one of these beers every day it would be very good for you.” The health benefits of probiotics are well-documented While they can be found in foods such as yoghurt they are most commonly taken in capsule form as food supplements and are thought to restore the natural balance of bacteria in the gut after periods of illness when taking a course of antibiotics might’ve irritated the stomach and intestines The NHS claims that probiotics may also help reduce bloating and flatulence in IBS sufferers. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies very healthy’ thanks to gut-friendly bacteria","description":"‘In high concentrations alcohol is bad for the gut but if you drink just one of these beers every day it would be very good for you,’ say researchers Here is an attempt to create something almost entirely unlike Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Tripel According to the website for Brouwerij Dilewyns, Vicaris Tripel features just one malt, two hops varieties, and no spices, but our tasting panel overwhelmingly picked up unusual grape-like notes Brewer Anne Catherine Dilewyns gives away few secrets but tells us that Vicaris Tripel contains just water She also hinted that Westmalle yeast might be at work and apologized for not using American hops explicitly say that no New Zealand hops were used Attempting to approximate such a great beer is futile but Contributing Editor Dave Carpenter loves a challenge is Dave’s attempt to create something almost entirely unlike Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Tripel Subscribe today to access all of the premium brewing content available (including this article) our subscribers call it "the perfect beer magazine" and "worth every penny." Your subscription is protected by a 100% money back guarantee Belgium | The renowned Trappist beer Achel will no longer be able to market itself as a Trappist beer leaving only five breweries of its kind in Belgium follows the recent purchase of the Saint Benedict Abbey of Hamont-Achel – better known as the Achelse Kluis – by Belgian entrepreneur Jan Tormans the last two monks had left for the Westmalle Abbey Achel was stripped of its official Authentic Trappist Product (ATP) seal in January 2021 already after its brewing process ceased to be formally supervised by local monks This is a prerequisite for being designated an ATP given that the Achelse Kluis was still legally owned by Westmalle Abbey Achel was able to continue to market itself as a Trappist beer although it now sported the monastery’s coat of arms investments were made to increase the brewery’s capacity to 5,000 hl per year Achel beer will continue to flow although monks have left Jan Tormans has signed a purchase agreement for the abbey He wants to focus primarily on brewing and increase production to 40,000 hl beer in a few years’ time Even though he cannot use the label Trappist he will likely use the brand Achel and will continue to brew its recipes The Trappist history of the brewery will be relegated to the website he will also have to ensure the maintenance of the buildings Some of the buildings are in dire need to renovation an independent engineering firm with four offices in Belgium The son of a farmer and an engineer by training he started his company in 1999 with 20 engineers the Torman Group had a turnover of EUR 36 million (USD 39 million) and a gross margin of 14 percent only five official Trappist beers now remain in Belgium: Westmalle There are also two abbeys carrying the official ATP seal in the Netherlands the only Trappist brewery in the US closed its doors Probably inspired by Carlsberg establishing a microbrewery for its Grimbergen abbey beer at the Grimbergen monastery has invested in a microbrewery at the Maredsous abbey in Anhée It was opened on 27 January and the investment is said to have come to EUR 1.5 million (USD 1.6 million) The most recent sales volume of Maredsous beers is put at 34,000 hl There are also gins and whiskeys available under the Maredsous label BEL has the licence to produce Maredsous cheeses was quoted as saying: “It fits in perfectly with the extension of our cooperation with the abbey for the next 20 years.” The abbey’s mensa was converted to a New York-style restaurant The brewery will only be operational for a few days a week as the bulk of Maredsous’ classic beers are still brewed at the Duvel brewery in Puurs The intention is to brew specific beers in limited quantities in the abbey international beer market Belgium breweries collaboration company news The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us? We’ve sipped on a wide range of world-class Belgian brews to find the perfect fizzy tipples Liefmans Brewery is known for its wonderfully complex so this ruby-hued cherry beer is something of a departure Kriek brut is a blend of beers from different vintages that’s matured on Belgian cherries for up to two years The taste is as rich and rounded as the colour suggests yet it swerves the cloying sweetness of some fruit beers it’s a beautifully balanced dance through complementary flavours slightly smoky maraschino cherries to a whisper of marzipan and in our opinion a bargain for the price brewed in a monastery just outside Antwerp performs an impressive balancing act between heartiness and freshness biscuity flavours that fill the mouth – yet refreshing with citrusy notes that slice through like lemon-infused caramel We found it tasted a bit like banoffee pie prevent it from getting anything close to cloying This cheeky beer from the Ardennes region packs a punch for a blond ale which seems to be a bit of a theme for Belgian brews while La Chouffe – whose yellow cans and bottle labels feature a red-nosed gnome – is heavy on the alcohol and flavour The ale is infused with coriander during the brewing process and a hint of something like a grapefruit stuck with cloves An upgrade on the classic Duvel blond ale – itself a pretty solid bet – this ale uses aromatic citra hops and a dry-hopping process that pushes them to the forefront doing a joyful jig through lemon and toffee moving to unexpected notes of coffee and toasted nuts coating the mouth and softening what could otherwise be too much citric hoppiness for some Some lambic ales deliver a salty smack on the lips Imagine the finest marmalade spread on wholemeal toast and you might have a hint of what this beer tastes like and this stays true to tradition with a blend of beers aged for one almost hay-like notes of sours might not be to everyone’s taste but don’t let that fool you: it takes a lot of love and work to achieve such a delicate balance between rich and refreshing British soldiers produced the “trench gazette” the beer is named after four herbs and locally sourced hops go into making it the first sip has hints of white grape juice and then the flavours mature into toasted brioche It’s a bit like Turkish delight smashed into toast though far more appealing than that might sound Finding a Belgian beer with an ABV under 5 per cent is no mean feat and finding one as happily harmonious as Heverlee is pretty much a miracle named after an abbey in Leuven and produced in Belgium for Scottish brewer Tennent Caledonian isn’t quite as complex as many of the country’s other brews citrusy notes and soft mousse (as opposed to the gassiness of some lagers) make it refreshing without being wishy-washy Its pale honey tone is mirrored by a subtle sweetness of the flavour too Gorgeous as a gateway beer – or for when the stronger ales just seem a little too much This might not be an everyday buy but the complexity depth and deliciousness of this bottle puts in the same league as a fine wine or champagne Fans of natural and organic wines should adore the raw earthiness of this oude geuze which is a blend of unfiltered and wild-fermented lambic beers aged one It’s also aged in the bottle for at least a year after the vintages are blended and matures beautifully after purchase it’s a mass of contradictions that somehow complement each other: saline yet spritzily refreshing nuts and honey – like a fancy breakfast buffet It can be tricky to get hold of so lambic lovers should snap it up when they can It’s almost worth buying for the bottle alone which is beautifully curved and features a trout bearing a wedding ring a reference to the legend of Matilda of Canossa Made in a monastery in the Gaume region since 1931 the ale pours a beautiful bronze colour with aromas of nutty caramel lifted by fresh So you know it’s going to be unusual even before you sip it Our first impression was of a funky bitterness that was soon joined by citrus peel and one that might divide opinion – though we loved it The name “Brugse zot” comes from the townsfolk or “Bruges Fools” who imprisoned their king in the 13th century and were punished with a ban on festivities It’s a cheeky reference by the Bruges-based family brewery It’s a well-balanced blond with just a hint of bitterness and appealing aromas of peanut brittle lightly honeyed mouthfeel is balanced by hints of cloves and coriander while the hops bring flavours of ripe banana and plum lively bubbles keep it on the right side of refreshing Styles run the gauntlet (or goblet) from zesty pilsners to lip-puckering sours If anything unites the overwhelming array of ales it’s their almost unrelenting excellence – and barrel loads of history brewed for centuries by monks within the walls of Benedictine abbeys and regularly ranked among the world’s best spontaneously fermented with wild yeasts – like the beer equivalent of sourdough bread – and only brewed in Brussels and Pajottenland editor of craft beer club Beer52’s magazine this history – with a generous glug of experimentation and eclecticism – makes Belgium’s brews endlessly fascinating “I think of all the great national beer traditions Belgium’s is one of the most interesting and varied,” he says They’ve always used a huge range of techniques and ingredients Belgian beers are often made without “hard and fast rules” he adds – and the sheer variety means there’s pretty much something for everyone “Some Belgian beers are definitely at the more challenging end of the spectrum many people who say they don’t enjoy beer find they love Belgian styles.” We spent weeks sipping our way through a range of Belgian beers before narrowing it down to the best across a variety of styles and prices We may earn commission from some of the retailers but we never allow this to influence selections which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice This revenue helps to fund journalism acrossThe Independent Taking a break from the strong stuff but don’t want to loose out on flavour? Read out review of the 14 best alcohol-free beers to rival the real thing For the latest offers on food and drink, try the links below: As a follow-up to his “Make Your Best Belgian Tripel,” Josh Weikert shares his award-winning recipe As a follow-up to his “Make Your Best Belgian Tripel,” Josh Weikert shares his award-winning recipe. The “golden” in the name of this recipe is a nod to Victory Golden Monkey but Josh’s family crest features a peregrine falcon From Issue One of the Gear Patrol Magazine Some come in for a spread of lamb liver pâté smoked kielbasa and steak tartare; others come for a post-rode debrief and a cocktail on the patio (owner Christian Pappanicholas’s primary aim is to “foster the NYC cycling community”) We went for the selection of more than 450 beers from around the world in particular the selection of Belgian beer Hard-to-find bottles line the shelves and a private cellar houses a treasure trove of once-in-a-lifetime brews Style: DubbelABV: 7%Tasting Notes: Plum, raisin, biscuit, some caramel notes Style: Belgian Pale AleABV: 7.3%Tasting Notes: Light on the palate, fresh, sour Style: Belgian Pale AleABV: 6.2%Tasting Notes: Some dark fruit, balanced sour note Style: SaisonABV: 6.9%Tasting Notes: Bright, Spice, Clove Style: QuadrupelABV: 10.2%Tasting Notes: Sweet chocolate, hint of hops, alcohol warming Style: Belgian IPAABV: 6.2%Tasting Notes: Slight hoppiness, hint of sour Style: Flanders Oud BruinABV: 4.5%Tasting Notes: Hint of sour, dark fruits Style: QuadrupelABV: 10%Tasting Notes: Plum, cherry, warming alcohol, some barrel notes Style: GueuzeABV: 5%Tasting Notes: Bright, slightly tannic, green apple Justine Sterling is a New York-based writer and editor specializing in food, wine, and spirits. ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCULTUREAfter sale of Abbey of Hamont-Achel only five Belgian Trappist beers remain26 January 2023 The Abbey of Hamont-Achel ​ was sold to a Kempen entrepreneur yesterday Achel beer may not carry the official Authentic Trappist Product label (ATP) anymore This means that only five Belgian Trappist beers remain Achel and Westvleteren have marketed their own brews it remained an exclusively Belgian product only five Trappist beers remain in Belgium while there is new ones popping up in the rest of the world there are 10 beer brands worldwide authorised to carry the official ATP label The conditions for being officially called Trappist is that the beer must be produced within the monastery walls 'by or under the supervision of' monks and that proceeds are earmarked for the needs of the monastic community This is what makes Trappist breweries different from commercial counterparts Belgium’s Trappist beers are under threat from a shortage of sprightly new monks to replace their aged brewing brotherhood Belgium is the spiritual home of Trappist beers and boasts around 100 beer-brewing Cistercian monks and six of the world’s 14 Trappist breweries With the majority of the monks now reaching retirement age the sector faces a staffing shortage due to a lack of younger monks available to take their place ‘‘Achel is the first of the six monasteries that no longer has a living community For the past four years there have only been two brothers,’’ Abbot Nathanael Koninkx I do not dare to say how many will still be there in 20 years’ time,” he added The Authentic Trappist Product label is only given to beers made in the immediate surroundings of an abbey produced under the supervision of monks and sold to fund the monastery and for charitable works ‘‘The existential reality of what this means for one of Belgium’s most cherished brewing traditions is becoming clear,” Eoghan Walsh author of Brussels Beer City: Stories from Brussels’ Brewing Past ‘‘The number of new vocations for new monks have dropped off a cliff in Belgium and they have never been very high to begin with,” he added paving the way for bigger bottles of beer to be produced and sold in the state confirmed the governor's signing of the bill into law today "The governor does not drink alcohol and has no taste for beer but he had no problems with this bill as it was written," King said The Alabama Brewers Guild and the Free the Hops organization were joined by the Alabama Wholesale Beer Association in pushing for the bill after initially getting caught in a partisan crossfire in the House ended up passing there in a vote last week The new law boosts the legal size of beer containers across the state to up to 25.4 ounces from the current 16-ounce limit allowed in most of the state The law does not allow for 40-ounce malt liquor bottles popularized in rap songs and movies The new law is the latest victory for Free the Hops the grass roots organization that has lobbied for and won other changes to the state's beer laws The group started its campaign in 2009 with "high gravity" beers to be sold in the state with larger alcohol content and then last year gained a victory that allows brewers to sell their beer in tasting rooms at the breweries in the state a board member and past president of Free the Hops said the organization supports the craft beer industry for reasons that go beyond the beer this is an economic development issue," he said of the larger bottle law this is about the economic opportunities and the jobs being created." D.B. Irwin, owner of Beer Engineers, a Birmingham-based contract beer company that produces beer that is brewed and bottled through Back Forty Beer Co. "I'm looking at glass today so I can be one of the first to start producing in the 750ml size," Irwin said "The Gourmet Bottle Bill passage is definitely going to be an economic boom for us." Irwin said Beer Engineers plans to open its own brewery somewhere in the state within the next two years and those plans are bolstered by the new law Carter said there are now 10 brewing companies open or planned in the state an industry made possible by the growing popularity of craft beers "For every $1 spent on craft beer in Alabama He said around 3 percent of beer sold in Alabama today is craft beer but that market is growing at close to 30 percent per year and the bigger container sizes now puts Alabama on the same level as the other 50 states and the District of Columbia that have no such limitation "The bottom line is this is going to put money into the Alabama economy and create jobs," he said Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Several Flemish breweries are anticipating a 200% level of import duty on alcohol beverages from the EU that has been threatened by the US President Donald Trump The Huyghe Brewery in Melle East Flanders has decided to dispatch 20 containers of its Delirium Tremens beer to its facility in the United States straight away The brewery is also sending additional stocks of Gouden Carlous beer The Huyghe Brewery recently bought the Mechelen (Antwerp Province) brewery that makes Gouden Carolus The imposition of import tariffs and the threat of further tariffs on EU imports into the US is not only preoccupying the minds of politicians Brewers too are deeply concerned about a plan drawn up by the US President Donald Trump to impose import tariffs of 200% on alcoholic drinks produced in the EU At the Hughe brewery in the East Flemish municipality of Melle they fear the price of their Delirium Tremens beer could triple in the United States “As we have our own storage facility in America we store 3 to 4 months stock there as standard we have now decided to 20 containers that we had in stock in Belgium there straight away” the brewery’s managing director Alain De Laet to VRT News The containers will leave for the US early next week If 200% the import tariff were still in place beyond that I don't think our beer will still be marketable there and we would have to draw a line under things” “Delirium is already one of the most expensive beers on sale in the US I think that it would no longer be marketable.” The Huyghe Brewery is also taking action to ensure that additional supplies of beer from its recently acquired Het Anker brewery in Mechelen reach the US ahead of the imposition of any new tariffs “We are now going to do that faster than planned I have also issued instructions to Mechelen to send all the beer to America immediately even if there are containers that aren’t full All the containers that are currently available will leave for America early next week At the Westmalle Trappist brewery they do not fear any major impact for the time being “We export only 1% of our production to the US and so we are not too concerned for the time being” At Duvel Moortgat in Breendonk (Antwerp Province) they are refraining from comment for the time being The company may be able to overcome any issues that might arise by using a its own brewery in the US to brew Duvel Beer brewed at Achel Abbey in Limburg will no longer be allowed to bear the name Trappist beer The abbey is being sold to businessman Jan Tormans and the brewery at the abbey will cut all links with Westmalle Abbey that supervised operations at the Achel Abbey brewery until now the brewery lost the right to display the ATP label The ATP label can only be used when beer is brewed in an abbey with live-in monks The name could still be used thanks to the connection with Westmalle Abbey but with the sale to private hands that now too is a thing of the past “It’s ridiculous it’s no longer a Trappist!” It's a sad day in the story of Belgian Trappist beers when a brew loses its right to bear the Trappist name who owns the Tormans Group and is expected to purchase the abbey also has plans to extend brewing operations at the site By ending up in private hands the brewery also forfeits the right to use the name Trappist It was three years ago that the last monks quit the St Benedict Abbey known as the Achelse Kluis They moved to Westmalle Abbey that owned the Achel Abbey the pub and the abbey shop stayed open and remained immensely popular especially among ramblers in the Groote Heide (Great Heath) nature area a religious community with Brazilian roots also continued to provide a home for former addicts Jan Tormans’s exact plans for the site still need to be divulged but it’s clear the brewery will stay as the abbey’s economic heart The local mayor is looking forward to working with the new owners The municipality has long dreamed of a visitors’ centre at the abbey The Monks of Westmalle have sold St Benedict’s Abbey in Achel (Limburg) that loses the right to call beers brewed at the abbey brewery Trappist beers The news means that only five Belgian Trappist breweries remain: Westvleteren and Westmalle in Flanders Do the Trappist beers have a future given the fact the number of new vocations is in free fall Flemish expert of Belgian beers Sofie Vanrafelghem confirms that few young men are receiving the call to a monastic life and that the number of monks living in such communities is falling You need to complete a nine-year probation period as a novice before you can take your vows” and this means you will encounter many nationalities Belgian religious communities enjoy great respect abroad There are guys who head for Belgium with the sole intention of becoming a Belgian monk” People often think it’s the beer that attracts people A couple of years ago Sofie went behind the scenes at Westvleteren Abbey and discovered the dedication there and the enormous difference between how the monks actually live and how we think they live of silence and of great connection with the Lord Sofie can’t predict whether it will be up to foreigners to ensure the survival of our Trappist brews but she’s convinced Trappist breweries will survive Enough men will receive the call here in Belgium or elsewhere in the world The beer expert doesn’t believe relaxing the rules and loosening the ties between the monks and the brewing process is a good idea “Trappist beers must remain authentic and the fact that profit is not the engine of the operation is part of the core DNA making the monks no longer directly responsible from the brewing will only bring calamity” Even if all Trappist breweries were to disappear in Belgium “Trappist beers are magical and for some form the Holy Grail but don’t forget in Belgium there are some 420 different breweries We can still quench our thirst with many fine beers” concludes Sofie “Even without Achel Trappist Belgium still boasts a magnificent beer landscape” If you have any questions or need help you can email us Now you can try your first Belgian beer closer to home Sophia Deboick You never forget your first run-in with Belgian beer I was sitting in the oldest bar in Brussels blissfully unaware of just how strong that beer can be a stained glass-adorned nook near the Grote Markt is a dangerous place indeed for the uninitiated While Belgium’s characteristic malty Dubbel-style beers hover around the 6-8% ABV mark the golden Tripels go as high as a headbanging 11% and the dark Quadrupels can head perilously past 12% It is fair to say that hurtling along on the Eurostar towards London at 186 miles per hour loses all its charm after an evening on these But among the most prized of these potent brews are a number of beers with a surprising association with self-denial and sobriety – those that are made by monks While “abbey” beers claim a distant origin in the centuries-old brewing traditions of monasteries To get the distinctive hexagonal “Authentic Trappist Product” stamp from the International Trappist Association beers must be made in a working monastery under the everyday supervision of members of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance founded in the 17th century at the abbey of La Trappe They must also use their profits only for the upkeep of the monastery or their charitable works Just 10 monasteries in the world carry this designation for their beer But the newest member of the Trappist beer family comes not from the Low Countries Mount Saint Bernard Abbey was a dairy farming community for nearly two centuries When that business began to fail in the face of price-slashing industrial milk production Looking to their fellow Trappists across the North Sea for inspiration and Tynt Meadow – the name of the original plot of land where the abbey was built – celebrates its fifth anniversary this year It is the first and only English Trappist beer threatened flashbacks to À l’Imaige Nostre-Dame all those years ago raisin and brown sugar notes add a complexity that cuts through the sheer booziness Those earthy flavours are achieved using all-British ingredients and this is a beer that aims to have “a clearly English character” – when it was launched St George’s Day was chosen for the occasion But the project has been a rather European affair The Dutch company Brouwtechniek oversaw the establishment of the brewery and the community were advised by Belgian And while Thomas à Becket is considered the patron saint of English brewers it is instead a small image of Arnold of Metz Trappist beer is now under threat in its homeland made in a monastery on the Belgian-Netherlands border lost its official Trappist designation as the last of the monks retired while Westmalle Abbey is facing a growing recruitment crisis perhaps it will be here in the UK that this most continental of drinking traditions survives The Catholic church does not approve of zombies Remembrance feels more important than ever this year If you have any queries about this error, try emailing feedback@mirror.co.uk and we'll do what we can to help you TheCoolist is a mood board for your headspace Beer Bottle Designs | In a market dominated by Anheuser Busch and Miller-Coors, finding beauty in beer is a difficult task.  Far beyond the industrialized world of Big Beer a large and growing group of independent breweries are not only investing in fine hand-crafted beer but in sensible design practices as well.  To show just how beautiful beer can be we’ve scoured the beer world for 10 truly brilliant examples of beer bottle designs.  Related Reading: Top 10 Bottle Opener Keychains so we threw in a couple cans as well– but we guarantee the beer lover in you will be entirely satisfied.  Cheers Take a good, hard look at this bottle, because sadly you’ll never see one in the wild.  The Carlsberg 900 beer bottle was designed as a special, very limited edition package to be offered in select restaurants in Stockholm.  The design by JDO UK is refined simple and at once both luxurious and industrial.  While this one-off limited edition beer may never see bottling again we hope that Carlsberg will adopt this work by JDO and Werk in future revisions of the brand’s identity View in gallery View in gallery View in gallery The monks of Westmalle Abbey brew a fine blonde ale with passion and altruism, a beer whose proceeds are donated to charity.  Designer Jess McGeachin created a packaging identity for Westmalle Tripel that reflects this altruism and the brand’s religious values.  This four-pack box and bottle design includes the iconography of a church steeple and stained glass windows creating one of the most beautiful packages of beer we’ve ever seen.  This is one package that you’ll never be able to part with.  Long after the beer is gone the packaging will remain a collector’s item Watch where you pop this little can of lager its appearance alone is likely to strike fear into the hearts of those around you.  The Session Lager Beer design by Jon Patterson is inspired by the hand grenade featuring a grenade-style pin bottle cap and a cut-out label.  We’re no stranger to weaponized design and this little can of beer just joined our favorites.  Nice work Jon Patterson– just be sure to drink these with caution Mariestads Prima Lager needed an update to their identity which reflected the brand’s long history and standing amongst beer connoisseurs.  Neumeister created a beer bottle design that is traditional and refined with box packaging that provides details about Mariestad’s 160-year history.  Neumeister focused not only on creating a premier label and package but distinctive product photography that sells this design as effectively as the label itself This beer can may appear innocent on its own, but join two together and that innocence is replaced by sexy lingerie.  The Lingerie Beer Cans by RAMM show a city scene with factories and smoke but when joined with another can a leggy pair of lingerie is shown.  This design is easily one of the best we’ve seen in the beer world but it could also be one of the most inventive packaging designs we’ve seen in years The design for Cable Car Beer is much more traditional than most on this list but its vintage appeal earns it respect in the world of packaging.  The label shows the brand’s namesake and a batch number while the sleeve on the bottleneck shows more detail about the date of origin from whence it came.  The six pack packaging offers its buyers “six rides” a fun connection to the meaning of the Cable Car brand The beer bottle design and packaging for Estrella Damm beer is beautiful in its own right, but the Inedit Beer by Estrella Damm is a clear cut above.  Inedit Beer was created for specific food pairings to be served in upscale restaurants where wine should not be the only option.  The design of Inedit Beer is tall with a gold star and red sleeve.  We’re fond of Estrella Damm already so you can bet when we finally taste Inedit that we’ll tip extra if we can keep the bottle… Chambar, a fine dining restaurant in Vancouver, B.C., has created a line of Belgian-style ales to serve amongst their cuisine.  The Chambar Ale bottle design by Glasfurd and Walker features printing directly on the bottle a gold-and-glass design that speaks to the upscale focus of the Chambar restaurant.  The bottle is paired with a gold-rimmed glass baring the Chambar logo a nice touch when you order a bottle of your own in Vancouver Re-designing the label of a 500-year-old beer is not an easy task, but the design crew at Skinny Ships executed brilliantly.  The new label for the Austrian pilsner Stiegl is simple and contemporary maintaining the familiar brand elements of the Stiegl font plus the stair-step logo.  Skinny Ships has shown how big bold lettering and little else can sell a beer giving it an old-time feel but a contemporary sensibility This gorgeous black-and-white beer bottle design may be filled with some seriously strong beer, but it is brimming with beauty as well.  The Hallertau Extra Strength Heroic Beer features designs inspired by Roman sculptures and bas reliefs pure white on a black label.  While the design is serious at first glance the characters within these designs are humorous themselves.  The soldier on the chariot above is saluting with rock-and-roll devil horns and the fellow in the gallery below is holding nine barrels of wine on his shoulder with a smile on his face.  Humor aside this design by Degree Design is easily one of the world’s most beautiful beer bottle designs we’d love to have one in our own personal collection Hallertau Extra Strength Heroic Beer Gallery – – – – – – – – – what is your favorite beer from our list of beautiful beer bottle designs?  It’s a tough decision to choose just one although that Hallertau beer above is visually stunning in our opinion.  Let us know your thoughts in the comments.  While we were careful to exclude any beer we figured most of our readers would be familiar with be sure to mention any craft or commercial beers whose labels you find intriguing.  In the mean time share this article with your beer buddies– and check out these other liquor-related features right here on TheCoolist: if you’re interested in receiving bottles like these in the mail once a month be sure to check out our coverage on the Beer of the Month Club We help curate your cool through deep dives into topics of self-actualization Our articles maintain a high degree of informational integrity deconstructing complex topics such as personality types © 2025 thecoolist.com - All Rights Reserved 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