Trappist Beer

Belgian Trappist Beers: Beers with a Cause

One of the most popular and interesting beers in this nation is the Belgian Trappist beers. The birth of these beers first originated in the French Cistercian monastery of La Trappe. In 1664, the Abbot of the monastery decided to introduce new rules in the abbey after he observed that the Cistercians have become too liberal. This gave way to the creation of the Strict Observance in which one of the rules state that monasteries should be solely self-supporting. Many monasteries in France have long since brewed beers for the community. Since the establishment of the Strict Observance, however, the beers they produce also became their source of funds for their good causes and other projects.

>>=(Please see a complete list of all Belgian Trappist Beers at the bottom of this page!)=<<

Nowadays, there is an average of 174 Trappist monasteries in the whole world. However, only seven of them are allowed to have their beers labeled with the logo bearing the “Authentic Trappist Product” sign. Six of these seven monasteries are in Belgium and the other one is in Netherlands.

There are some production criteria that should be met in order for Belgian Trappist beers to be given the official Trappist certification:

"Rochefort" Trappist Belgian Beer

"Rochefort" Trappist Belgian Beer

1.) The brewery must be a monastery.

2.) The monks should strictly be the ones who will manage the production of the beer.

3.) The profits from the Trappist beer should be used solely for the monastery or the production of social programs for the people outside the monastery walls.

It should be remembered, however, that the term Trappist beer is simply a controlled term of origin and should never be mistaken as a name of a certain style of beer. Though most Trappist beers are top-fermented, their tastes also differ based from the monastery in which they are produced. The six certified Belgian Trappist beer makers are the following monasteries: Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westmalle, and Westvleteren.

The Four Varieties of Chimay Trappist Belgian Beer

The Four Varieties of Chimay Trappist Belgian Beer

Orval is known for creating the driest of all Trappist beers while Chimay is popular for being the monastery served by the legendary brewing professional Jean De Clerck after the Second World War. They are also known for selling their beers in three different sizes, including Grand Reserve Magnum bottles.

Westmalle, moreover, is the manufacturer of the widely copied triple style beer. As for Westvleteren, though currently the smallest of all brewing abbeys, their beers are the most expensive and rare of all because they don’t ship and buyers have to go directly to them to make a purchase. Rochefort, on the other hand, is known for the mildly sweet yet deliciously dark ales that they produce. The last is Achel which is labeled as the most modern brewery because of its cafeteria style brewpub. Customers can freely dine and drink at the indoor and outdoor patio of the monastery, making it a very popular choice for those who want to sit back and relax while enjoying good old fermented Trappist beer.

The 6 Current Belgain Trappist Beer Producers are:

1.) Achel

Location: Abbey of Saint Benedict in the Belgian municipality of Achel

  1. Achel Blonde (5%) – (Note – this is only available on tap at the abbey)
  2. Achel Brune (5%) – (Note – this is only available on tap at the abbey)
  3. Achel Blonde (8%)
  4. Achel Brune (8%)
  5. Achel Extra Blonde (9.5%)
  6. Achel Extra Brune (9.5%)

 

2.) Chimay

Location: Scourmont Abbey in Chimay (southern Hainaut, Belgium)

  1. 
Chimay Bleue (Blue) (9%)
  2. 
Chimay Rouge (Red) (7%)
  3. Chimay Blanche (White) (8%)
  4. 
Chimay Doré (Golden) (4.8%) (Note – This is intended only to be drunk at the abbey and is not sold commercially, the monks themselves drink this variety)

 

3.) Orval

Location: Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval in the Gaume region of Belgium

  1. 
Orval (6.2%)
  2. 
Petite Orval (3.5%) (Note – Brewed only for the monks, but can be purchased in the monastery itself)

 

4.) Rochefort

Location: Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy in Rochefort, Belgium

  1. 
Rochefort 6 (7.5%)
  2. Rochefort 8 (9.2%)
  3. Rochefort 10 (11.3%)

 

5.) Westmalle Brewery

Location: Trappist Abbey of Westmalle

  1. 
Westmalle Dubbel (7%)
  2. Westmalle Tripel (9.5%)
  3. Westmalle Extra (5%)

 

6.) Westvletern Brewery
Location: Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Vletern

  1. 
Westvleteren 6
  2. Westvleteren 8
  3. Westvleteren 12