Belgian Trappist Beer
1. The beer is brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey, by the monks themselves or under their supervision.
2. The brewery must be controlled by the monastery and have a business culture compatible with the monastic project.
3. The purpose of the brewery is not to make a profit. The income takes care of the livelihood of the monks and the upkeep of the abbey site. What is left over is used for charitable purposes, social work and people in need.
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Achel Brouwerij der St.Benedictussabdij de Achelse. The abbey can be found near the Dutch border north of Limburg. Newest of the monastic breweries, the brewery was added to the monastry in 1999. Range of blonde and brown beers are produced by the monks ranging in strength from a light 5.0% up to a grand 9.5% heavy sweet dark ale Achel Blond - 8.0% A straw coloured tripel beer, it has a complex range of flavours inc. hops |
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Chimay red
75 cl, 33 cl (25.4 fl.oz., 11.2 fl.oz.), 7% alc. vol First sold in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, it is noted for its coppery colour which makes it particularly attractive. Topped with a creamy head, it gives off a light, fruity apricot aroma produced by the fermentation. The taste perceived in the mouth is a balance confirming the fruity nuances noticed in the fragrance. Its taste, which imparts a silky sensation to the tongue, is made refreshing by a light touch of bitterness. To the palate, the taster perceives a pleasant astringency which complements the flavour qualities of this beer very harmoniously. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised. Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont. The town of Scourmont lies 10k south of the market town of Hainaut. The abbey was founded in 1850 with brewing commencing in 1862 by the monks. In order to meet their needs and those of their foundations as well as to sustain employment in their region, since 1862 the Cistercian Trappist monks of Chimay have been developing the production of Trappist beers and cheeses which, owing to their character and qualities are well known and enjoy great success.
To find out more about the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Scourmont and its monastic community: |
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Chimay Blue
Named Grande Réserve in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, it is principally distinguished by its character of a strong beer. This is a beer whose fragrance of fresh yeast with a light, flowery rosy touch is especially pleasant. Its flavour, noticed when tasting it, only accentuates the pleasant sensations perceived in the aroma , while revealing a light but pleasant touch of roasted malt. This top fermented Trappist beer , refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised. |
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Chimay Triple
Named Cinq Cents in 75 cl (25.4 fl.oz.) bottles, this beer with its typical golden colour, its slightly hazy appearance and its fine head is especially characterised by its aroma which results from an agreeable combination of fresh hops and yeast. The beer's flavour, as sensed in the mouth, comes from the smell of hops: above all it is the fruity notes of muscat and raisins that give this beer a particularly attractive aroma. The aroma complements the touch of bitterness. There is no acidity, but an after-bitterness which melts in the mouth. This top fermented Trappist beer, refermented in the bottle, is not pasteurised. |
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Westmalle Dubbel Westmalle Dubbel is a dark, reddish-brown Trappist beer with a secondary fermentation in the bottle. The creamy head has the fragrance of special malt and leaves an attractive lace pattern in the glass. The flavour is rich and complex, herby and fruity with a fresh-bitter finish. It is a balanced quality beer with a soft feel in the mouth and a long, dry aftertaste. The Dubbel contains 7% alcohol. Since 1856 the monks have also been brewing a dark Trappist beer along with their table beer. Since the recipe was modified in 1926, they have been brewing slightly heavier beer. This is the foundation of today’s Dubbel. |
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Westmalle Tripel Westmalle Tripel is a clear, golden yellow Trappist beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle (9,5% alcohol). It is a complex beer with a fruity aroma and a nice nuanced hop scent. It is soft and creamy in the mouth, with a bitter touch carried by the fruity aroma. An exceptional beer, with a great deal of finesse and elegance. And with a splendid long aftertaste. The Westmalle Tripel is indeed called the “mother of all tripels”. This type of beer was first brewed in Westmalle abbey in 1934 when the new brewing hall came into use. The current formula has stayed practically unchanged since 1956, thus more than 50 years. |
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Rochefort 6 Rochefort 6 (red cap, brown beer, 7.5% ABV). Reddish colour, almost like autumn leaves, very consistent texture with a slightly spicy aroma and an intense taste of caramel, fruit, and hints of raisins. It is only brewed about once per year, representing approximately 1% of total beer production, thus is quite difficult to obtain. The brewery is located inside the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy, near the town of Rochefort, and has been brewing beer since 1595. There are approximately 15 monks resident at the monastery. The monks are very secretive about the brewing process, and the brewery is not open to the public, therefore much of the information publicly known about the brewery comes from only a few sources. Like many strong Belgian beers, those produced at Rochefort age well and can be cellared for at least five years whilst maintaining quality. Each of these beers is brewed to the same recipe, with the only difference being the alcoholic content. The water for the beers is drawn from a well located inside the monastery walls. As with all other trappist breweries, the beer is only sold in order to financially support the monastery and some other good causes. The monks will not increase production based on demand or profit motives, but only enough to support themselves, resulting in a fairly limited supply of beer availability. In practice, there is currently no shortage through regular channels. |
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Rochefort 8 Rochefort 8 (green cap, brown beer, 9.2% ABV). Yellowish-brown colour, with a more pronounced aroma, more fruits and a slight amount of Demi-Sec. This variety constitutes the largest proportion of production. |
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Rochefort 10 Rochefort 10 (blue cap, dark beer, 11.3% ABV). Reddish-brown colour, with a very compact head and an aroma of figs, feels like honey in the mouth. The alcohol profile is a major component in the flavour of this rich ale. It is very similar to 6 and 8, but has much more of everything. Some may find the high alcohol content to be disagreeable. |
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Westvleteren
The Westvleteren Brewery (Brouwerij Westvleteren) is a Belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Westvleteren, not far from the hops-producing town of Poperinge and the medieval city of Ypres. The brewery and its beers are usually referred to as Westvleteren. The brewery's three beers have acquired an international reputation for taste and quality, as well as the limited availability of the beers which are not brewed to normal commercial demands. Their legendary beers are only available by queuing up at the abbey or from their small brewery tap. Occasionally we do have their beers in stock - when we do they are rather expensive! |
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Orval Orval - 6.2% This is a beer that improves dramatically after a year in the bottle. An amber beer with a hoppy aromatic overtone. Has a hint of lambic back-taste Abbaye Notre-Dame d’Orval. Located in the southern region of Luxembourg. The abbey was established in 1132 by Cistercian monks and despite being destroyed in 1793 by Napoleon, the abbey literally rose from the ashes in 1926 with the brewery being added in 1931. Like other Trappist brewers there is a beer produced specifically for the monks that occasionally makes an appearance outside the abbey it is called PetitOrval at just 3.2% |
