Trappist beer
Encyclopedia
A Trappist beer is a beer
brewed by or under control of Trappist
monks. There are a total of 174 Trappist monasteries worldwide (as of April 2011); only seven (six in Belgium
, one in the Netherlands
) produce Trappist beer and are authorized to label their beers with the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates a compliance to the various rules of the International Trappist Association.
order originated in the Cistercian monastery of La Trappe
, France
. Various Cistercian congregations existed for many years, and by 1664 the Abbot of La Trappe felt that the Cistercians were becoming too liberal. He introduced strict new rules in the abbey and the Strict Observance was born. Since this time, many of the rules have been relaxed. However, a fundamental tenet, that monasteries should be self-supporting, is still maintained by these groups.
Monastery brewhouses, from different religious orders, existed all over Europe, since the Middle Ages
. From the very beginning, beer was brewed in French cistercian monasteries following the Strict Observance. For example, the monastery of La Trappe in Soligny already had its own brewery in 1685. Breweries were only later introduced in monasteries of other countries, following the extension of the trappist order from France to the rest of Europe. The Trappists, like many other religious people, originally brewed beer as to feed the community, in a perspective of self-sufficiency. Nowadays, trappist breweries also brew beer to fund their works and for good causes. Many of the trappist monasteries and breweries were destroyed during the French Revolution
and the World War
s. Among the monastic breweries, the Trappists were certainly the most active brewers: in the last 300 years, there were at least nine Trappist breweries in France, six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, one in Germany, one in Austria, one in Bosnia and possibly other countries.
Today, seven trappist breweries remain active, 6 in Belgium and 1 just over the Belgian border, in the Netherlands.
In the twentieth century, the growing popularity of Trappist beers led some brewers with no connection to the order to label their beers "Trappist". After unsuccessful trials, monks finally sued one such brewer in 1962 in Ghent
, Belgium.
In 1997, eight Trappist abbeys—six from Belgium (Orval
, Chimay, Westvleteren
, Rochefort
, Westmalle
and Achel), one from the Netherlands (Koningshoeven) and one from Germany (Mariawald) - founded the International Trappist Association (ITA) to prevent non-Trappist commercial companies from abusing the Trappist name. This private association created a logo
that is assigned to goods (cheese, beer, wine, etc.) that respect precise production criteria. For the beers, these criteria are the following:
This association has a legal standing, and its logo gives to the consumer some information and guarantees about the produce.
There are currently seven breweries that are allowed to have the products they sell display the Authentic Trappist Product logo:
The Dutch brewery De Koningshoeven produces the only Dutch Trappist beers—branded La Trappe—that are able to carry the "Authentic Trappist Product" logo. Their use of the logo was withdrawn in 1999, but was restored in October 2005 (see Brouwerij de Koningshoeven for details).
The Trappist monks of the Abbey of "Maria Toevlucht" in Zundert
, Netherlands
are planning an on-site brewery.
s, that is, top fermented, and mainly bottle conditioned. Trappist breweries use various systems of nomenclature of the different beers produced, which relate mainly to the relative strength of the beer in the range.
The best known is the system where different beers are called Enkel/Single, Dubbel/Double
and Tripel/Triple
— single, double and triple in English. Considering the importance of the Holy Trinity in the church, it is unlikely that the choice of three types of beers was accidental. Enkels are now no longer brewed as such.
Colours can be used to indicate the different types, dating back to the days when bottles were unlabelled and had to be identified by the capsule or bottle-top alone. Chimay beer labels are based on the colour system, and Westvleteren beers are still unlabelled.
There is also a number system (6,8 and 10, as used by Rochefort), which gives an indication of strength, but is not necessarily an exact alcohol by volume
. Achel combine a strength and a colour (of the beer itself — blond or brown) designation.
in 1856. 'Westmalle Dubbel' was imitated by other breweries, Trappist and commercial, Belgian and worldwide, leading to the emergence of a style. 'Dubbels' are now understood to be a fairly strong (6%-8% ABV) brown ale
, with understated bitterness, fairly heavy body, and a pronounced fruitiness and cereal character.
Examples are: Westmalle Dubbel, Chimay Red/Premiere, Koningshoeven/La Trappe Dubbel and Achel 8 Bruin, Rochefort 8.
Tripels as a style are generally beers with an alcohol content ranging from 8% to 10% ABV.
Enkel, meaning "single", is a term formerly used by the Trappist breweries to describe the basic recipe of their beers. There are now no Trappist (or secular) breweries using the term.
Instead, "Blond(e)" (La Trappe, Westvleteren), "5" (Achel) or "6" (Rochefort) are used to describe the brewery's lightest beer. An Enkel could fulfil the role of a patersbier, as was the case with De Koningshoeven's when it was in production.
Quadrupel
is the name La Trappe give to an ale they brew which is stronger than their tripel.
In addition to the above, a lower-strength beer is sometimes brewed for consumption by the Brothers (patersbier) or sold on site.
" or "goblet" style glasses. The distinction between goblet and chalice is typically in the glass thickness. Goblets tend to be more delicate and thin, while the chalice is heavy and thick walled. Some chalices are even etched on the bottom to nucleate a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head.
brewing monasteries maintain a visitor's centre where their beers can be tasted and bought (sometimes with other monastic products such as bread and cheese). Visits to the monastery itself are usually not available to the general public. Although you can overnight in some of the monasteries (like Achel), if your purpose is non-touristic.
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
brewed by or under control of Trappist
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
monks. There are a total of 174 Trappist monasteries worldwide (as of April 2011); only seven (six in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, one in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
) produce Trappist beer and are authorized to label their beers with the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates a compliance to the various rules of the International Trappist Association.
History
The TrappistTRAPPIST
TRAPPIST is Belgian robotic telescope in Chile which came online in 2010, and is an acronym for TRAnsiting Planets and PlanetesImals Small Telescope, so named in homage to Trappist beer produced in the Belgian region. Situated high in the Chilean mountains at La Silla Observatory, it is actually...
order originated in the Cistercian monastery of La Trappe
Soligny-la-Trappe
Soligny-la-Trappe is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.* Population: 702* Area: 19.50 km²* Altitude: 267 mSoligny-la-Trappe is the location of La Trappe Abbey, where the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, or Trappists, was founded in 1664 by a converted courtier...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Various Cistercian congregations existed for many years, and by 1664 the Abbot of La Trappe felt that the Cistercians were becoming too liberal. He introduced strict new rules in the abbey and the Strict Observance was born. Since this time, many of the rules have been relaxed. However, a fundamental tenet, that monasteries should be self-supporting, is still maintained by these groups.
Monastery brewhouses, from different religious orders, existed all over Europe, since the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. From the very beginning, beer was brewed in French cistercian monasteries following the Strict Observance. For example, the monastery of La Trappe in Soligny already had its own brewery in 1685. Breweries were only later introduced in monasteries of other countries, following the extension of the trappist order from France to the rest of Europe. The Trappists, like many other religious people, originally brewed beer as to feed the community, in a perspective of self-sufficiency. Nowadays, trappist breweries also brew beer to fund their works and for good causes. Many of the trappist monasteries and breweries were destroyed during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and the World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s. Among the monastic breweries, the Trappists were certainly the most active brewers: in the last 300 years, there were at least nine Trappist breweries in France, six in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, one in Germany, one in Austria, one in Bosnia and possibly other countries.
Today, seven trappist breweries remain active, 6 in Belgium and 1 just over the Belgian border, in the Netherlands.
In the twentieth century, the growing popularity of Trappist beers led some brewers with no connection to the order to label their beers "Trappist". After unsuccessful trials, monks finally sued one such brewer in 1962 in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Belgium.
International Trappist Association recognised breweries
Orval Brewery
Orval Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located within the walls of the Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval in the Gaume region of Belgium.The brewery produces two beers, which are marketed as trappist beer, Orval and Petite Orval.- History :...
, Chimay, Westvleteren
Westvleteren Brewery
The Westvleteren Brewery is a Belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Vleteren, 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...
, Rochefort
Rochefort Brewery
Rochefort Brewery is a Belgian Trappist brewery. It produces three Trappist beers.-Beers:* Rochefort 6 . Reddish colour, very consistent texture with a slightly spicy aroma and an intense taste of caramel, fruit, and hints of raisins...
, Westmalle
Westmalle Brewery
Westmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association...
and Achel), one from the Netherlands (Koningshoeven) and one from Germany (Mariawald) - founded the International Trappist Association (ITA) to prevent non-Trappist commercial companies from abusing the Trappist name. This private association created a logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
that is assigned to goods (cheese, beer, wine, etc.) that respect precise production criteria. For the beers, these criteria are the following:
- The beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey, by or under control of Trappist monks.
- The brewery, the choices of brewing, and the commercial orientations must obviously depend on the monastic community.
- The economic purpose of the brewery must be directed toward assistance and not toward financial profit.
This association has a legal standing, and its logo gives to the consumer some information and guarantees about the produce.
There are currently seven breweries that are allowed to have the products they sell display the Authentic Trappist Product logo:
| Brewery | Location | Year Opened | Annual Production (2004) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bières de Chimay |  |
1863 | 123000 hL |
| Brasserie d'Orval Orval Brewery Orval Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located within the walls of the Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval in the Gaume region of Belgium.The brewery produces two beers, which are marketed as trappist beer, Orval and Petite Orval.- History :... |
|
1931 | 45000 hL |
| Brasserie de Rochefort Rochefort Brewery Rochefort Brewery is a Belgian Trappist brewery. It produces three Trappist beers.-Beers:* Rochefort 6 . Reddish colour, very consistent texture with a slightly spicy aroma and an intense taste of caramel, fruit, and hints of raisins... |
|
1595 | 18000 hL |
| Brouwerij der Trappisten van Westmalle Westmalle Brewery Westmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association... |
|
1836 | 120000 hL |
| Brouwerij Westvleteren Westvleteren Brewery The Westvleteren Brewery is a Belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Vleteren, 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... /St Sixtus |
|
1838 | 4750 hL |
| Brouwerij der Sint-Benedictusabdij de Achelse Kluis/Achel | |
1998 | 4500 hL |
| Brouwerij de Koningshoeven/La Trappe |  |
1884 | 145000 hL |
The Dutch brewery De Koningshoeven produces the only Dutch Trappist beers—branded La Trappe—that are able to carry the "Authentic Trappist Product" logo. Their use of the logo was withdrawn in 1999, but was restored in October 2005 (see Brouwerij de Koningshoeven for details).
Unofficial Trappist breweries
The French abbey of Sainte Marie du Mont des Cats is selling trappist beer since June 16th, 2011. The abbey of the "Mont des cats" has no brewery at this time and does not plan to build one in the near future, for reasons of cost and brewing skills. They do not however totally exclude to rebuild one brewery in the future. The trappist beer sold by this abbey is produced by the brewery of Chimay and does not wear the "authentic trappist product" logo yet.The Trappist monks of the Abbey of "Maria Toevlucht" in Zundert
Zundert
Zundert is a municipality and a town in Noord Brabant, the Netherlands.Zundert lies about 10 metres above Dutch sea level , and is located 15 km south-west of the city of Breda, and 35 km north-east of Antwerp, Belgium...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
are planning an on-site brewery.
Abbey beer
The designation "abbey beers" (Bières d'Abbaye or Abdijbier) was originally used for any monastic or monastic-style beer. After the introduction of an official Trappist beer designation by the International Trappist Association in 1997, it came to mean products similar in style or presentation to monastic beers. In other words, an Abbey beer may be:-- Produced by a non-Trappist monastery — e.g Cistercian, BenedictineBenedictineBenedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
; or - produced by a commercial brewery under an arrangement with an extant monastery; or
- branded with the name of a defunct or fictitious abbey by a commercial brewer; or
- given a vaguely monastic branding, without mentioning a specific monastery, by a commercial brewer.
Types of beer
With the recent exception of Koningshoeven's Bockbier, Trappist beers are all aleAle
Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast. The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste...
s, that is, top fermented, and mainly bottle conditioned. Trappist breweries use various systems of nomenclature of the different beers produced, which relate mainly to the relative strength of the beer in the range.
The best known is the system where different beers are called Enkel/Single, Dubbel/Double
Dubbel
The dubbel is a Belgian Trappist beer naming convention. The origin of the dubbel was a beer brewed in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle in 1856. The abbey had, since 10 December 1836, brewed a witbier that was quite sweet and light in alcohol for consumption by the paters. The new beer, however,...
and Tripel/Triple
Tripel
Tripel is a term used by brewers mainly in the Low Countries, some other European countries, and the USA to describe a strong pale ale, loosely in the style of Westmalle Tripel. The origin of the term is unknown, though the main theory is that it indicates strength in some way...
— single, double and triple in English. Considering the importance of the Holy Trinity in the church, it is unlikely that the choice of three types of beers was accidental. Enkels are now no longer brewed as such.
Colours can be used to indicate the different types, dating back to the days when bottles were unlabelled and had to be identified by the capsule or bottle-top alone. Chimay beer labels are based on the colour system, and Westvleteren beers are still unlabelled.
There is also a number system (6,8 and 10, as used by Rochefort), which gives an indication of strength, but is not necessarily an exact alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume
Alcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
. Achel combine a strength and a colour (of the beer itself — blond or brown) designation.
Dubbel
The 'Dubbel' is a Trappist breweries naming convention. The origin of the dubbel was a beer brewed in the Trappist Abbey of WestmalleWestmalle Abbey
The Trappist Abbey of Westmalle or Abdij van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Heilig Hart , which belongs to the Cistercians of Strict Observance, is located in Westmalle , in the Campine region of the province of Antwerp .The abbey was founded in 1794, but the community was not elevated to the rank of...
in 1856. 'Westmalle Dubbel' was imitated by other breweries, Trappist and commercial, Belgian and worldwide, leading to the emergence of a style. 'Dubbels' are now understood to be a fairly strong (6%-8% ABV) brown ale
Brown ale
Brown ale is a style of beer with a dark amber or brown colour. The term was first used by London brewers in the late 17th century to describe their products, such as mild ale, though the term had a rather different meaning than it does today...
, with understated bitterness, fairly heavy body, and a pronounced fruitiness and cereal character.
Examples are: Westmalle Dubbel, Chimay Red/Premiere, Koningshoeven/La Trappe Dubbel and Achel 8 Bruin, Rochefort 8.
Tripel
Tripel (also trippel or triple ale), is a naming convention used by Belgian Trappist breweries to describe the strongest beer in their range. Westmalle Tripel is considered to be the foundation of this beer style, and was developed in the 1930s. Achel 8 Blond, Westmalle Tripel, Koningshoeven/La Trappe Tripel, and Chimay White/Cinq Cents are all examples of Trappist tripels, but this style has proven even more popular among secular breweries like Bosteels and St. Bernardus.Tripels as a style are generally beers with an alcohol content ranging from 8% to 10% ABV.
Others
Most Trappist breweries also feature a "patersbier" or "fathers' beer" that is only available within the monastery. This variety is designed to be consumed by the monks themselves, although it is sometimes offered at the monastery's on-site café. The term "patersbier" does not designate a style as such; is usually a weaker version of the one of the regular beers, and may only be offered to the Brothers only on festive occasions, both of these facts relating to the Trappist tradition of austerity. Examples include Chimay Dorée and Petite Orval.Enkel, meaning "single", is a term formerly used by the Trappist breweries to describe the basic recipe of their beers. There are now no Trappist (or secular) breweries using the term.
Instead, "Blond(e)" (La Trappe, Westvleteren), "5" (Achel) or "6" (Rochefort) are used to describe the brewery's lightest beer. An Enkel could fulfil the role of a patersbier, as was the case with De Koningshoeven's when it was in production.
Quadrupel
Quadrupel
Quadrupel is the brand name of a strong seasonal beer La Trappe Quadrupel brewed by De Koningshoeven Brewery in the Netherlands, the only Trappist brewing abbey not in Belgium...
is the name La Trappe give to an ale they brew which is stronger than their tripel.
Ranges
The official Trappist breweries produce the following beers for consumption:-- Achel, sells Blonde (8% ABV), Brune (8% ABV), Extra Blonde (8% ABV), Extra Brune (8% ABV).
- ChimayBières de ChimayChimay Brewery is a beer brewery in Chimay, southern Hainaut, Belgium. The brewery is located in the Scourmont Abbey, a Trappist monastery, and is one of the seven breweries worldwide that produce Trappist beer. They make three widely distributed ales: Chimay Rouge, Chimay Bleue, and Chimay...
sells Red Label (dark, 7% ABV), White Label (Blonde/Tripel, ABV 8%) and Blue Label (dark, 9% ABV). - KoningshoevenDe Koningshoeven BreweryDe Koningshoeven Brewery is a Dutch Trappist brewery founded in 1884 within the walls of the abbey Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven in Berkel-Enschot .- History :...
sells:-- La Trappe Blond (6.5% ABVAlcohol by volumeAlcohol by volume is a standard measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage .The ABV standard is used worldwide....
) - La Trappe DubbelDubbelThe dubbel is a Belgian Trappist beer naming convention. The origin of the dubbel was a beer brewed in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle in 1856. The abbey had, since 10 December 1836, brewed a witbier that was quite sweet and light in alcohol for consumption by the paters. The new beer, however,...
(7% ABV) - La Trappe Isid'or (7.5% ABV)
- La Trappe TripelTripelTripel is a term used by brewers mainly in the Low Countries, some other European countries, and the USA to describe a strong pale ale, loosely in the style of Westmalle Tripel. The origin of the term is unknown, though the main theory is that it indicates strength in some way...
(8% ABV) - La Trappe QuadrupelQuadrupelQuadrupel is the brand name of a strong seasonal beer La Trappe Quadrupel brewed by De Koningshoeven Brewery in the Netherlands, the only Trappist brewing abbey not in Belgium...
(10% ABV) - La Trappe QuadrupelQuadrupelQuadrupel is the brand name of a strong seasonal beer La Trappe Quadrupel brewed by De Koningshoeven Brewery in the Netherlands, the only Trappist brewing abbey not in Belgium...
Oak Aged (10% ABV) - La Trappe Witte Trappist (5.5% ABV)
- La Trappe BockBockBock is a strong lager of German origin. Several substyles exist, including maibock or helles bock, a paler, more hopped version generally made for consumption at spring festivals; doppelbock, a stronger and maltier version; and eisbock, a much stronger version made by partially freezing the beer...
bier (7% ABV) (Seasonal) - La Trappe PUUR (4.7% ABV) (organicOrganic foodOrganic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
)
- La Trappe Blond (6.5% ABV
- Orval sells a "unique"dry hopped 6.2% amber ale.
- Rochefort sells three dark ales, "6" (7.5% ABV). "8" (9.2% ABV) and "10" (11.3% ABV).
- WestmalleWestmalle BreweryWestmalle Brewery is a Belgian trappist brewery located in the Trappist Abbey of Westmalle. It produces three beers, which are designated trappist beer because they follow the rules of the International Trappist Association...
sells Dubbel (7% ABV) and Tripel (9% ABV), - WestvleterenWestvleteren BreweryThe Westvleteren Brewery is a Belgian brewery founded in 1838 inside the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in the Belgian municipality of Vleteren, 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...
sells Green Cap or Blonde, (5.8% ABV), Blue Cap (dark, 8% ABV) and Yellow Cap (dark, 10.2% ABV).
In addition to the above, a lower-strength beer is sometimes brewed for consumption by the Brothers (patersbier) or sold on site.
Glassware
Belgian breweries have a tradition of providing custom beer glasses: with Trappist breweries, this often takes the form of providing "chaliceChalice
A chalice is a goblet or footed cup intended to hold a drink. This can also refer to;* Holy Chalice, the vessel which Jesus used at the Last Supper to serve the wine* Chalice , a type of smoking pipe...
" or "goblet" style glasses. The distinction between goblet and chalice is typically in the glass thickness. Goblets tend to be more delicate and thin, while the chalice is heavy and thick walled. Some chalices are even etched on the bottom to nucleate a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head.
Beer tourism
The idea of visiting Trappist monasteries to sample their beers has become more popular in recent years, partly due to promotion by enthusiasts such as the 'beer hunter' Michael Jackson. Mostbrewing monasteries maintain a visitor's centre where their beers can be tasted and bought (sometimes with other monastic products such as bread and cheese). Visits to the monastery itself are usually not available to the general public. Although you can overnight in some of the monasteries (like Achel), if your purpose is non-touristic.
External links
- All about Trappist beer
- Official site of the International Trappist Association
- Explanation from the monks of La Trappe in regard with the Trappist logo and Trappist beer dispute - in Dutch
- Press Release (in English) regarding the La Trappe dispute
- Official website of the Trappist Order
- Proof of a brewery in the monastery of La Trappe, 1685, nov 16th
- The reference on the net talking about Trappist Beer (Vader Abts Trappist Biersite)
- Everything you want to know about Trappist beers