ELABORATION
What is a Trappist beer:
A Trappist, or Trappist, beer is a beer brewed by or under the supervision of Trappist monks. These Trappist beers are generally top-fermented and must be brewed in accordance with the criteria defined by the International Trappist Association if they want to be able to display the "Authentic Trappist Product" (ATP) logo issued by this private association.
Authentic Trappist Product Logo
Since 1997, in order to reinforce the protective nature of the appellation, certain criteria have been defined by the International Trappist Association (AIT), with a view to issuing an “Authentic Trappist Product” logo guaranteeing compliance with certain specific criteria.
The conditions for a Trappist beer to receive the "Authentic Trappist product" logo can be summarized as follows.
This beer must be brewed inside walls a Trappist abbey or nearby.
· La brasserie doit refléter clairement tant un lien de subordination indiscutable avec le Trappist monastery benefiting only from belonging to the corporate culture specific to the monastic life project. The beer must be brewed and marketed by the Trappist monks or under their control.
A part of the profits is affected maintenance of the abbey site; the rest is given to charities of the monastic community.
The AIT also states that “Trappist breweries strictly adhere to all safety, health and consumer information standards. Similarly, the style of communication and advertising are characterized by probity, sobriety and reserve befitting the religious environment in which the beers are made. Beyond the three criteria, the AIT therefore focuses its attention on a certain manufacturing and marketing ethics, in order to issue the right for a Trappist product to display the logo.
The other beers inspired by the characteristics of the most common Trappist beers (top fermentation and high alcohol content) will be rather qualified as abbey beer.
In Belgium, about twenty of these abbey beers such as Affligem, Leffe or Grimbergen are marketed under the recognized Belgian Abbey Beer logo. Unlike Trappist beers which are brewed by monks, Abbey beers are brewed by civilians.
Current Trappist beers:
The fourteen Trappist beers with their glasses
Since September 2018, there are fourteen Trappist beer brands in the world, of which only eleven are labeled "Authentic Trappist Product" (ATP). Five are Belgian (including two brewed in the Flemish Region, three in the Walloon Region), two are Dutch, one is Austrian, one is American, one is Italian, one is English, one is French, but does not have the ATP label because it is brewed outside the abbey (see below) and a Spanish one, which does not have the ATP label either.
Some beers are brewed occasionally or produced in limited volume, such as "Chimay Dorée", or sold only at the abbey, such as the three "Westvleteren" beers. Some abbeys produce a less strong beer sometimes known as "single". This production was originally mainly intended for monks who wished to have a bottle with their meal, such as the “Orval Vert”. Stronger beers (double, triple) may be offered on Sundays and other religious days.
It should be noted that Trappist beers evolve over time like all natural beers and benefit from prolonged rest (up to several years) to better appreciate their complex flavors. However, over time, the sparkle diminishes until it disappears. We then speak of “flat beer”. The beverage is nonetheless consumable.
Belgium:
Westmalle http://www.trappistwestmalle.be/
Westvleteren http://www.sintsixtus.be/
Chimay http://www.chimay.com/
Orval http://www.orval.be/
Rochefort http://www.trappistes-rochefort.com/
1. Westmalle, brewed at the Abbey of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Westmalle, in Malle in the province of Antwerp, comes in three alcohol strengths:
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9.5% for the triple (golden blonde),
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7% for the double (brown)
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4.8% for the "Extra" (pale blonde). The "Extra" has been on sale in stores since spring 2021. Previously, this was only given to the monks of the abbey.
2. Westvleteren, brewed at Saint-Sixte de Westvleteren Abbey, in Vleteren in West Flanders. It is one of the smallest Trappist breweries. Westvleteren is a rare beer because the monks of the abbey decided not to increase production to 4,800 hectoliters despite its success. Thus, to get it you have to book online and then go to the abbey on the day the beer is released, even if some specialized stores sell it without authorization. There are three types:
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blonde (5.8%),
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and two brunettes (8 and 10.2%).
At the end of the Second World War, the abbey granted manufacturing licenses to the neighboring Watou brewery for the manufacture of a range known as St Sixtus intended for more commercial sales. In 1992, the Abbey of Saint-Sixte denounced these licenses and the Watou brewery now has its own range: St Bernardus which, although presented as a Trappist beer, does not have the ATP label.
3. La Chimay, brewed at Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey, in the province of Hainaut, comes in:
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amber (capsulated red, 7%),
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triple (capsulated white, 8%),
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brown (capsulated blue, 9%) plus the blue Chimay aged in barrels (10.5%)
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and golden (encapsulated golden, 4.8%).
They are usually called red, white, blue and golden Chimay. However, the name "Chimay blanche" is little used and replaced by "Chimay triple" to avoid confusion with white beers, popular in Belgium. The "Chimay Dorée" is historically reserved as a table beer for the monastic community and its guests. Its alcohol content is quite low. It nevertheless retains the aromas of a Trappist. There are also many limited productions for special events, often in 75 cl bottles. Since May 1, 2021, beer lovers have had the opportunity to discover Chimay's new Trappist, the "Chimay 150" green capsule, 10%, a blond beer with character which joins the brewery's permanent assortment.
4. L'Orval, brewed at Notre-Dame d'Orval Abbey, in the province of Luxembourg, with an alcohol content of 6.2%.
Popular legend has it that a countess of Tuscany who lost a golden ring in a lake in the "Golden Valley" declared that if God gave it back to her, she would thank him by building a monastery. It was when she saw a trout jump out of the water with the ring in its mouth that she kept her word...
As with all Trappists, the manufacturing secrets are well kept. What is certain is that this beer results from a double fermentation and a yeast specially prepared by the monks. There is a lighter version called "Green Orval" reserved for monks. The version was title for its part 4.5%.
5. La Rochefort, brewed at Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy abbey, in the province of Namur, which exists in four versions:
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"6" (7.5% - red capsule),
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"8" (9.2% - green capsule),
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"10" (11.3% - blue capsule),
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"Triple extra" (8.1% - purple capsule).
The difference between the figure and the percentage of alcohol is explained by the use of an old unit of measurement of alcohol the ("Belgian" degree) which expresses the hundredth of the gravity of the must before fermentation.
6. Achel: in January 2021 Achel lost its name "Authentic Trappist Product" (ATP) but remains a Trappist beer nonetheless. The brewing process no longer takes place under the supervision of on-site monks, but the beer remains Trappist beer as St. Benedict Abbey (Sint Benedictus) falls under Westmalle Abbey and the Abbey Abbot de Westmalle visits the Achelse Kluis weekly and supervises the brewing and other activities in the Achelse Kluis.
The Netherlands:
Our Lady of Koningshoeven Abbey http://www.koningshoeven.nl/
Our Lady of Refuge Abbey https://www.abdijmariatoevlucht.nl/
1. La Trappe, brewed at Notre-Dame de Koningshoeven Abbey, near Tilburg, in ten versions:
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the 'Blond' (6.5% alcohol) (the best known),
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'Dubbel' (7%),
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'Tripel' (8%),
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the 'Quadrupel' (10%) (brown) and its version 'Quadrupel Oak Aged' (10%) (the beer is aged in wooden barrels),
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the 'Witte Trappist' (5.5%) (the white Trappist),
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'Bockbier' (7.3%) (bock beer, multi-grain),
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'Isid'Or' (7.5%) (amber),
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'Puur' (4.7%) (first organic Trappist beer)
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and 'Nillis' (0%) (the first non-alcoholic Trappist beer).
La Trappe's status as a Trappist beer has been the subject of controversy: since the agreement with the Bavaria brewery in 1999, the monks had requested the withdrawal of the "Authentic Trappist Product" logo. The mention Trappistenbier has however always been legally present. After many discussions with the international Trappist association, the abbey of Tilburg obtained again the right, since September 2005, to affix the Authentic Trappist Product logo on its beers.
2. Zundert, brewed at Notre-Dame-du-Refuge abbey in two versions:
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"8" (8% - amber)
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and "10" (10% - brown)
France:
Sainte-Marie du Mont des Cats abbey http://www.abbaye-montdescats.fr/
1. France is the cradle of the Trappist order, created in 1892, but whose beginnings date back to the 17th century in Normandy. The Revolution, which pushed many religious into exile abroad, as well as the First World War, got the better of many breweries. That of the abbey of Sept-Fons ceased its monastic brewing activity at the beginning of the 20th century (secular brewing, under cover of the breweries of the Meuse, ceased there definitively around 1930). Sainte-Marie du Mont des Cats Abbey is a Cistercian abbey that brewed beer from around 1835 to 1905. The founders of the Saint-Sixte de Westvleteren abbey also originated from the abbey of Mont des Cats, where a famous Trappist beer is brewed.
The Trappist beer status of Mont des Cats was the subject of some discussion when it was launched. Produced again since June 2011, the “Mont des Cats” Trappist beer is marketed by the Mont des Cats abbey, although brewed and bottled at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont abbey in Chimay (in Belgium). Mont des Cats Trappist beer cannot therefore display the "Authentic Trappist Product" logo because it is not brewed in the eponymous abbey.
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Mont des Cats is only available in amber and has a strength of 7.6%.
Austria:
Engelszell Abbey http://www.stift-engelszell.at/
1. The beers produced by the Trappist monks of Engelszell Abbey in northern Austria have been officially recognized since 15 October 201216 as authentic Trappist products, i.e. bearing the "Authentic Trappist" logo Product" issued by the International Trappist Association.
The Engelszell comes in five versions:
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the brunette 'Gregorius',
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the amber 'Benno',
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the blonde 'Nivard',
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the white 'Weiße'
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and a blonde kellerbier type 'Zwickl'
United States:
St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer http://www.spencerbrewery.com/
1. In December 2013, the designation "Authentic Trappist Product" was granted to Spencer Trappist Ale (6.5%), a beer produced by St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, which thus became the only Trappist beer produced outside Europe. Since then, six other beers have been created:
India Pale Ale,
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Premium Pilsner (blonde pilsner, formerly called Feierabendbier),
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Monk's Reserve Ale (quadruple),
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Festive Lager (amber),
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Holiday Ale (Christmas brown - spicy)
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and Imperial Stout (black).
Italy:
Abbey of Tre Fontane http://www.abbaziatrefontane.it/
1. On 11 May 201519, the ATP designation was granted to Tre Fontane Tripel (8.5%), a beer produced by the Abbey of Tre Fontane (south of Rome). Production will be limited to 1,000 hectoliters per year. In 2018, the Scala Coeli (6.3%) was added.
England:
Mount Saint Bernard Abbey http://www.mountsaintbernard.org/
1. On September 17, 2018, the ATP designation was granted to Tynt Meadow (7.4% - brown), a beer produced by Mount Saint Bernard Abbey (Leicestershire).
Spain:
Abbey of San Pedro de Cardeña https://www.monasteriosanpedrodecardena.com/
Cerveza Cardeña Trappist is the Spanish Trappist beer, from the Abbey of San Pedro de Cardeña, but does not have the ATP logo.