A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. Of the world's 171 Trappist monasteries (as of April 2005), seven produce beer (six in Belgium and one in The Netherlands). Only these seven breweries are authorized to label their beers with the Authentic Trappist Product logo that indicates a compliance to various rules edicted by the International Trappist Association (see details below).
History
The Trappist 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-age. 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 Wars. Among the monastic breweries, the Trappists were certainly the most active brewers: in the last 300 years, there were at least height 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 reman active, in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In the twentieth century, the growing popularity of Trappist beers drew some unscrupulous brewers with no connection to the order to label their beers as "Trappist". After unsuccessful trials, monks finally sued one such brewer in 1962 in Ghent, Belgium.
The International Trappist Association
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 (see the picture) 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 their products wear the Authentic Trappist Product logo:
- Bières de Chimay
- Brasserie d'Orval
- Brasserie de Rochefort
- Brouwerij Westmalle
- Brouwerij Westvleteren
- Brouwerij de Achelse Kluis
- Brouwerij de Koningshoeven
The Dutch brewery De Koningshoeven produces the only Dutch Trappist beer that is able to carry the "Authentic Trappist Product" logo. However, between 1999 and October 2005 their use of the logo was withdrawn. See Brouwerij de Koningshoeven for details.
Types of beer
With the recent exception of Koningshoeven's Bockbier, Trappist beers are all ales, that is, top fermented, distributed in bottles, 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 (e.g., "single", "double", "triple". (Enkel, Dubbel, Tripel in Dutch). Colours or numbers 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. The number system gives an indication of strength, but is not an exact alcohol by volume.
Notes