Trappist Beer: What It Is and Why It’s Awesome
La Trappe Trappist beer being poured into a beer glass.
If you’ve been a beer lover for a while and have explored different types of brews, chances are, you’ve come across Trappist beer. Widely respected and superbly brewed, this class of beer holds a special place in the global beer scene. A classification of beer that is not only delicious but also made by monks. Yes, you read that right — religious monks.
And, believe it or not, the classification of Trappist is regulated by an association and breweries can, and have, lost their designation as a Trappist brewery for not meeting specific criteria. Which, leads us to the obvious next question, what is Trappist beer?
What Is Trappist Beer?
There is a set of rules that dictate what makes a beer a Trappist beer. One of the most important rules is that the beer is made by Trappist monks, a sect of monastic Catholic monks.
Along with prayer, manual labor has always been an integral part of the spiritual practice of these monks. In a more practical sense, this custom has also been a means for monks to fund their monasteries and monastic lives, selling a variety of offerings such as cheese, woven fabrics, and beverages.
At one point in time, most of these monasteries were located in France. In response to being targeted in the midst of political upheaval, many of these monks found their way to Belgium, along with some other countries such as Austria and Italy, where they were able to set up monasteries, continue living their monastic lives, and, of course, make beer.
Given their spiritual devotion to manual labor, these monks didn’t just make beer, they made really good beer. Not looking to cut any corners that would diminish quality, they did things the right way and developed their own unique systems and recipes for creating beer.
Fast forward, and the beer that comes out of these monasteries is world-renowned for it’s depth of flavor and amazing quality. However, while there are certain characteristics that many Trappist breweries share, these flavors aren’t part of the actual criteria that qualify a beer to be labeled as Trappist.
To be a Trappist brewery, beer must be made relatively close to an abbey while production is overseen by Trappist monks or nuns. In addition, the money gained from selling the beer cannot be used as profit but must go to the monastery or to other sanctioned uses, such as charity.
But, as we’ve touched on, many Trappist beers also share specific flavor profiles. For the most part, drinkers describe Trappist beers as malty and grain-forward. However, it must, of course, be remembered that beers within the Trappist denomination can come in a variety of styles and forms, each with its own unique profile.
While they can go by different names, the majority of Trappist breweries categorize their beers into four distinct categories: Enkel, Duvel, Tripel, and Quadtrupel (or single, double, triple, and quadruple). These classifications denote the general strength of the beer in ascending order.
Some of the most popular Trappist breweries include La Trappe, Westmalle, Orval, and Chimay. Today, 13 abbeys have been approved to use the ATP (authentic Trappist product) label on their goods, with nine of these abbeys approved to produce Trappist beer with the ATP label.
The nine abbeys currently creating Trappist beer at the time of writing this include:
Chimay (in Belgium)
La Trappe (in The Netherlands)
Orval (in Belgium)
Rochefort (in Belgium)
Tre Fontane (in Italy)
Tynt Meadow (in The UK)
Westmalle (in Belgium)
Westvleteran (in Belgium)
Zundert (in The Netherlands)
You’ll notice that the majority of the breweries which produce Trappist beers are found in Belgium. This contributes to a common misconception that all Trappist breweries are located in Belgium when, in fact, they can be found in several different European countries.
However, most of the main breweries that come to mind when people think of Trappist beer are all from Belgium, with the exception of La Trappe. So, when associating Trappist beer with the country of Belgium, consumers aren’t exactly wrong as these particular Trappist breweries have played an important role in putting Trappist beer on the world stage.
If you’re located in America, don’t think that finding Trappist beer is impossible. They can be found in a variety of specialty beer and liquor stores across the country. While their price point may seem high, the truth is that they should be. These beers have been crafted by monks who have dedicated their lives to doing their best work with the aim of achieving spiritual goals.
If you get the chance to try Trappist beer (and are of legal age to do so in your location), definitely do it. And if you don’t get the chance, create it because you really need to try it if you love beer.
