Here Come the Trappists

Hi all! So what’s happening in the beer world at The Blind Monk, you ask?

 

Well, continuing with our Belgian Beer Month, today we roll out the Trappist beers–Rochefort 8, Koningshoeven Quadrupel, Orval, Westmalle Dubbel, and all three Chimays.

 

For beer-heads, the term “Trappist” is associated with some of the best beers made in the world. For those who aren’t already familiar, here is a quick primer on Trappist Beers.

 

Trappist beers are those made by one of the Trappist monasteries, a subset of the Cistercian Order. They are intimately connected to the Belgian brewing tradition, with the Dubbel,

Tripel, and Quadrupel styles being standard Belgian beer styles. Their beers as a whole tend to be stronger and more full-flavored with characteristic floral, fruit, and spice notes.

 

In order to be labelled a “Trappist,” a beer must adhere to several criteria:

 

▪ The beer must be brewed in a Trappist monastery by monks or under theirsupervision.

▪ The brewery must be secondary to the rest of the monastery.
▪ It must represent business practices proper to a monastic way of life.
▪ The monastery must not make any profit from the production of its beers. Income from the brewery is used to cover the living expenses of the monks and the maintenance of the buildings and grounds. Whatever remains is donated to charity.▪ Trappist breweries must be constantly monitored to assure the irreproachable quality of their beers.

It is this rigid commitment to quality that has yielded some of the best beers in the world and has established the Trappist community as brewers of great renown throughout the brewing world.

 

It is recommended that all Trappist beers be served at cellar temperature of 55 degrees, so as to allow all of the wonderful flavors and complexities of the ales to emerge. If you were ordering these beers in Belgium, that is how they would be served. Here at the Blind Monk, we offer our Trappist (and other Belgian) beers at cellar temp, as well as chilled for those of you who prefer it colder. But we warn you, cold neutralizes flavor, and your Trappist Ale will taste MUCH better when served at the proper cellar temperature.