There is no beer style behind this designation, but an indication of the origin: the beer must have been brewed in a Trappist monastery or in the immediate vicinity with the prescribed brewing licence.
Trappist monks always supervise the brewing process and a large part of the total proceeds from the sale of the beer must go to social projects. As far as the beer itself is concerned, many beer stems can be hidden behind it, most of the time it is Belgian Strong ALE . By the way, Trappist beers often have a higher alcohol content - it can easily reach up to 12 percent.
A small part of the products made by the monks and nuns is for personal use. Most of it is sold. With the income, the Trappists can meet the needs of their monastic community. The surplus is donated. In this way, they support development projects both nationally and abroad, or they help people in need.
The Trappists and their history
The Trappists lead a life according to the religious rules of Saint Benedict of Nursia (who was born around 480 AD), who proposes a gospel lifestyle through the organisation of a sober monastic life. This is still the case today. Saint Benedict's Rules of Order were already widely disseminated in Europe more than a thousand years ago, including through the Cistercian Order, which was founded in France in 1098.
The Abbey of La Trappe
Over the centuries, an increased desire for sobriety led to reforms. Thus, in the seventeenth century, the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance was founded at the French abbey of La Trappe, in Normandy.
The monks of this abbey took the name Trappists. All Trappist abbeys that are members of the AIT belong to this order.
Saint Benedict of Nursia proposed that his monks live in community and devote themselves to both prayer and manual labour ('Ora et labora'). This introduction of manual work informed by the spiritual spirit was a revolution. There was an attempt to find maturity and sanctification in the search for rest during work. When we experience work in this way, we pay more attention to the environment, it shapes our relationship with the world with a healthy sobriety.
Pope Francis, June 2015
The International Trappist Association brings together twenty Trappist abbeys in Europe and around the world. In all AIT member abbeys, the production of articles and foodstuffs takes place. They are produced within the walls of the abbey or in the immediate vicinity, always under the supervision of Trappists and Trappist Sisters who are very often also involved in the production.
In order to claim the label for one of the Trappist® products, the abbey submitting its application to the AIT must comply with these three very strict criteria.
The products must be produced in the immediate vicinity of the abbey;
The production must take place under the supervision of the Trappists or Trappist Sisters ;
The proceeds must meet the needs of the monastic community and are intended for solidarity within the Trappist Order, environmental projects and charitable works.
The following products bear the logo " Authentic Trappist Product ".
Trappist® beers and Trappist® cheeses from Orval Abbey, Orval (B)
Trappist® beers from the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Benoît, Achel (B)
Trappist® beers from the Abbey of Scourmont, Chimay (B)
Trappist® beers of Rochefort, Rochefort (B)
Trappist® beers of the Abbey Onze Lieve Vrouw van Heilig Hart,Westmalle (B)
Trappist® beers of Sint-Sixtus Abbey, Westvleteren (B)
Trappist® beers of Koningshoeven Abbey, Tilburg (NL)
Trappist® beers of the Abbey of Engelszell, Engelhartszell (AT)
Trappist® cheeses of the Abbey of Mont des Cats, Godewaersvelde (FR)
Trappist® beers of the Abbey of Maria Toevlucht, Zundert (NL)
Trappist® beers of Saint-Joseph Abbey, Spencer (USA)
Trappist® beers from Tre Fontane Abbey, Rome (IT)
Trappist® beers from Mount Saint Bernard Abbey,(UK)
Although we specialise in craft beers at The Crafts, we retain the tradition of Trappist beers as sales benefit sustainable environments and charitable works. By buying a Trappist beer at The Crafts you are always doing a good deed.
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