Trappist monks used to make wine in France. In one of the tedious religico–politico quarrels the Trappists were expelled from France.

They settled in Belgium. Ummm, can’t grow vines in Belgium, not at that time anyway so these monks turned to making beer.

Not just any beer and despite the use of “kandi sugar” not a precursor of VB! The Belgian government taxed the size of mash tuns. So—sugar syrups were added to the kettle to beef up the gravity of the wort made in the smaller mash tun.

These Trappist beers and beers from breweries formerly monasteries or wanting to appear like them (abbey ales) form a set of beer styles.

Sticking to the Trappist monasteries and their beers they tend to make beers in several classes:

1. Dubbel—the weakest in their range, about 6%

2. Tripel—triple strength about 9%

3. Quadrupel—4x strength, like 12–14%

4. Golden Ales

Some better known Trappist breweries—Chimay, Westmalle, La Trappe

Outside the actual Trappist ales the best known is Duvel, a strong Belgian Golden Ale. Delicious beer! Dunno if Uncle Dan (Murphy) still sells Belgian ales—next time you are there search for Trappist or Abbey beers (Duvel etc.)

I have just bought four 750ml bottles of La Trappe Quadrupel. Reckon be some nice cosy parties with nice food, great beer and good company.

If you see Chimay, La Trappe or Duvel grab some bottles or stubbies.

The monks in the actual monasteries are VERY strict in seeing the ales keep the same character and flavor etc even with modern technology.

One changed to huge stainless steel fermenters, like you might see in a brewery churning out cheap piss like CUB. To ensure their ales retained their traditional flavor the monks overseeing the brewing insisted the fermenters were only filled half way.


The candy sugar the Trappist breweries use is not untreated cane sugar! You do detect a whiff of sweetness in drinking a Trappist ale but unlike with VB you can drink a glass of warm, flat trappist or abbey ale.


Ummme Leffe abbey ales are NOT worth tryimg except for their Radieuse ale.


There are other Belgian beer styles—later!