The end of Trappist beers?
- Thread starter Steve.
- Start date
Help Support The Homebrew Forum:
Why don't they change the rules to say anyone can make it as long as its made in the abbey, do drinkers really care who brews it?
According to the International Trappist Association (ITA), beer, cheese or other goods can bear the “authentic Trappist product” label only if made inside an abbey, under the supervision of monks or nuns, with all profits destined for the upkeep of the religious community, the wider Trappist order and charities.
The brewhouse at Westmalle, where beer has been produced since 1836. Photograph: Trappist Westmalle
At Westmalle, Belgium’s oldest Trappist brewery, staff are thinking about the future. “Nowadays, we don’t have a lot of vocations,” said Philippe Van Assche, the secular managing director of the brewery. He is not confident people will be seeking to become monks in 10 or 20 years’ time: “To be honest, I think there is a kind of caesura ... a kind of break.”
According to the International Trappist Association (ITA), beer, cheese or other goods can bear the “authentic Trappist product” label only if made inside an abbey, under the supervision of monks or nuns, with all profits destined for the upkeep of the religious community, the wider Trappist order and charities.
The brewhouse at Westmalle, where beer has been produced since 1836. Photograph: Trappist Westmalle
At Westmalle, Belgium’s oldest Trappist brewery, staff are thinking about the future. “Nowadays, we don’t have a lot of vocations,” said Philippe Van Assche, the secular managing director of the brewery. He is not confident people will be seeking to become monks in 10 or 20 years’ time: “To be honest, I think there is a kind of caesura ... a kind of break.”
clib
Landlord.
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2021
- Messages
- 748
- Reaction score
- 652
That would make them Abbey brewers. It's catered for already.
https://www.beermyguest.ch/blog/wha...rs are abbey beers,Trappist is an abbey beer.
Its just a name, it would be crazy to stop brewing because they don't have monks on site.
clib
Landlord.
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2021
- Messages
- 748
- Reaction score
- 652
Yes and I doubt they will stop, it's a commercial opportunity. Achel is probably a role model, mentioned in the article.
An Ankoù
Landlord.
Threads merged - Admin.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/26/belgium-trappist-beers-under-threat
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/26/belgium-trappist-beers-under-threat
Last edited by a moderator:
An Ankoù
Landlord.
Westmalle is available in 33cl bottles (which they share with Westvleteren) in our local supermarket for €1.80. It's delicious stuff and a good source of a truly weapons grade yeast (which they also share with Westvleteren. I know it's dearer in the UK, if it can be found at all, but the point is that these bottles of nectar sit happily next to 33cl bottles of some local brewer's hopeless attempt at brewing something like beer and costing up to €5. If and when these beers are no longer under the watchful eyes of the monks, the price will go up and the quality will go down. Enjoy while you can.
Or, even better, join a monastery.
Or, even better, join a monastery.
Sadfield
Landlord.
Pffft... De Ranke De Dolle, St. Bernadus, De Struisse and many more all make beer on par, if not better, without the need for monks. International Trappist Association and 'Authentic Trappiste Product' is just a marketing trademark.
Agentgonzo
Landlord.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2021
- Messages
- 3,465
- Reaction score
- 3,720
I don't think most drinkers care. But trappist breweries exist to support the monastery, its people and their charities, not the other way around. People seem to forget that.
Pennine
Landlord.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2019
- Messages
- 2,892
- Reaction score
- 4,426
St Bernardus, you are correct. I don't think the others are even close to Westmalle or Orval, or even Chimay or Rochefort. And I love de struise.
An Ankoù
Landlord.
But it's not, Chippy. I was looking at the Westvleteren site some weeks ago and they were warning people not to come hoping for a quick tour of the brewery. Their line was something like "We're monks, not brewers. We only brew beer so that we can afford to live as monks." Trappist beers are not for profit, they're for the maintenance of the community and the upkeep of the monastery. Any surplus is given to charity. So they don't need to worry about costs and profits as their beer is already cheap and they can easily absorb, for example, a hike in grain prices because if they increase the beer price, they'll still sell all they can make. But take it out of their hands and it'll lose its edge. A bottle of Westvleteren 12 costs about €2 at the monastery. Check out the price for a single bottle on e-bay. Well north of €20 depending on how long it's been kept.
Sadfield
Landlord.
Makes you wonder why Westmalle struggle to recruit Monks, with €2.6m to live off.
'more profit was retained due to cost control', sounds like standard capitalism.
https://pnws.be/meer-winst-voor-brouwerij-der-trappisten-van-westmalle-in-2020-ondanks-corona/
Lovely beer, but romanticised BS.
55% of Orval's income doesn't go to the monks or charity. And the beer hasn't been brewed by monks.
https://www.belgiansmaak.com/orval-trappist-ale/
Last edited:
Sadfield
Landlord.
Oop... Dubbel post.
An Ankoù
Landlord.
Where does it go? Do you know? Does it pay the secular brewers? Has is been used to pay for the state of the art brewery and bottling plant? It's not even clear from the otherwise interesting article if part of the balance covers materials costs. "that they make" isn't very precise.
clib
Landlord.
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2021
- Messages
- 748
- Reaction score
- 652
Monks on the make. Nuns on the run? What's goin on?!!
Maybe they'll float the monastery on the stock exchanges...
Pennine
Landlord.
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2019
- Messages
- 2,892
- Reaction score
- 4,426
It goes to Rome... How else would they be allowed to brew beer.
Sadfield
Landlord.
It's an ungodly business. It appears Achel were sold to secular owners by Westmalle.
https://www.inside.beer/news/detail...ssociated-trappist-brewery-to-secular-owners/
Similar threads
