QandAs: Food

What is a Trappist Beer?

Answer:
Although individual members of a religious order are

strongly encouraged not to imbibe alcoholic beverages, they are permitted to brew and sell homemade wines and beers in order to support themselves and their causes financially.

A Trappist beer is a premium ale produced within the walls (or at least under the strict supervision) of a handful of Trappist monasteries around the world.

It is not unusual to find very good wines produced in monasteries and other communal religious communities, but the brewing of beer is a different story. Trappist monks also produce wines from their own vineyards, but they are considered to be master brewers of top-fermented ales, which are generally lighter in nature than bottom-fermented lagers.

Only the finest ingredients are allowed to be used in Trappist beers, as defined in the German beer laws of the 15th century. Authentic Trappist beer cannot be sold for personal profit, nor can the label "Trappist beer" be applied to any beer brewed outside the walls or without the authorization of Trappist monasteries.

There are only a handful of monasteries recognized as authorized brewers of Trappist beer, and almost all are located in Europe. Several breweries have tried to present their products as Trappist beer over the years, but lawsuits filed by the real Trappist authorities have largely put an end to these imitators.

A Trappist monastery may decide whether or not to brew beer or produce wine as a way to generate revenue, and the prospect of selling or promoting an intoxicating beverage often does figure into the decision-making process. The most successful Trappist beer breweries are generally found in regions where fine beermaking is considered more of a traditional art form, such as German, Belgium and Austria.

The total percentage of alcohol in a Trappist beer can vary significantly from brand to brand. Instead of using a "proof" percentage, many Trappist beers contain a strength number. A single strength Trappist beer contains less alcohol than a double or triple strength beer, for example. It would be difficult to say precisely how those strength listings compare to standard beers, but many people consider Trappist beers to be of much higher quality than standard ales and lagers, regardless of their actual alcohol content.


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