QA Blog

As you no doubt are aware the team at the QA Hotel are religious about our beers.  In fact we are aware that in some religious circles the consumption of quality ales is often frowned upon.

However in our eyes that’s a little of the pot calling the kettle black.  Our team of beer investigators has done some digging through the historical archives to discover that some of the finest beers in the world are produced by the Trappist monks of the Roman Catholic “Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance”.

Apparently when they are not performing Gregorian chants, or following strict rules of behavior laid out by St. Benedict concerning obedience, stability, and dedication to the monastic way of life, a few of the monks can be found in their brew-house making some of the finest beer in the world.

“Beer? Are monks really allowed to make beer?” you may be wondering. Fortunately for beer drinkers, Trappist monks are not required to abstain from alcohol.

Hence seven Trappist monasteries in the world make and sell alcoholic beverages for their own consumption and for sale to the general public (six are located in Belgium, the other in the Netherlands).

The names of the abbeys where Trappists make beer are: Westmalle, Orval, Chimay, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Achel, and LaTrappe.

The Trappists began making beer hundreds of years ago after certain noblemen gave them plots of land to farm. The monks grew wheat and barley and gradually began to make “liquid bread” to drink during their periods of fasting. (Our favorite type of bread)

Time passed and the Trappists became so skilled at making beer (known as the “champagne of Belgium”) that other companies tried to capitalize on the “Trappist” name. Therefore the abbeys formed the International Trappist Association that adheres to certain rules which allows the legitimate Trappist brewers to use the label: “Authentic Trappist Product.”

So what is Trappist Beer like?

A few qualities of Trappist brew are: an abundance of bright hops, a yeasty breadiness, fruity esters, sustained sweetness, complexity of taste, herbal aromatics, and bold strength. The Trappist brewers also add extra sugar and “living yeast” to each bottle, which helps improve the quality of the beer as it ages. Most Trappist beers follow strength designations of Enkel (single), Dubbel (double), and Tripel (triple), thought to be named after the “Holy Trinity,” although later a few abbeys developed stronger ales with the designation of Quadrupel (quadruple).

So what are you waiting for.  You have permission from a higher authority to enjoy a quality beer.  When you are next at the QA hotel, remember to raise a glass in thanks.