The Four Core Trappist Ales

When we think about Belgian beers in general and monastery ales in particular, we conjure up images of chanting, robed monks toiling away in ancient breweries to produce dark, heavy beers served in taverns like those in Game of Thrones. It’s romantic imagery but it’s not the reality of contemporary Trappist breweries. Today, it’s more likely to be men and women working in modern breweries with the odd copper boil kettle and seldom a monk to be found.

Trappist and Abbey breweries produce a sizeable range of finely crafted specialty beers in a variety of strengths. While some have a heritage going back to the Middle Ages, many styles were invented in the twentieth century. Monastery beers and brewing have evolved over time and continue to do so.

How did monks come to make beer?

Monks in Trappist monasteries were required to work to support the monastery and the community. In addition to growing their food, Trappist monks made and sold a variety of products including cheese, jams and jellies, bread, chocolate, honey and Trappist beer.

In the Middle Ages, almost all water was contaminated. Drinking it resulted in severe sickness or death, so everyone (even children) drank beer instead (In southern Europe they usually drank wine). Monastery breweries made beer for the monks, and eventually produced enough to sell locally and to serve the well-to-do guests and pilgrims who typically stayed at monasteries when they traveled.

Trappist-Style Ales - What kinds of beer do Trappists make?

Trappist breweries make a variety of beer styles of different alcoholic strengths. Because Trappists view their beer as a tribute to God, the monks strive to achieve the highest possible quality. That is why one of the key requirements to be called an Authentic Trappist Product is that the beers are brewed within the premises of the monastery by, or under the supervision of, monks.

The four core Trappist ale styles today are Singles, Dubbels, Tripels and Quadrupels. These designations are based on the relative alcoholic strength of the beers. If you want to taste the four core Trappist/Abbey-style beers together, Bruz Beers offers a special Abbey 4-pack containing our Single, Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel ales. It’s the perfect “tasting in a box” for two to four people.

Singles (Enkels)

Trappist Ale Glasses Resemble Medieval Chalices

Singles, also known as Enkels or Patersbiers (monk’s beers), generally run in the four to six percent ABV range. In some cases, they are made as Enkels and in other cases they are made from the second runnings of stronger beers like Tripels. For instance, a brewery might make a batch of Tripel. The first runnings of the mash would be used for the Tripel itself, but there would still be fermentable sugars left in the grain. So, the monks rinse the grain once more to get a lower-strength beer such as an Enkel. They might even do a third-runnings, a very low-alcohol beer, to be given away to the poor (so they too would have a safe form of hydration). Thus, from one mash and one batch of ingredients, they can produce two to three different beers. Singles were originally lower-alcohol beers for the monks – served at meals or as refreshment during the work day. Most were never seen outside the monastery.

Typical Singles are clear, pale gold in color and have a billowy white head. The aroma is fruity and spicy from Belgian yeast, scented with floral hops and perhaps a touch of honey. Flavors are grainy, sweet and soft, with a floral-spicy hop character and peppery or clove phenolics. The finish is crisp, highly attenuated and dry, with moderate to high carbonation.

American craft brewers have also embraced the Single style and it can be found in a number of breweries, especially as a summer seasonal. It’s an easy sell in the U.S. because light beer is already popular here, although an Enkel is a much more interesting and flavorful alternative.

Dubbels

Dubbels, as the name implies, are roughly twice the strength of Singles – weighing in in the 6.0% to 7.5% ABV range. Dubbels, or some variation of them, go back to the Middle Ages, although modern versions of them are quite different. The style was revived in the mid-1800s when breweries were re-built after the Napoleonic era.

Dubbels range from copper-colored to deep amber or brown, with a dense long-lasting off-white head. Hints of chocolate and caramel are common. Flavor follows the aroma, which is complex, rich and malty with fruit esters (raisins, plums, dried cherries and sometimes bananas) from the various Belgian yeasts. Though actual spices are not typically used, there are light clove, spice and pepper notes from the yeast.

Despite their apparent maltiness, Dubbels get their color and much of their flavor from candi sugar – a rich, caramelized syrup made from beet sugar. The candi syrup not only accentuates malt flavors but results in the chocolate, caramel and raisiny dried-fruit flavors and aromas that define the style. The candi sugar also serves to dry out the finish, so the beer does not come across as overly sweet or cloying. Hops have a restrained presence in Dubbels. Hops are used at a level just sufficient to balance out the maltiness.

Tripels

Tripels use roughly three times the malt and sugar of Singles with alcohol ranging from 7.5 to 9.5% ABV. Unlike dark Dubbels, Tripels are golden-colored beers. They have become one of the most popular styles of beer in Belgium and in international markets.

Tripels are a relatively new style of beer that was developed to compete with Pilsners. The Westmalle monastery brewed the first commercial Tripel in 1934 and its popularity grew rapidly. The Tripel style was widely copied within both Trappist and Abbey breweries.

Tripels feature a golden color and most are clear with a big pillowy white head and good head retention. Their aroma is fragrant with banana, citrus, pears, stone fruits and spicy yeast notes. Hops are more prevalent in Tripels than in many other Trappist styles. Moderate bitterness is supported by smooth alcohol (8.0 – 9.5% ABV) and accentuated by high carbonation. The finish is delicate, long and lightly spicy.

Quadrupels

Dark Strong Ale, Grand Cru and Quadrupel are all names for the same beer style. The Belgians generally prefer the term Grand Cru. It essentially means “top of the line,” the brewery’s finest product. La Trappe, in the Netherlands, coined the term Quadrupel, which is the logical progression from Singles, Dubbels and Tripels. Dark Strongs can be used for any strong dark beer, sometimes including Belgian Stouts and Porters. Take your pick. Bruz Beers uses both Grand Cru, and Quadrupel (Quad).

Grand Crus are the biggest, strongest and most complex of all the Trappist ales. While Tripels are golden beers, Grand Crus are dark – ranging from medium mahogany to very dark brown. The big, rocky, persistent head can range from off-white to medium tan.

The aromas and flavors of Grand Crus are complex and malty with significant fruity esters and alcohol. Esters can include raisins, plums, prunes, cherries, dates and figs. Deep caramel notes may be derived from malts or the dark candi sugar syrup used. Many examples also have notes of dark chocolate and coffee. Spicy notes – mostly clove and pepper from Belgian yeast – may be present, with just enough bittering hops and alcohol to balance out the sweet malt. Bitterness levels are typically between 20 to 35 IBUs – not a lot for such big malty beers. Saaz, Styrian Goldings and English hop varieties are preferred, which give the beer a low level of herbal and spicy character.

Alcoholic strength in Grand Crus runs from 8.0% to 12.0% ABV. The high alcohol serves several purposes. From a flavor standpoint, the alcohol should be soft and smooth and it is almost perfume-like, yet not overwhelming, and contributes an element of complexity. The alcohol also gives a slight bitter bite, which supplements the hop bitterness. Grand Crus also use dark candi sugar for flavor, color, strength and to give the beer a dry finish, which the Belgians refer to as “digestible.” Were the finish sweet, cloying and syrupy, it would be hard to get through a glass of it.

Overall, Grand Crus (AKA Quadrupels, Dark Strongs) are big, strong ales that are very complex, with malt, bitterness, fruity esters, spicy phenols, carbonation and alcohol beautifully balanced. They are, in many ways, the pinnacle of the brewer’s art.

Barrel-aged beers (Barrique beers)

Cask-aged ales are becoming more popular in Belgium as Belgian brewers have adopted the technique from their U.S. counterparts. Quadrupels are often the beers selected for barrel aging. Chimay’s Grande Reserve Barrique is an excellent example of this style.

If you have not had the opportunity to try the four core Trappist styles together, head for your favorite beer store and invite some friends over for a tasting. Sante!