Abbey Beers - The Other Monastery Ales

Abbey Beers are known as Bières d’Abbaye (French) or Abdijbier (Flemish). They are beers brewed in the style of Trappist beers but not by actual Trappist monasteries. Facing competition from imitators, the Trappist breweries joined together in 1997 to form the International Trappist Association to stop breweries outside the order from putting the Trappist name on their products. We looked at the Authentic Trappist Product logo in the last chapter. After that, beers similar in style to Trappist beers became known as Abbey Beers. An Abbey beer can be:

  • produced by a non-Trappist monastery (i.e.: Benedictine, Cistercian) or

  • produced by a commercial brewery under contract with an existing monastery, or

  • produced using the name of a defunct or nonexistent monastery

Leffe, Grimbergen, Affligem and Maredsous abbeys

In 1999, the Union of Belgian Brewers created a designation and logo for beers brewed under license to an existing and abandoned abbey. This was primarily for purposes of quality. To bear the official Abbey logo:

  • the monastery must have control over some aspect of the commercial operation, and

  • a portion of the profits must go to the monastery or its designated charities

Not included in the official Abbey designation are beers linked to a fictitious abbey or implying some form of religious or monastic branding.

Belgian Abbey Ales

As an example, Belgium’s most popular Tripel, Tripel Karmaliet, is actually brewed by Brewery Bosteels, which is owned by AB InBev. Other Abbey breweries include:

  • Affligem is brewed for Affligem Abbey by a Heineken-owned brewery

  • Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu is located on the grounds of a former abbey

  • Bornem is brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge 

  • Floreffe is brewed to fund a school housed in a former monastery

  • Grimbergen is made by the Alken-Maes brewery for an extant Norbertine abbey.

  • Leffe is brewed by multinational AB InBev corporation and is brewed under license from an extant brewery. It is thought to be the first formal licensing arrangement of its kind.

  • Maredsous is brewed by Duvel Moortgat, licensed from Maredsous Abbey

  • St. Feuillien is a small independent brewery

  • Corsendonk is brewed by a brewery in the name of the Corsendonk Priory

  • St. Bernardus brewery originally brewed under contract for Westvleteren

From Bottom: Blond, Dubbel, Tripel and Quadrupel

As many as 84 breweries produce beers in the Abbey styles. Unlike their Trappist counterparts, none of these breweries are owned or operated by actual religious orders. While there are some exceptional beers produced by Abbey breweries, there are also quite a few that are not considered to be on a par with Trappist beers and are not sought out by aficionados. Thus, many are not exported from Belgium.

 Most Abbey breweries traditionally make a Blond, a Dubbel (Brune, Bruin or Ambrée) and a Tripel. In the olden days, these may have been multiple runnings from a single bill of grain; today, most are made as single batches. 

Abbey Blonds

Belgian Abbey Blond Ales

Abbey breweries originated the Belgian Blond style, which originally was considered to be a “Blond Dubbel” – brewed with pale malts and designed to compete with Pilsners. The new style took off and was embraced by many other Abbey breweries. It is now a very popular style in both Belgium and beyond. Even a couple Trappist breweries have started making Blonds.

Abbey Dubbels

Belgian Abbey Dubbels

Dubbels, sometimes called Brune or Bruin (brown) beers are a mainstay at Abbey breweries; most have one in their lineup. They vary in style with some coming in a good bit sweeter than their Trappist counterparts, others dry and complex.

Abbey Tripels

Belgian Abbey Tripels

Tripels are also stars in the Abbey breweries. Almost all of the Abbey breweries make them and they vary in style, flavor and alcohol content. Abbey Tripels are golden or bronze in color, complex, quite drinkable and many rival their Trappist counterparts in overall quality.

A while back, Tripels were pretty much made by Abbey or Trappist breweries. Now, many versions are brewed by secular breweries with no religious identity. Tripels have become extremely popular in Belgium. Excellent Tripels include Vicaris, Arend, La Rullés, Straffe Hendrik, Gouden Carolus and De Dolle, among others. Tripel Karmeliet, happens to be the most popular Tripel in Belgium.

Fortunately, Tripels are becoming more popular with American craft brewers. Some good American Tripels include: Bruz Tripel and Talus Tripel, New Belgium Trippel, Samuel Adams New World Tripel, Victory Golden Monkey, Unibroue La Fin du Monde (Canada), Allagash Tripel, Barrel of Monks Three Fates, Ommegang Valar Dohaeris and Great Divide Orabelle.

As a Belgian-style brewery, we at Bruz Beers have a passion for Tripels and make no fewer than six – Talus, Three Peaks, Wolken, Trident, Abbey Series, and Bruz Tripel. We also barrel-age a number of these in wine and spirits casks and release them in limited-edition corked and caged bottles.

So, in addition to Trappist beers, Abbey beers offer the same styles but greatly expand choices for lovers of monastery style beers. Take some time to explore those available in your area – you’re in for some interesting discoveries.

Charlie GottenkienyComment