Trappist beer facts for kids

Chimay is one of Belgium's famous Trappist beers

Trappist beer is a special kind of beer made by Trappist monks. These monks live in monasteries. Today, there are eight monasteries that make this beer. Six are in Belgium, one is in the Netherlands, and one is in Austria.

Monasteries have been making their own drinks for a very long time, even since the Middle Ages. The first Trappist monastery to have its own brewery was La Trappe in Soligny, France, in 1685. As the Trappist order grew, more monasteries in other countries also started brewing. At first, the monks brewed beer to help feed everyone in their community. Now, they also sell their beer to earn money. This money helps pay for their monastery's needs and supports good causes. Many of these monasteries and their breweries were damaged or destroyed during big events like the French Revolution and the World Wars.

Different Kinds of Trappist Beers

Most Trappist beers are made using a method called top-fermentation. They are also often bottle-conditioned, which means they finish fermenting inside the bottle. Trappist breweries use different names for the various beers they make. These names often tell you about the beer's style or recipe.

One common naming system uses words like Enkel (meaning Single), Dubbel (meaning Double), and Tripel (meaning Triple). Since the idea of the Holy Trinity is very important in the church, it's likely that choosing three main types of beer was a special decision. The "Enkel" type is not usually brewed anymore.

Sometimes, colors are used to tell the different types apart. This tradition started when bottles didn't have labels. People had to know what was inside just by looking at the bottle cap. For example, Chimay beer labels use colors: red, white, and blue, to show different styles. Westvleteren beers still don't have labels at all!

Some breweries, like Rochefort, use numbers (like 6, 8, and 10) to name their different beers. The Achel brewery uses a mix of numbers and the beer's color (like blond or brown) to name their varieties.

Special Glasses for Trappist Beers

Breweries in Belgium often have their own unique beer glasses. Trappist breweries are known for providing special "chalice" or "goblet" style glasses. These glasses are designed to make the experience of drinking their beer even better.

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  Chimay beers and glasses

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  Orval beer's "chalice" glass

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  Rochefort beer's "goblet" glass

Images for kids

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  Bottles of Chimay shown on a mural at a railway station in Belgium.

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  Orval Trappist beer

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  Westmalle Tripel beer

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  The fourteen Trappist beers and their glasses.

See also

In Spanish: Cerveza trapense para niños