Trappist

The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, the Trappist order takes the name from La Trappe Abbey in Normandy where it began as a reform movement in 1664.

There are strict rules in place for gaining Trappist status: the beer must be brewed within the Abbey walls; it must be brewed under the supervision of the Abbey community; and a substantial part of the profit must be invested in social services.

Although there are some 171 Trappist Abbeys worldwide, however only seven of these brew beer – one in the Netherlands, the rest in Belgium.

Chimay |  La Trappe |  Orval |  Westmalle

Tripel

Originally used be the Westmalle Trappist brewery, Tripel (or Trippel) refers to a style of beer brewed mainly in the low countries. Westmalle originally released their Tripel under the name Superbier: a strong blonde ale and based on a blonde beer the monks had been brewing sporadically since 1931.

Westmalle

Wheat Beer

The flavour of wheat beers varies considerably, depending upon the specific style. The Belgian tradition is to use flavourings such as coriander and orange peel, while the German version mixes at least 50% wheat with barley malt.

Wheat beers may be referred to as Weize, Weißbier or Weiße in Germany, or Witbier, White beer or simply Witte for this top fermented, barley / wheat beer from Belgium.

Erdinger |  Schneider Weisse