the esteve pharmacy ( catalan : farmàcia esteve , ipa : [ fərˈmasiə əsˈteβə ] ) is a medieval pharmacy and museum located in the town of llívia , in the comarca of cerdanya , catalonia , spain .

llívia is a spanish exclave within the french region of pyrénées-orientales .

the esteve pharmacy , founded at the beginning of the 15th century , is one of the oldest pharmacies in europe and keeps a collection of albarellos from the 16th and 17th centuries , glass from the 19th century , renaissance boxes with portraits of saints and personages , a library , laboratory instruments , antique drugs and preparations , old prescription books , and a baroque " cordialer " cupboard made by josep sunyer during the period when the esteve family managed the pharmacy for up to seven generations .

it is one of the most important collections of its kind in europe .

in 1942 , lleó antoni esteve closed the pharmacy and moved to puigcerdà .

in 1958 the pharmacy was transferred to the llívia town , and the province of girona diputació purchased it in 1965 .

esteve pharmacy

dr . antoni esteve subirana starts his dream in a small pharmacy in manresa ( barcelona ) .
spain . catalonia . llivia . antique desk . museum of esteve pharmacy . pictures | getty images
gps coordinates of esteve pharmacy , spain . latitude : 42 . 4590 longitude : 1 . 9758
new customers can now instantly discover and get in touch with places like esteve pharmacy in puigcerdá .
esteve pharmacy is into the artful world of medieval medicine , and all the contrasts between the museum and modern pharmacies .
spain . catalonia . comarca of cerdanya . llivia . antieque desk . medicianl books , glasses and inkwell . museum of esteve pharmacy .
the new plant of esteve química in celrà ( girona ) is started up .
medicine & pharmacy ( saint - estève ) - 123pages - search smart . find more !
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the pharmacy of today is sterile , modest and efficient . each bright orange medicine bottle is the same , and patients make their way in and out without lingering . however , 500 years ago , the local pharmacy was less science and more art , and the esteve pharmacy museum in llívia , spain captures this ideal in the vibrant colors and luxury of a medieval european apothecary .
the pharmacy of today is sterile , white and efficient . each medicine bottle or box is the same , and patients make their way in and out without lingering . however , 500 years ago , the local pharmacy was less science and more art , and the esteve pharmacy museum in llívia , spain captures this ideal in the vibrant colors and luxury of a medieval european apothecary .
whether you ' re traveling to llívia for the skiing , hiking , cycling or the chance to walk along the camino de santiago pilgrimage route , all visitors must pay a visit to esteve pharmacy .
founded in the fifteenth century , the pharmacy was ran by the esteve family for seven generations . it originated here because of in the indigerous plants and botanicals that can be found in the area .
together with the opening of beauty llivia resaturant , on august the 1st , a cocktail bar called apotheke was born . a cocktail bar concept full of romantic reminiscences that takes us back to the oldest pharmacy in europe : the llívia pharmacy .
esteve teijin healthcare , a joint venture with teijin pharma in the field of home respiratory care , begins its activities .
the oldest pharmacy in europe the pharmacy was founded in the early 15th century and still conserves a beautiful collection of renaissance - style boxes decorated with pictures of saints and botanical drawings . the carefully labelled glazed jars and recipients held a curious variety of ingredients .
i love this article about the 15 century pharmacy because now it is a museum where people can see as wonderful things of history .
esteve pharmacy is one of the oldest pharmacies in europe , though these days it functions as a museum . the quirky , medieval attraction has been around since the 15th century and today offers guests the chance to view old prescription books and incredible relics from the renaissance .
) is a medieval pharmacy and museum located in the town of llívia , in the comarca of cerdanya , catalonia , spain . llívia is a spanish exclave within the french region of pyrénées - orientales . the esteve pharmacy , founded at the beginning of the 15th century , is one of the oldest pharmacies in europe and keeps a collection of albarellos from the 16th and 17th centuries , glass from the 19th century , renaissance boxes with portraits of saints and personages , a library , laboratory instruments , antique drugs and preparations , old prescription books , and a baroque
cordialer
cupboard made by josep sunyer during the period when the esteve family managed the pharmacy for up to seven generations .
innovating to live better : our leitmotiv since 1929 , when dr . antoni esteve i subirana founded the first company in a small pharmacy of manresa ( barcelona ) . since then , thanks to the effort of all stakeholders and the trust of clients and patients , esteve has established itself as a leading business group in the area of health , with a clear , research - centered international approach and an active policy of strategic alliances with other companies .
esteve is a leading pharmaceutical chemical group formed by more than 2 , 400 professionals with a clear priority : to contribute to the wellbeing of society .
. more than 2 , 600 professionals work each day at esteve to build a healthier society . an important part of these professionals work in first - rate research .
these values make us more effective , more competitive and therefore more profitable in the long term , thus making esteve a leading group in the global chemical - pharmaceutical sector .
how were the magistral formulas ( medical preparations ) prepared in the 15 th , 16 th or 17 th centuries ? the pharmacy of llívia , one of the oldest in europe , reveals this mystery . it was already in existence in 1415 . one of the first owners was the apothecary jaume esteve and the pharmacy remained in the family for 23 generations . finally , in 1942 , lleó antoni esteve closed it down and it was given over to the care of the city council and , later , to the province of girona . since 1981 , the pharmacy equipment has formed part of the municipal museum of llívia . the furniture , laboratory instruments , preparation and even glass jars from the 19th century have been preserved . notable are the wooden renaissance boxes painted with portraits of saints , sages , apothecaries and doctors . however , the most distinctive characteristic of the collection are the albarello or cobalt blue ceramic pharmacy jars . the smaller jars , which used to contain the most precious or dangerous products , are kept in the cordialer . this piece of polychrome 18th - century furniture is one of the most eye - catching items in the collection . also preserved is the library which contains , among other things , the book of formulas . the pharmacy space is contextualised by a series of audiovisual and digital resources .
established in the 15th century , the esteve pharmacy is one of the oldest in europe . since 1965 it has only housed the museum , but in its heyday , it attracted patients from across the region for medical treatment and drugs . before the days of the child - locked pill container , remedies were kept in albarellos , a type of painted pottery that was sealed with parchment or leather .
esteve huayi pharmaceutical co . , ltd . ( ehp ) linhai rd . , shaoxing paojiang industrial zone ( spiz ) , shaoxing , 312071 zhejiang , china ( + 86 ) 575 8822 5288
today , the museum has a large collection of the albarellos , including 87 rare blue albarellos that were modernized and include painted labels of the drugs they contained . along with the beautiful storage jars , the museum also features a gaudy baroque cupboard that looks more fitting for a king’s kitchen than a medieval clinic . the contrasts between the museum and modern pharmacies are striking , and the esteve pharmacy is a fascinating look into the artful world of medieval medicine .
our mission and our company values define us and set the tone for all our actions . mission : esteve is an international business group that focuses on innovation and excellence in the scope of healthcare by working every day to meet the needs of its clients and contribute to the well - being of people .
the pharmacy is one of the jewels of the heritage of la cerdanya and as such it’s been the perfect inspiration for our apotheke cocktail bar , keeping its classic blue jars and the albarellos decorated with gothic letters : these containers , that once kept pharmaceutical remedies and medicines , are now used by our bartender today to preserve the scents , flavors and extracts for his spectacular cocktails .
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llivia is what is known as an exclave , a piece of territory wholly surrounded by the territory of another state , in this case france . this curious state of affairs was brought about by the stipulations of the 1659 treaty of the pyrenees which ceded the counties of the northern pyrenees and roussillon to the french crown . llívia was excluded as the treaty stipulated that only villages were to be ceded to france , and llívia was considered a city due to its status as the ancient capital of cerdanya . in 1939 at the end of the spanish civil war , there was discussion on the idea of llívia remaining a free territory of the defeated republican government , but nothing ever came of the plan , and france gave franco’s troops permission to occupy the town . today a single road connects it to catalonia .
llivia is home to what is reputedly the oldest chemist in europe , now a museum , possibly dating from the early 15th century . the small town is set in the beautiful vall de la cerdanya .
the hotel esquirol boasts a truly unique location in the town of llivia . it enjoys fantastic views of the cerdanya valley . more here
the hotel is a converted old farmhouse located in the scenic and peaceful town of llívia . more here
located in the centre of this charming town in the unique region of cerdanya , the rustic - style apartments with use of the swimming pool . more here
recommended guided tour around spain from the galleries and wild nightlife of madrid , to the muslim monuments , flamenco and vibrant culture of andalucia , to the architecture , cuisine and cool style of barcelona . spain is sure not to disappoint .
the biggest olive tree in the world is reputedly the oliva de fuentebuena in jaén . according to the guinness book of records it is over 10m high with a girth of more than 4m . more here
clay soils in parts of the monegros are eroded easily leaving weird sandstone formations called torrellones , looking like something straight out of arizona . this one is called cabeza de perro , dog’s head . image by rodriguem on wikicommons
the lammergeyer or bearded vulture is continuing to recover in aragón , its iberian stronghold , with 90 pairs recorded in 2017 , up from less than 40 in the 1980s . more here chicks from aragón are to be taken to teh picos de europa to help in the reintroduction project there . here
travelling around spain on a scooter entertaining video from the guardian her e showing a woman travelling around rural almeria on a vespa scooter .
best tapas bars in palma de mallora the guardian has this article on the best tapas bars and bodegas in palma de mallorca , home to an an impressive ranges of good eateries . i particularly liked the sound of bodega bellver : tucked up a side street around the corner from the theatre , bellver is about as far away from palma’s gleaming 21st - century tapas bars as it’s possible to imagine . dark and shadowy , with shelves lined with dusty bottles and wine barrels , and rickety wooden tables scattered around the small space , it is steeped in history , atmosphere and the smell of spicy pork frying on the tiny grill beside the bar . order up icy beers and pinchos and settle into a slice of unchanged mallorquin life .
outside the tapas bars of lanjaron temperatures reached 30 degrees . 2500m above we donned our duvet jackets as an icy wind tore across the white snow filled plateau . such are the contrasts this year in southern spain’s sierra nevada , a legacy of the worst winter weather in living memory .
travel guide to osana good review of the county of osana here from barcelona writing . on food of osona pork and its by - products may be the most emblematic food of the county , but osona has much else to offer gastronomes . the truffle ( trufa ) , a black mushroom that grows underground and is highly prized , and a wide range of bolets ( catalan mushrooms ) including pinetell , rovelló , rossinyol , cep and fredolic are found locally , as are the white beans ( mongetes ) of the collsacabra mountains , characterised by their small size . for dessert , the pa de pessic de vic ( sponge cake ) is worth trying as are the regional cheeses , curds , honey and jam .
high in the parque natural sierra maría - los vélez in northern almería a new and cultural weapon has been unveiled to combat the hearts and minds of those not convinced that urgent action needs to be taken to preserve our landscape , flora and fauna . more . . .
teruel bat detail of modernist forge of the staircase of the paseo del óvalo . the monumental staircase was built in 1921 to link the new railway station with the old part of the city . the work has modernist and neomudejar details . by santimb on flickr
here are a few words and expressions in castilian spanish that don’t exist in english , and perhaps could be borrowed . foreigners speakers of spanish in spain certainly use so of them with alarming frequency with other english speakers in spain , as do our spanish friends and spouses . the list does not include food terms ( covered [ … ]
i picked up this interesting list of facts about bullfighting from the guardian here . bullfighting was at first seen as an exclusively aristocratic pursuit for spanish noblemen who remained seated on horseback . in 1726 , the matador francisco romero was the first to challenge the bull on foot . he also introduced the famous red cape ( muleta ) [ … ]
the old woman cooking eggs was painted by diego velázquez during his seville period possibly in 1618 , and like in much of his work early poor and working class characters are portrayed . like other early works by the artist , it shows the influence of chiaroscuro , with a strong light source coming in from the left , [ … ]
iberianature is the leading source of information on the net on the nature , geography of spain in english . now , we ' re having a go at travel .
in 2006 my wife and i started the notes in spanish podcast to teach people “the real spanish you’ll never find in a textbook or classroom” . we’ve had over 35 million audio downloads since then , reaching people from almost every country in the world , at every level of spanish , beginner , intermediate and advanced : check out [ … ]
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a museum dedicated to the spanish occult in a town that was terrorized by the inquisition .
catapult yourself into barcelona ' s complicated and colorful past for a week filled with unique historic tours , private musical performances , and an evening of performance in a private atelier .
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instruments , apparatus , and rare books all relating to chemistry and its related sciences .
this secret collection of the strange and occult was rediscovered in a forgotten room of an old house .
famed architect antoni gaudi built this generous thank you gift to a friendly host who housed him during a job .
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one of pillars and the origin of our group , devoted to the development , research and marketing of innovative drugs for human health .
we are a pharmaceutical group concerned with the health of our patients , society and the environment . we strive to enter into strategic agreements and financial benefits that have a direct return on our environment .
* since 2016 net sales of investees are not included , in accordance with ifrs - eu standards .
family group that wishes to maintain and consolidate its prestige in the chemical - pharmaceutical sector .
at the center of our management model and undertake to develop our human capital .
organization able to respond quickly to the challenges and opportunities in our environment , foresee them and apply early action .
the quality of our products , services and management activities , and actively search for synergies that aid its progress along the path to excellence .
we believe that constant development of these values will make us more efficient and competitive in the creation of tangible and intangible assets , thus providing sustained profitability .
doxium ( calcium dobesilate ) is launched onto the spanish market . it presently continues to be marketed in many countries across all five continents .
pensa , a subsidiary of the group specializing in the marketing of generics , is started up .
worldwide alliance with mundipharma - purdue for the global development of a new generation of pain medications .
our headquarters are located in barcelona and we have subsidiaries and production centers in 3 continents ( europe , america and asia ) .
passeig de la zona franca , 109 , 4ª planta , 08038 barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 934 46 60 00
passeig de la zona franca , 109 , 4ª planta , 08038 barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 900 123 543
passeig de la zona franca , 109 , 4ª planta , 08038 barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 93 254 4000
c / caracas , 17 - 19 08030 barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 93 274 74 90
parc científic barcelona c / baldiri reixach , 4 - 8 . edificio clúster ii , planta 4ª , 08028 barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 93 446 60 00
polígono industrial de martorelles . c / sant martí , 75 - 97 , 08107 martorelles , barcelona , spain . ( + 34 ) 93 446 60 00
polígono industrial , s / n , 17460 celrà girona , spain . ( + 34 ) 972 48 10 00
carretera del vendrell a sant jaume dels domenys , km 5 . 43711 banyeres del penedès tarragona , spain . ( + 34 ) 977 677 025
via ippolito rosellini 12 20124 milano , italia . ( + 39 ) 02 69964201
av . do forte , 3 - ed . suécia iv piso 0 2794 - 093 carnaxide , portugal . ( + 351 ) 214 342 700
polat tower 441 - 442 , yeşil çimen sk . , fulya mh . 34394 beşiktaş i̇stanbul , turkey . ( + 90 ) 212 2667475
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sintenovo , s . a . de c . v . calle 13 este nº 3 , 62578 civac . jiutepec , estado de morelos , mexico ( + 52 ) 77 73 33 03 93
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in the municipal museum of llívia there is also an archaeological collection and other historical objects : from neolithic axes to medieval pottery .
open from monday to saturday : 10 : 00 a . m . to 5 : 00 p . m . closed from 1 : 00 p . m . to 2 : 00 p . m .
open on sunday from 10 : 00 a . m . to 2 : 00 p . m .
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want to be in two places at once ? go to llívia . | huffpost
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it ' s difficult to be in two places at once . but if you ' re headed to llívia , spain , then it ' s no problem at all . that ' s because it ' s a country within a country .
llívia is technically a spanish territory , though it ' s situated within french land .
that leaves llívia as an exclave of spain and an enclave of france , meaning it is defined as
an outlying portion of a country , entirely or mostly surrounded by the territory of another country .
according to lonely planet , this interesting situation is due to the 1659 treaty of the pyrenees when spain ceded more than 30 villages to france , but held on to llívia as it was technically a spanish town .
llívia ' s got a confusing nationality . for administrative purposes , it’s part of the province of girona , spain - - the home of the other eiffel tower ( yes , really ! ) . geographically , it’s in pyrénées - orientales , a province on the french coast .
visitors who have traveled to llívia recommend staying at the hotel bernat de so , described as
a gem in the mountains ,
due to its close proximity to the pyrenees mountain range .
and don ' t forget to sample the best of the traditional catalan cuisine at cal cofa , famous for its delicious entrecôte ( steak ) and homemade cannellonis .
no matter what you do while you ' re in llívia , you always get to come away with the awesome , intangible souvenir of standing in two countries at once . see you there !
first - person essays , features , interviews and q & as ; about life today .
sure , there is the james bond - worthy casinos at monte carlo , the mega - yachts of st . tropez and the star - studded cannes film festival . but if you think that ' s all there is , you ' re missing out on an astonishing array of simple , affordable experiences that make even the locals sigh with pleasure . for example , in the back country off the coast you can attend the jasmine festival held every august 3 in grasse , the perfume capital of the world , or < a href =
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> water jousting tournaments in sète < / a > ; have a riverside picnic in the shadow of the ancient < a href =
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> pont du gard < / a > , a testament to roman ingenuity ; participate in the fête de vendanges in ouveillan , with its traditional music and parades ; or go for a drive through the hauntingly beautiful < a href =
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> camargues national park < / a > . and natural beauty abounds , with the famous surreal sunflower and luscious lavender fields in provence that are a must - see in the summer months . < em > read about < a href =
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> things to do in france < / a > < / em >
spain . catalonia . comarca of cerdanya . llivia . antieque desk . medicianl books , . . .
hundreds of years of experience created an alchemy of perfect proportions , and the origin of many natural remedies .
after all , adrià batlle is not a newbie . after finishing his studies at the escuela de hosteleria de barcelona he became part of the famous slow cocktail bar team ; the best cocktail bar in barcelona according to a number of experts . he then travelled to singapore to continue learning from the best , and after spending two years in asia he moved to london to work behind the mandarin oriental hotel bar . after spending some time in sydney and dubai he then came back home , bringing with him a wide international and vibrant expertise .
the apotheke cocktail bar is open daily from 12pm to 1am . come and try special batlle’s creations like the
mountain penicillin
( jonnhy walker and ratafía liquor on a ball of ice ) , or the
spanish gentleman
( made with rum , pedro ximenez and chocolate liquor ) , or our variation of the classic
negroni
, perfect to start the weekend .
here in beauty apotheke , we respect and restore traditions of the past and mix with modernity with the aim for the same goal –to make decent person feel better .
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quite simply writing about the best things spain has to offer and anything that might crop up along the way . spain is a lot more than just sun , sand and sea . . .
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congost de mont - rebei - if you suffer from vertigo . . . stay at home
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définition , traduction , prononciation , anagramme et synonyme sur le dictionnaire libre wiktionnaire .
his is one of a group of albarellos or drug jars found in a chalk - lined cesspit on an archaeological site on fenchurch street . these jars were made… | pinteres…
this is one of a group of albarellos or drug jars found in a chalk - lined cesspit on an archaeological site on fenchurch street . these jars were mad… | pinteres…
here you will find one or more explanations in english for the word albarellos . also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word albarellos and , of course , albarellos synonyms and on the right images related to the word albarellos .
this is the place for albarellos definition . you find here albarellos meaning , synonyms of albarellos and images for albarellos copyright 2017 © urltoken
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westmalle brewery ( brouwerij der trappisten van westmalle ) is a trappist brewery in the westmalle abbey , belgium .

it produces three beers , designated as trappist beer by the international trappist association .

westmalle tripel is credited with being the first golden strong pale ale to use the term tripel .

westmalle brewery

westmalle completes construction of a modern brewery , begins selling westmalle tripel , the first pale trappist beer .
saint joseph’s abbey in massachusetts opens spencer trappist brewery , marking the first american trappist brewery .
the beer : westmalle dubbel the brewery : trappist abbey of westmalle the stats : 7 . 0 % abv ; bottle conditioned
the duvel moortgat brewery caters to everyone’s tastes with 3 different brewery experiences . from complete novice to experienced beer lover , duvel has the brewery visit package for you .
westmalle brewery is to satisfy the needs of the local market . reckless growth often means less attention to detail – that ' s how westmalle sees things .
the style was subsequently popularised by the outstanding example made by the trappist brewery of westmalle , near antwerp .
though rarely , if ever , found on draft , westmalle dubbel can be found in 11 . 2 oz . bottles at stores such as total wine . check out westmalle brewery website for more information on the beer or the brewery .
westmalle dubbel or westmalle tripel ? westmalle - if you order a westmalle you’re likely to be served with a tripel . this is no coincidence as this strong blonde trappist beer now accounts for 75 % of the beer output of this abbey brewery . . . . [ read more ]
if you like belgian beers , specially westmalle , this brewery is indeed one of the best you can try . . .
manu pauwels—who’s worked at westmalle brewery since 2002 in a sales and marketing role—regularly has a trip - trap with his lunch here .
when the three linden brewery closed , its product , under the name witkap , was taken over by the slaghmuylder brewery , at ninove , west of brussels .
brewers : discover our brewer resources here . are you affiliated with this brewery ?
westmalle begins using a dark sugar syrup ( also called “candi sugar” ) in westmalle dubbel , making the beer stronger without bloating its body .
the saint gall monastery brewery plan is drawn , providing a blueprint for other monasteries .
westmalle… where trappists say “cheese” westmalle - westmalle dubbel and tripel are iconic trappist beers . the popularity of the beers makes people almost forget that these monks also produce a tasty cheese . . . . [ read more ]
but respecting tradition does not mean that you are standing still ; rather , such respect is founded on progress . westmalle is a decidedly modern brewery : after all ,
monks from westmalle start a monastery at achel , and brewing begins in 1852 .
if you like belgian beers , specially westmalle , this brewery is indeed one of the best you can try ; as you can guess they serve just westmalle but if you like trappist beers for sure you have to visit , at least , as experience .
. this style nearly went into extinction in the 1950s when the last white beer - producing brewery closed its doors . luckily pierre celis , who worked at a white beer - making brewery as a young man , started a new brewery in the 1960s to revive this style of beer .
westmalle trappist brewery antwerpsesteenweg 496 b - 2390 westmalle – belgium tel : + 32 3 312 92 22 fax : + 32 3 312 92 28 e - mail : info @ urltoken http : / / www . urltoken / en / page / brouwerij . aspx
i think one of the issues with this brewery is essentially you are experiencing the restaurant across the road , not a brewery per se . yes , the crowd at cafe trappistan is elderly , no you will not have a
brewery
experience , so take it for what it . . .
in 2012 , the trappist brewery of the abbey of engelszell , austria , started brewing beer at the monastery for the first time since production ceased in 1929 and became the ninth ita accredited trappist brewery .
he started his career at westmalle in 1982 . jan now watches over the quality of westmalle’s own beers , and also carries out analyses for his colleagues at westvleteren and achel .
view all our beers by country , brewery and by style in this easy - to - follow brochure .
the dutch brewery brouwerj de koningshoeven ( la trappe brand ) was founded within the walls of koninshoeven abbey .
westmalle is , of course , a trappist brewery producing international trappist association - approved beers with the “authentic trappist product” logo on them . the majority of profits from the brewery are re - invested into the monastic community and selected charities , and their beers are produced only within the walls of the monastery .
monks fleeing france with the idea of heading to america found a trappist monastery at westmalle .
there are some other classics on the menu : a trappist cheese sandwich , cheese croquettes , a stew with westmalle dubbel , quiche , croque and even ice cream made with westmalle beer .
castle brewery van honsebrouck , well known for it ' s
kasteel
beer range , now offers their bierkasteel beer experience ; brewery visit , event location , restaurant , bar and shop . open from 10th august 2016 .
the brewery must be of secondary importance and be subject to business practices commensurate with that of a monastic life .
and the brewery resumed production only in 1922 . at this time there were two types of beer being produced : ‘
the history of achel brewery dates back to 1648 when dutch monks built a chapel in achel in the belgian province of limburg . destroyed during the french revolution , in 1844 the ruins were rebuilt by monks from westmalle with brewing of the first beer in 1852 with brewing becoming a regular activity around twenty years later . during world war i , the monks left the abbey due to occupation and the germans dismantled the brewery to salvage the copper . brewing started again in 1998 with monks from westmalle and rochefort assisting in the building of the new brewery .
westmalle dubbel is served using the same westmalle tulip - shaped glass as the tripel . this chalice is very much characteristic for all belgian trappists . there is a smaller vers . . . [ more ]
westmalle , a shining beacon of trappist beer . . . westmalle - time appears to stand still in a trappist abbey like westmalle . however , appearances can be deceptive - even here the latest technologies are quietly creeping in . the abbey has an up - to - da . . . [ read more ]
there ' s good and bad when it comes visiting westmalle . the bad news is that neither the abbey or the brewery are open to visitors . the good news is that the café de trappisten , just opposite the abbey ,
the brewery is already known for the stirrup cup in which it serves a strong ale named after a local innkeeper pauwel kwak .
becomes apparent , once you appreciate its ' special treat ' : you can enjoy westmalle dubbel on tap here .
but it was a third beer which was to cause the name of westmalle to be forever engraved in the brewer ' s roll of honour . the westmalle tripel is generally recognised as the ‘mother of all tripels’ . this type of beer was brewed for the first time here in westmalle , when the new brewing hall was inaugurated in 1934 .
offers plenty of opportunity for eating and drinking the fruits of westmalle . here , you can watch a film about life and work at westmalle , while indulging in the some of the best in trappist beer , cheese and cuisine .
the tripel style was originated at westmalle starting in 1931 ; it was first sold in 1934 . the name
tripel
probably comes from the protocol established by
dubbel
- it was the brewery ' s
third beer .
there are hundreds of breweries producing tripels today , but a tripel will always be stronger and lighter - colored than a dubbel from the same brewery .
the brewery must be of secondary importance within the monastery and it should witness to the business practices proper to a monastic way of life .
la trappe beers are produced by the brouwerij de koningshoeven , a dutch trappist brewery founded in 1884 within the walls of the abbey onze lieve vrouw van koningshoeven in berkel - enschot . the abbey opened the brewery to finance the monastery and contribute to charitable causes . in 1969 , the abbey licensed the brewing operations to the artois brewery ( now inbev ) but 1980 the deal ended and the monks went back to brewing themselves .
brewing began soon after founding , and westmalle dubbel was first brewed for consumption within the abbey around 1836 ; westmalle tripel was introduced in 1934 . both the dubbel and the tripel are considered by many tasters as the benchmarks for the style .
“when the world beer cup defines their tripel category , they ask us to say how a tripel should be , ” says philippe van assche , westmalle’s general manager . “it’s a nice compliment that they consider westmalle to be the reference . ”
the brewing monks : the 11th trappist brewery – tre fontane – the history of the italy’s tre fontane which became an official trappist in 2015 .
one of only twelve trappist breweries in the world , westmalle is renowned for creating the first belgian tripel in the 1930s .
during erin’s first visit to the netherlands , we hoped to be able to visit a couple of the famed trappist breweries . on our way to spend a day in antwerp and night in brussels , we decided to make our first stop at the westmalle brewery in belgium .
the bosteels ' interest in antiques and decorative arts is reflected in the furnishing of the house that stands in front of their
chateau
brewery . white - washed , and set around a courtyard , the brewery dates from 1791 , and has been in the family for six or seven generations .
furthermore the brewery is planning to build new yeast cultivation areas , and to expand the subterranean warm rooms from 3 , 000 m2 to 4 , 800 m2 . the tricky balance of tradition and progress is a never - ceasing one , it seems , for trappists of westmalle .
so , what exactly is a trappist brewery ? to be designated an authentic trappist brewery , some criteria must be in place . the beer must be brewed within a trappist abbey either directly by monks , or at least under their supervision . the monks must be from the aforementioned cistercian order . the brewery must be controlled by the monastery and share the monastery ' s religious purpose . and , the brewery ' s main purpose must be twofold : to cover the sustenance of its monks and to provide for community in which the monks can reside . trappist breweries must be not - for - profit organizations .
these ‘ambassadors’ of westmalle are chosen carefully , on the basis of the image they project , the type of beer they sell , the owner’s reputation etc . westmalle is even takes responsibility for the cleaning of the tap installations , including the covering the cost .
here , attracted by its peaceful atmosphere and secluded green havens . westmalle in fact has a counterpart to the east – oostmalle .
a team of five lab technicians and an obsession with healthy fermentations means westmalle’s quality control has become the standard bearer in belgium .
as an aperitif with cheese or assorted hors d ' oeuvres . try with rich main courses or enjoy after dinner with fresh fruits and cheese . westmalle tripel is excellent with fresh steamed asparagus ! serve in the traditional westmalle goblet at 45 - 50 °f .
westmalle was the first brewery in the world to brew a strong golden ale and call it a tripel . you can look it up . in the beer judge certification program’s guidelines , the tripel’s “history” section consists solely of these eight words : “originally popularized by the trappist monastery at westmalle . ” in his seminal book , trappist , jef van den steen describes the beer as “the mother of all tripels . ”
a dark , deep brown beer with a huge creamy head . it has a distinct malt aroma and laces beautifully when it hits the glass . its flavour , rich and complex , has herby and fruity components that wind our on a bitter finish . - learn more about westmalle brewery
the brews of mont des cats are said to have been the basis for the complex het kapittel range still made by the van eecke brewery in watou .
dubbel beers to try : westmalle dubbel , chimay red , maredsous 8 , westvleteren 8 , new belgium abbey , and allagash double .
that wasn ' t to be the end of the trappists of westmalle , however . they were able to return in 1802 . and while the abbey ' s buildings sustained much damage under napoleon , westmalle begins to flourish – by 1842 the abbey has received official recognition .
the tripel comes out at 39 . 5 ibus and the commitment to the use of whole hop cones has become part of westmalle’s story .
this desire for a more simple way of life permeates into the brewery . when they installed a new bottling line in 2002 , they purposefully bought one with more capacity than they needed as a mark of respect to the lifestyle of their lay workers . work - life balance is a priority . pauwels lives next door and cycles to the abbey for work . van assche moved to westmalle to be beside the brewery . he’s been living and working here for 18 years .
in many instances , the monks of a monastery don’t have the time to dedicate to both the rule of saint benedict and running a brewery , so it is not uncommon for a monk to be appointed to oversee brewing operations , but the actual day - to - day brewery tasks are taken on by hired , secular help .
the brewery , masked by lime trees , is in the imposing 1930s building that once housed the dairy . the whitewashed brewhouse has handsome copper vessels bought used in 1946 .
“verlinden had a brewery and he had some connections with this abbey , ” van assche says . “i don’t think hendrick ever brought yeast into the brewery . i think he helped the monks with problems that they had during the brewing process in a consulting role . he was a friend of the abbey and he helped them with some major brewing issues . ”
it’s largely undisputed that westmalle tripel is now the model for the modern belgian tripel . it makes up 70 % of what is brewed at westmalle and due to its pronounced carbonation and complex flavor profile , it has been christened by the people of the surrounding region as “the champagne of the kempen . ”
having said all this , it should not be forgotten that westmalle is something more than just an iconic brewery , and a trappist beer . the abbey also runs a state - of - the - art agricultural business covering 300 hectares . there are 120 dairy cows , soon to be increased to 200 , living in brand new quarters .
, westmalle decided it would remain responsible for product quality , brand development and marketing . a conscious decision was made to keep brand advertising low - key ,
until 1990 , three monks worked full - time in the brewery : brother thomas as brewmaster , brother amandus as sales manager , and brother lode as general manager . by 1998 , all hands - on work was being carried out by lay people , albeit under the direct supervision of the monks . their influence is maintained through the considered structure of the brewery board .
not many people get to go inside westmalle abbey and brewery , and even fewer are allowed to publish photos . jonny got to do both , and got a fascinating insight into how the monks live and how they brew their remarkable trappist beers . huge thanks to the abbey for having us , and for adding pictures to our amateur collection .
while westmalle’s hop contribution is often underestimated , it’s true that the yeast does the majority of the lifting when it come to the tripel’s personality . “our yeast is cultivated in - house and shared once a week with westvleteren , ” adriaensens says . “it develops a typical fruity westmalle aroma with strong hints of banana . ”
the belgian beer world is known for its many beers , but also for its many breweries . we offer plenty of small , but also very large , professional brewers . usually they have a rich history , going back for many centuries . so this westmalle trappist brewery was founded in 1836 . a brief history can be found later in this article .
after creating this beer , the brewery discovered a three - grain brew had been made by carmelite friars at nearby dendermonde in the 1600s . based on this , it called its beer karmeliet .
westmalle lies 38 kilometres from from antwerp . by car , take the e34 motorway towards eindhoven , looking out for the zoersel exit – turn right towards zoersel . drive through the village centre and then take a left towards westmalle . coming from the hasselt - luik ( liège ) direction , head along the e313 towards antwerp , and exit at massenhoven . look out for the right towards zoersel , then drive straight through the centre , keeping on towards oostmalle – or you can turn left for westmalle .
for the monks of westmalle , a life of work is equally as important as a life of prayer . luckily for us , the brewing of beer has been a staple part of the former ! it has been a ‘trappist’ abbey for almost 200 years , first brewing delicious beer for the monks themselves before launching commercially around wwi . you can be sure their beer is among the best ; throughout its whole history , it has stuck to five simple ingredients : water , hops , malt , yeast and sugar . view the westmalle brewery page
the brewery is still tightly bound to abbey , however . the board of directors is made of three monks , plus three lay members . professional brewer , jan adriaensen , is now the head brewer .
the brewery isn’t for making profits . the money is to be used to pay for the upkeep of the monastery and its monks . any excess money is to be used for the monastery’s charitable ventures .
trippel beers to try : westmalle tripel , chimay white , tripel karmeliet , witkap pater tripel , van steenberge piraat , unibroue la fin du monde and victory golden monkey .
as for the beer that would rock the belgian brewing world to its core , popularize the method of secondary fermentation in the bottle and coin the term ‘tripel’ , that wasn’t invented until almost eighty years later , after westmalle had already undergone a huge expansion . the erection of a new brewery in the early 1930s was celebrated with the creation of the original founding tripel . with its clear , golden hue and fruity aroma the westmalle tripel is a bestselling whopper at 9 . 5 % and holds a special place in the heart of any trappist fan .
westmalle has been brewing beer since 1836 , and has two commercial offerings , the westmalle dubbel and westmalle tripel . they also make the westmalle extra which is brewed twice a year and is only for internal consumption at the monastery . the tripel is a golden yellow beer with 9 . 5 % alcohol and secondary bottle fermentation . it has been brewed using almost the same recipe for over 50 years . the dubbel also undergoes secondary bottle fermentation , is reddish - brown , and 7 % alcohol . with some minor changes , it has been available for over 80 years . what makes this beer a little more known is that it is also the only dark trappist beer available in draught around the world !
the rule of st . benedict dictates that monks living in an monastery should produce their own sustenance , and lucky for us westmalle is no different . the brothers have a farm , a dairy and of course a brewery producing lots of lovely food and drink , some of which is sold on to the general public . proceeds from these sales go to support the monastery and the monks’ charitable works .
the last few years have been very active ones for the trappist breweries . chimay celebrated its brewery’s 150 anniversary in 2012 with a special beer . stift engelszell joined the ranks of trappist breweries by achieving its certification in 2012 making it the 8th official trappist brewery . westvleteren sold a world - wide release of their famous 12 to raise much - needed funds . earlier this year , orval announced that it would promote its quality assurance director to head brewer , making anne - françoise pypaert the first woman to head a trappist brewery . chimay , in 2013 , announced it would release its dorée to limited accounts in belgium as a test before seeking broader release .
trappisten’s location was once the mid - point between the cities of antwerp and turnhout in the campine region of flanders ( “kempen” in flemish ) . a steam tram , now no longer in operation , took day - trippers from both cities to the “trappist station . ” as visits to the monastery and the brewery are not permitted , a trip by beer lovers to westmalle today starts and ends at the café .
inside and out , westmalle is an undisturbed oasis of peace and quiet . not withstanding that , within these abbey walls , around 120 , 000 hectolitres of trappist beer are produced every year .
the brewing monks : the trappist breweries ( part 1 ) – the first portion of the individual histories of the trappist breweries , encompassing : rocherfort , stift engelszell , westmalle , & westvleteren .
but the trappists of westmalle remain the ultimate guardians of their beer . the abbot father feels that it is up to the monks to safeguard the monastic character of the brewery , and its very particular economic approach . it ' s the only way to ensure that the authentic trappist product label is not an empty slogan . so , despite its global profile , and the high demand for its beers , the foremost concern of the
in the recovery period after world war ii , the family , called claus , turned their dairy into a brewery . the stimulus for this was a request to produce beer for another trappist monastery , st sixtus , in nearby westvleteren .
2013 ended with the 9th trappist brewery joining the fold when zundert in the netherlands released their zundert trappist ale . the 9th was quickly followed by the 10th when spencer abbey in massachusetts released their spencer trappist ale in january of 2014 .
westmalle abbey has been home to a cheese dairy since 1860 . here the brothers continue to craft an unpasteurised , semi - hard cheese using the full - fat milk from their own dairy herd .
in 820 , the saint gall monastery designed what would become the template for the medieval monastic brewery . the design designated the construction of 3 breweries : one to brew beer for paying customers and travelers , one to make the monk’s own beer , and one to make beer for the poor ( charity beer ) . each brewery brewed a different quality of beer , with the charity beer being the one made from the least desirable materials . this eventually led to the multiple running system .
i believe the first golden triple was produced by the three lindens brewery , at brasschaat , near antwerp , in the post - war period , when brewers of strong , top - fermenting beers were trying to compete with pilsener - style lagers .
trappist ales are not actually a style of beer but rather a designation of who made the beer - - in this case , trappist monks . the designation
trappist
on a beer label guarantees the following : the beer was produced at the monastery , monks manage the brewery and production , and the profits benefit the community and social services . the seven trappist breweries are : westmalle , chimay , koningshoeven , rochefort , orval , achel and westvleteren .
sandy heathland , forests and picturesque villages make up westmalle ' s surroundings , here in the heart of the antwerpse kempen region . many of the dwellers of the ' city of diamonds ' ( antwerp ) gravitate
the monastery -
abdij der trappisten van westmalle
- is located in the village of west malle , province of antwerp , belgium , and was founded in 1794 . the brewers take great pride in maintaining careful control over the brewing process - all hops are added by hand and no chemical additives of any kind are found in westmalle ales : they are the flavor of nature , of tradition , and of dedication .
the brewery is not intended to be a profit - making venture . the income covers the living expenses of the monks and the maintenance of the buildings and grounds . whatever remains is donated to charity for social work and to help persons in need .
the antwerp - turnhout bus stops at westmalle . the bus line 410 has six different routes , two of which run fast buses that stop at malle . café de trappisten makes an excellent starting point to explore the
on april 22 1836 westmalle monks were allowed to drink their beers during the meal . on that day , the monastery is in fact officially a trappist abbey . not much later , in 1836 , the monks start constructing the actual brewery . due to the increasing demand an expansion is necessary . between 1865 and 1897 the infrastructure is greatly expanded . about 24 years later , they start with the commercial sales through dealers . today their beers are still available like this .
we came here after we drink some beers in another trappist brewery , la trappe , in netherland and we was a little disappointed . beer was ok , but a lot of people over 60 years , a quiet atmosphere , and no fun at all .
so successful was the beer from westmalle , and so synonymous with the word “tripel” did it become , that other breweries in belgium like omer vander ghinste were forced to change the way they described their beers to consumers .
the best examples of this style have a tantalising combination of clean , biscuity , maltiness ; estery fruitiness ; and flowery hop dryness . i have tasted several new triples in the past year . the most remarkable was made by the bosteels brewery , of buggenhout .
not being able to visit the brewery is not a real issue having a great brasserie on the other side of the main road . my favorite is the tripel having the highest alcohol content & super taste . you can also go for the dark one . . .
, the beer came from wooden barrels stored in the cellars , and was poured into jugs to be served in the refectory . but the wily monks of westmalle were already selling their stalwart brews at the gates of the abbey .
it was in 1848 that westmalle strode firmly onto its path to beer greatness , when a genuine brewer joined the ranks : ignatius van ham . the fathers now started to sell their beer , following the example set by fellow trappists of
the 20th - century began well for the increasingly sought - after beers of westmalle . the first use of bottles dates from around 1900 . but , as with most breweries in belgium , the world wars were not kind to the abbey .
and westmalle expanded its production , with a view to supporting the local labour market . the recipe was adjusted in 1926 , and this beer , which has now become somewhat heavier , is what served as the basis for the current dubbel .
not just the eldest sibling in the trappist beer family but also a true brewing pioneer , we have the abbey of westmalle to thank for belgium’s beloved ‘doubles’ and ‘tripels’ . read this brief history to learn more about these beloved belgian brews .
the abbaye de notre - dame de scourmont is the home of chimay - possibly the best known of all trappist beers and one which enjoys notoriety around the world . the abbaye was founded in 1850 by a small group of monks from westvleteren , with the brewery founded twelve years later .
it was westmalle who changed the meaning of tripel ,
vander ghinste says .
they launched this westmalle tripel and people started to see tripels as something completely different . we were forced to change the name of our beer because when people were asking for an ouden tripel , they believed they would be getting a blonde beer of 8 - 9 . 5 % abv and not a sour brown ale of 5 . 5 % abv as it always had been with us .
the brewer’s current aim is to improve the taste of the beer if it is stored for longer , ensuring it retain its fresh and fruity character . respect for the product , and for the consumer , remains paramount for the monks of westmalle .
café trappisten antwerpsesteenweg 487 b - 2390 westmalle – belgium tel : + 32 3 312 05 02 fax : + 32 3 311 56 42 e - mail : info @ urltoken http : / / www . urltoken / english / home - en
westmalle tripel ( 9 . 5 % abv ) brings together in calculated balance a soft , biscuity maltiness , a pronounced ester profile ( mostly banana , but with some dried fruit notes ) , and a flowery , earthy , almost drying hop character .
before public utilities , a pipeline crossed the 500 meters underground from the abbey to supply the café with water . its existence gives rise to tongue - in - cheek rumors among regular café visitors today that the beer is pumped straight from the abbey brewery to the tap through an underground system of pipes .
“our barley malt is french , harvested in the summer , and we work with three belgian malteries who follow specific westmalle instructions , ” adriaensens explains . “for hops , we’re using five aromatic varieties as flowers , added in different stages during the boiling . ”
in terms of interesting bars and breweries , rural areas of northern belgium can often prove to be unremarkable to visitors . the abbey at westmalle and the cafe trappisten more than make up for this and are certainly worth the drive from any point in belgium .
an arbor of chestnut trees leads to an office in a renaissance - style house on a cobbled courtyard . the office has a billiard table and oriental antiques collected by owner guy claes . the brewery also operates a small but stylish bed - and - breakfast hotel ( fax 32 - 57 - 388071 ) .
the claus family ' s brewery is south of the town , on a country road near the border . the road was called abele street until a local government reorganisation in the 1970s . at that point , the local municipality expanded to include more than one abele street , so this one was renamed trappist way .
last year , they placed a new steinecker brewhouse alongside the copper kettles of yesteryear . brewmaster jan adriaensens heads up a team of lay people who work in different capacities in the brewery . there’s also a small team working in the bakery , cheese production facility , and farm—all within the walls of the abbey’s estate .
this active yeast is to ensure , of course , that these trappist beers re - ferment , either in the bottle or in barrel . re - fermentation in the bottle does demand time and space , but it makes an important contribution to the unique westmalle character .
just in front of the abbey in the cafe , you can taste the real trappist beer westmalle ! my suggestion is to try the half triple half double beer to have an unique experience ! of course you cannot see the inside of the abbey due to . . .
karmeliet is presented in one of belgium ' s most elegant beer glasses , decorated with a stylised fleur - de - lys . the glass was designed by antoine bosteels , one of the principals of the brewery . the fleur - de - lys is intended simply as a traditional decorative motif , and not a french symbol .
however , it ' s sad to note that there are no longer any monks working directly in the brewery . when the late brother thomas ( brewer ) , brother amandus ( sales director ) and brother lode ( general manager ) stepped down , in 1990 due to their age , they were not replaced by other monks .
the brewer states that the westmalle beers are best drunk between two and six months of age , perhaps one year at the most . if you keep them for a longer than that , then you will find traces of madeirisation and oxidation , which degrades the enjoyment for many .
“trip refers to the tripel , ” he explains . “trap is the abbreviation of trappist , and what people in the antwerp region order when they want a dubbel of westmalle . trip - trap is half and half , a blend of the two beers in one drink . ”
there are third parties in china and south korea who own the name ‘westmalle’ in those countries . they registered the brand in their jurisdictions and we were not even aware that this was happening . we’ve been trying , but we haven’t been able to recuperate our brand back from them .
there is also a gleaming new cheese dairy , taking westmalle ' s much - loved artisan cheeses – made here since 1860 – into the new millenium . no doubt that pioneering ten - some of 18th - century french monks would be proud of the edifice built upon their founding efforts .
the cafe / restaurant is great for tasting the beers and the cheese from westmalle , and the food is very good . but note that some of the services in the monastery are open to the public . it gives you a glimpse inside , but please behave respectfully ! they . . .
trappist ales have a large appeal for many people because they make such a pleasant accompaniment to certain foods . the dubbel and tripel of westmalle are wonderful examples . the dubbel goes very well with a dinner of beef or lamb while the tripel brings out the flavor of seafood and certain vegetables .
a nice café where you can enjoy some very good westmalle trappist - beer . i tried the half & half dubbel / tripel , which is unique for the café , and it was a very good combo of beers . it is also possible to buy the beer on bottles , as . . .
“i think that the trappist breweries we import are different from any other brewery in a significant way , ” says craig hartinger of merchant du vin , westmalle’s importer in the u . s . since 2005 . “they are more free of the commercial mandate or profit motive . i’ve been in the beer business a long time , and many of us proudly seek to drive sales ! and win ! and outsell a rival ! our trappist breweries are not out to drive , push , and win in that manner—they make and sell a product that brings real pleasure to people , provides jobs for lay workers , covers expenses for monks , and allows them to help charities . ”
around the same time , the blond table beer extra ( only available in the abbey ) was added to the range . led by the trippel , westmalle ' s beers became increasingly popular , post - war . that success brought with it new dilemmas for monks dedicated to the trappist way . like the other
a further two recommended walks : the drieboomkenspad ( 12 km ) that leaves from the sint - martinuskerk at westmalle , and offers enjoyable vistas over the brechtse heide area . the ‘molenpad’ , or mill trail ( 7 . 5 km ) also takes you close to the abbey . leave from the scherpenbergmolen mill .
the westmalle café is great . awesome dishes , friendly staff , the best beer of course ! after enjoying a nice meal , cross the street and head to the abbey . it is gonna be closed . don ' t be shy , ring the intercom . they will let you in , and you . . .
the hops are removed after the boiling stage , and the wort is cooled down to a temperature of around 20°c . the main fermentation stage – during which the westmalle proprietary yeast will set to its work – will take one week . after that , the beer will rest in ‘lagering’ tanks , at a temperature of 10°c .
founded in 1794 , the abdij trappisten van westmalle ( also officially named ' our lady of the sacred heart’ ) is considered to be one of the most influential of the trappist breweries and first began brewing around 1836 , although their beer wasn ' t to be tasted by the outside world for another forty years or so .
enjoy wedges of it in a ‘trappist cheese sandwich’ , hot and melted in cheese croquettes , or as part of other delicious dishes on offer in café de trappisten . and if you want to treat yourself to a fresh chunk of westmalle cheese , then just press the bell at the gate , the main entrance to the abbey .
that remains today , with the monks still taking strenuous efforts to avoid their religious heritage being turned into a purely commercial product . to that end they are willing to make financial sacrifices . there are only two hundred and fifty cafés in flanders that are allowed to serve westmalle on tap . being selected as one of the few is a privilege .
in café trappisten , they order trip - trap . the little bar sits directly across the road from the large estate of the abbey of our lady of the sacred heart in the village of westmalle . it’s the property of the monks , the only café they own . the bus stop outside the café is simply called “abdij” ( abbey ) .
but despite the prominence of beer in the trappist community , it is important to note that monks always put religion first over everything else–even beer . in other words , it’s always “an abbey with a brewery , and not the other way around . ” the beers being made in trappist breweries are intended to nourish the trappists and their visitors , and also support the financial needs of the monastery and its charitable efforts .
“if any other trappist brewery asked assistance of our lab we would give it to them , ” van assche says . “our working relationship with achel , for instance , is very concrete . westvleteren uses our yeast . if you go to the walloon trappist abbeys , you would find out that orval and chimay will help rochefort . the smaller breweries are helped by the bigger ones because we are more equipped with our tools . ”
most of westmalle’s production—nearly 70 % of it—stays in belgium . the netherlands gets 25 % , and what’s left goes to france , the uk , the u . s . , and japan . the growth in awareness of “brand trappist” and the explosion in the beer market globally in the last five years have presented challenges to the monks that could not have been previously foreseen .
the tripel emerged as a strong pale top - fermented beer that would compete with the influx of pilsner - style lagers into belgium from germany . the naming convention is born from the additional amounts of raw ingredients used in comparison to other beers being brewed at the time although the word tripel wasn ' t always used in belgium for beers similar to the type westmalle would create .
the cafe trappisten is one such place with the westmalle dubbel available on draft , and also serves the tripel and a wide selection of other beverages . they also have a decent selection of food , including basics such as trappist cheese and meats , sandwiches , desserts , and even a rabbit stew cooked in the trappist beer ! the cafe is open daily from 10am to midnight .
there ' s a reason trappist breweries are considered among the best in the world . this is the epitome of the belgian dubbel style , and the quality of this product shows that among the seven classic trappist breweries , westmalle shines at or near the top of the list . this is about as close to a perfect beer as one can get : world class in every regard .
the brewer will then add the hop flowers in three stages , with the dosage specified for every stage . the hop flowers will have been weighed by hand beforehand . the cooking process aims to dissolve the active ingredients of the hop ( etheric oils , polyphenols , and all the rest ) , so that the hop aromas are liberated , free to contribute to the complex character of the westmalle beers .
the brasserie d ' orval is a belgian trappist brewery located within the walls of the abbaye notre - dame d ' orval in the gaume region of belgium . they produce just two beers , orval and petite orval ( the latter only available from the the monastery itself ) . distinctive in it ' s skittle - shaped bottle , orval was first created in 1931 and has grown to iconic status - beer critic michael jackson even considered orval to be
a world classic
.
while the monastery has been brewing beer since 1836 , it wasn’t until 1856 that it did so commercially . the tripel in its current incarnation appeared first in 1934 after a brewhouse expansion and several years of tests , originally as a strong blonde ale referred to as ‘superbier’ , and then for the first time as westmalle tripel in 1954 after brother thomas made minor alterations to the recipe by adding more hops .
“there’s a lot of unknown export going on , ” van assche says . “there are beer distributors that take mixed pallets and charge a price for one - stop shopping . there are third parties in china and south korea who own the name ‘westmalle’ in those countries . they registered the brand in their jurisdictions and we were not even aware that this was happening . we’ve been trying but we haven’t been able to recuperate our brand back from them . ”
there are 32 monks at westmalle , most over the age of 50 , and almost all from belgium . disengagement with the outside world is part of the deal . the brothers give up their birthday when they arrive and take on the birth date of the saint whose name they have been given . speaking is purely functional . the focus is on manual labor and prayer , with six services a day and hours set aside for private study of the bible .
my great grandfather was brewing an ' ouden tripel ' in 1892 ,
says brewer omer vander ghinste of the west flemish brewery which goes by his family name .
tripel then had a different meaning than it does today . it meant more grain , more malt , more raw ingredients than the every day beers of 2 % abv which people drank on the fields in agricultural regions . our ouden tripel was a beer of mixed fermentation , like an oud bruin , but almost triple the strength of those beers at 5 . 5 % abv .
it is believed that beer was being brewed in monasteries as early as the 6th century . in its earliest history , trappist beer acted as a form of potable water . eventually , trappist beer was made on larger scales with the intent of sharing it outside of the monastery walls . in many instances , and even still to this day , many trappist beers must be purchased on the grounds of the trappist brewery or at nearby markets . some even say that it is the trappist brewers who started spreading their knowledge of beer and brewing procedures that helped spur the growth of secular commercial brewing ventures .
like their rochefort confrères , westmalle uses spring water for its beers that is rich in calcium . it is pumped up from a depth of 60 metres , before being filtered to remove the iron deposits . however , the water’s other mineral content is preserved , so as to feed the yeast . the list of ingredients added includes : barley malt ( summer malt ) , pale malts , ' caramout ' ( caramel malts ) and candy sugars ( for the dubbel ) . not forgetting the hops . all these ingredients are subject to the most stringent of selection criteria .
the tripel is often available at the cafe on draft . westmalle tripel is a beautiful beer made with pale candy sugar . it has an alcohol content of 7 percent by weight and 9 by volume according to a bartender . the tripel definitely produces a warming of the stomach and a glow to the head . it has a very pale color produced from a mash of light pilsener malts . styrian goldings hops are used along with some german varieties and the classic saaz pilsener hop . after a long secondary fermentation , the tripel is bottled with a dose of sugar and yeast . it is a memorable drink with hints of fruit and pepper . this beer holds up well in the bottle over time and seems to soften with age .
the strong blond ale was developed by moortgat brewery , the makers of duvel , after world war ii , in order to compete with pilsners . a belgian - style strong blond ale very closely resembles a tripel but the flavor is less grainy , less sweet , and a touch more bitter . the color ranges from bright yellow to golden , which is generally lighter than a tripel . the finish is also drier than a tripel but just as highly carbonated and sometimes more so . strong blond ales are often hoppier than tripels . the hop aroma can be floral , perfumy and herbal , due to the european hops used in the brewing process . just like tripels , this style is also fruity and spicy . the alcohol by volume ranges from 7 . 5 % to 10 % , which is more noticeable but doesn ' t distract from the flavors of the beer and isn ' t solvent - like .
have you heard of the monastery of mont des cats , near the hop - growing village of steenvoorde , in french flanders ? perhaps not .
mont des cats , an augustine monastery in the 1700s and trappist since 1826 , has not brewed since the beginning of this century , but seems to have doubly , if confusingly , influenced the beers across the border in the nearby town of watou , belgium .
there the brothers established a dairy farm and developed a market for their cheese .
het kapittel , or
the chapter
, probably refers to monks from mont des cats who , during a period of instability in france , crossed the border to establish a refuge in watou . there the brothers established a dairy farm and developed a market for their cheese . when they returned to france , a family of cheese makers took over .
during that half - century , the monks of westvleteren produced beer for sale at the abbey , while the claus family brewed a st sixtus range for wider distribution .
this arrangement was never ideal as the two versions never quite corresponded : those made at the abbey were distinctly malty while the examples from the claus family were estery and fruity .