Trappist brews are those beers still
brewed by monks in Belgium and the Netherlands. These brews now brewed to fund
charitable works in those areas, but were once important for travelers in
Europe hundreds of years ago. Trappist brews usually come in a few styles: the
dubbel, tripel, and the quadrupel. The tripel is the lightest, followed by the
dubbel, and quadrupel. Other specialty beer styles can include stronger dark
ales or spiced ales.
A fantastic brew made in Belgium is the strong
dark ale brewed by the monks at Rochefort. This brew is a full, brown color
with a foam head. Although there is a slight alcohol smell (9.2% ABV) followed
by a dark, fruity aroma. This fruit aroma of fig and berry is a contribution of
the yeast. Trappist monks have cultivated these yeasts over long periods of
time which makes these yeast strains some of the most unique in the world.
The taste of Rochefort 8, a strong dark
ale, has a creamy, spicy character and finishes with a sweet, berry aftertaste.
One of the best things about this brew is that deep, dark fruit taste that is
richly tucked away in a malty brew. Of the Trappist brews, this is one of my
personal favorites. The complexity of this beer should make it among the finest
Trappist brews.
