Brasserie Ruwet later Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu

At Val-Dieu, Belgian abbey brewing is not merely a historical label: beer is made within the abbey complex itself. The modern brewery was installed in the former farm buildings in 1997, reconnecting contemporary production with a brewing tradition associated with the Cistercian monks who founded the abbey in 1216. Its distinctive identity rests on that rare meeting of living religious heritage, high-fermentation brewing, and modern production. Beer made at the abbey The abbey’s own history records that Alain Pinckaers and Benoît Humblet installed a new brewery at Val-Dieu in 1997, in partnership with the monks. The move restored brewing to the abbey site after the tradition had been interrupted by the French Revolution. The official abbey account describes the brewery as remaining at the heart of the historic complex rather than merely borrowing its name. A monastic tradition carried forward Val-Dieu’s beers draw on recipes associated with the former monk-brewers and retain bottle refermentation as part of their traditional character. The brewery describes its beers as made without added herbs or spices, using an old infusion method. Today’s range includes the established Blonde, Brune, Triple, and Grand-Cru beers, alongside seasonal and barrel-aged releases. Tradition with a larger modern footprint The brewery has expanded without leaving its historic setting. The abbey’s heritage site records a major enlargement in 2020 that doubled production capacity, while the brewery reports a new bottling line in 2019 and five modern fermenters added in 2021. The result is an operating Belgian brewery whose equipment has evolved while its physical and cultural home remains the abbey. A living abbey brewery where high-fermentation beer is made on the historic Val-Dieu site, not simply in its memory. Val-Dieu Abbey, Aubel, Liège Province, Belgium 1997 1216: Cistercian monks founded Notre-Dame du Val-Dieu Abbey. 1997: Alain Pinckaers and Benoît Humblet installed a new brewery in the abbey’s former farm buildings. 2019: The brewery installed a new bottling line. 2020: The brewery was enlarged, doubling its production capacity. 2021: Five modern fermenters were added to the brewery.