Westmalle

Brouwerij Westmalle is a working Trappist brewery within the walls of Westmalle Abbey in Malle, Flanders. Its brewing story began in 1836, when the newly elevated Trappist abbey started making beer for the monks’ table. What began as a small house brewery later became one of Belgium’s defining monastic breweries, while remaining tied to the abbey’s community, traditions and charitable purpose. Beer inside the abbey walls The monastery became a Trappist abbey on 22 April 1836, after which the monks were permitted to drink the local beverage with their meals. Brother Bonaventura Hermans, assisted by Brother Alberic Kemps, prepared a small brewery. On 10 December 1836 the monks tasted their first home-brewed beer: a dark, sweet beer with relatively low alcohol. For years, brewing remained primarily for the abbey’s own use. From gate sales to a modern Trappist range Westmalle began selling small quantities at the abbey gate in 1856, and in 1921 the monks moved to commercial distribution through beer merchants. The brewery expanded in the early twentieth century while retaining its monastic setting. Its present range consists of Westmalle Extra, Westmalle Dubbel and Westmalle Tripel, brewed at the abbey under monastic supervision. A landmark in Belgian brewing Westmalle’s 1926 reformulation of its dark beer produced the stronger beer now known as Dubbel. In 1934, a new golden beer made with tripled quantities of ingredients was introduced to mark the inauguration of a new brewing hall. Westmalle Tripel became closely associated with the development of the Belgian tripel style, giving the brewery an influence far beyond its abbey grounds. A brewery where Trappist monastic life, long continuity and influential Belgian beer traditions remain inseparable. Westmalle Abbey, Malle, Antwerp Province, Flanders, Belgium 1836 1836: Brewing begins within Westmalle Abbey after the monastery becomes a Trappist abbey. 1856: The monks begin occasional sales of beer at the abbey gate. 1921: Westmalle beer begins commercial distribution through beer merchants. 1926: The original dark beer is reformulated into the stronger beer now known as Westmalle Dubbel. 1934: Westmalle Tripel is introduced in connection with the inauguration of the new brewing hall.