Day 29: Trappist Beer from Chimay

A Trappist beer is one which is brewed under the control of Trappaist monks. Chimay is a Belgium abbey and one of my favourites, although some will claim that it is an acquired taste.

For me, it's a bold flavour, slightly citrusy, and slightly pine-like. The citrusiness will remind you a bit of Hoegaarden and Leffe. Perfectly carbonated with just enough carbonation to waken the tastebuds. The frothiness on the tongue is feels like a light marshmallow. A winner.

On Trappist Beers

A Trappist beer is a beer brewed by or under control of Trappist monks. With the recent exception of Koningshoeven's Bockbier, Trappist beers are all ales, that is, top fermented, and mainly bottle conditioned.

Dubbels (a category of trappist beers which includes Chimay Red) are now understood to be a fairly strong (6%-8% ABV) brown ale, with understated bitterness, fairly heavy body, and a pronounced fruitiness and cereal character.

On Chimay Red

The Chimay Brewery ("Bières de Chimay") is a Belgian brewery founded inside Scourmont Abbey, in the Belgian municipality of Chimay in 1862. It was the first brewery to use the Trappist Ale designation on its labels.

The water for the beers is drawn from a well located inside the monastery walls. The filtered solids from the beer mash are recycled into livestock feed which is given to the same cows that produce the milk for Chimay cheeses.