Abbey

What is Abbey?

Abbey beer is not a single beer style but rather an umbrella term associated with monasteries. The most popular abbey beer styles are dubbel, trippel, and blond. 

The term abbey beer or monastery beer (bières d'abbaye) was coined to describe beers brewed in the style of the Trappist monks by non-Trappist monasteries or secular breweries under a monastery’s name. Breweries pay a portion of their profits to monasteries for the use of their name. 

Origin Story

Monks have been brewing beer in monasteries since the Middle Ages, both for themselves and for sale. The role of monasteries in the development of brewing skills cannot be overstated; many of today’s popular beer styles were developed in monasteries.

Trappist monasteries became particularly famous for their brewing skills—so famous that other monasteries and secular breweries began to imitate their styles (dubbel, trippel, etc.)

Trappist monks became concerned when breweries unrelated to them began to misuse the Trappist name and images of monks on their bottles. Eventually, Trappists demanded that only members of the International Trappist Association, founded in 1997, could use the Trappist name and logo. 

The term abbey beer or monastery beer (bières d'abbaye or abdijbier) emerged as a response to this restriction to describe beers brewed in the Trappist style by secular breweries and monasteries not affiliated with the Trappists. 

In 1999, the Belgian Brewers Association introduced the logo and quality mark "Erkend Belgisch Abdijbier" meaning "Recognized Belgian Abbey Beer" However, the presence of this logo does not always mean that the beer was brewed within monastery walls. Breweries with official contracts with current or former monasteries can also use the logo. Under these contracts, monasteries have partial control over the commercial aspects of beer production and a portion of the profits goes either to the monasteries or to charities chosen by them.