The Westmalle is a beer Trappist brewed in the province of Antwerp, with the Abbey cistercian of Westmalle.

The Westmalle brewery is the largest brewery Trappiste of Belgium. It is one of the seven breweries authorized to raise on its beers the hexagonal logo Authentic trappist product , guaranteeing that the product is manufactured within an abbey Trappiste, by or under the control of the monks, and that part of the incomes of its marketing is devoted to caritative works.

History

The abbey of Westmalle is founded in 1794. In 1836, following important work of extension, the abbey of Westmalle is seen associating a brewery. The abbey started to market its beer towards 1861 following the example of the abbey of Chimay which had started to market its beers since 1859.

The First World War strongly slows down the activities of the brewery, but in 1921, the Tarcisius father decides to increase the production in order to answer the financial problems of the community. Between 1926 and 1929, the monks, who encountered some problems with the beers “Dubbel Bruin” and “Extra Gersten”, call upon Hendrik Verlinden, known to have then founded its own brewery which produces the beers Witkap Pater. From 1933 the construction of a new brewery starts, which allows a more important production, and ensures the abbey a stable income. Then are primarily produced the following beers: The Extra , the Dubbel Bruin (double brown) and the Fair . The triple is launched in the years 1950 to replace fair the and will be a great success. Today, the production reaches nearly 130.000 hectolitres of beer per annum.

The visible rectangular label on the photograph (in lower part) was changed during the year 2005 by a label in the form of ocher rhombus of color (see the photograph with the top).

Varieties

There are two marketed varieties and a not marketed variety. One can find Westmalle double and triple Westmalle. It is, like all the beers Trappists, of beers of high Fermentation. The first is a brown ale with 7% while the second is a lager which titrates to 9,5% since 2002. Previously, triple Westmalle titrated to 9%. Westmalle Extra (“Extra van Westmalle”) is brewed only twice the year and is not marketed. It can be tasted only on the spot.

The ingredients are exclusively the following: water, Barley malted, Yeast, flowers of Hop and Candy sugar.

Double Westmalle and triple are in bottles of 33 Cl but one can also find Westmalle triple into 75 Cl. These beers serve, according to the label, between 8 and 14°C (indeed, a beer of high fermentation is drunk at temperature of cellar, and not frozen). Triple Westmalle can, for example, to accompany the dishes containing cheese or of red meats. Out of aperitif, it can be accompanied by dice of emmental or county spiced by a mustard point.

Westmalle were used as model with many beers known as of abbey. In particular, the mentions “double” and “triple”, which indicates their force, in comparison with a beer of table which would be known as “simple”, were shown by other manufacturers.

Consumption

One is used traditionally the beers Trappists in glass as type “chalice” (because of the associated religious symbolic system), and there exists official glass stamp of the name of the abbey of Westmalle. Certain amateurs prefer to be used for them in glass in tulip (more tightened on the top) in order to better concentrate the flavors.

Conservation

Triple Westmalle can be preserved several years in cellar at a temperature close to 10°C. The date of limit of consumption is indicative: it is possible to taste Westmalle triples one, two even three years after the deadline. At each last year, the taste changes: attention with the bad surprise last three or four years in cellar!

However, one can note a certain improvement of savor after 6 months of guard in cellar, and this until 2 years of cellar. It becomes rounder, and is more alcoholic (by the action of the fermentation of yeasts and the transformation of alcohol sugar).

Place of production

Located at the west of the town of Trunk (from where Westmalle), the abbey is surrounded by wood and meadows. Opposite the abbey, the Coffee Trappist is, where one serves Westmalle. The legend wants that the pumps of the Coffee Trappist are directly connected to the tanks of the abbey…

See too

External bond

• the official site

• Site of the beers Trappist