beer from the

elcome to our Dutch readers from the ma- Wgazine Manchet! The love of Belgian apparently crosses borders, since our northern neighbours show a great interest in everything that is brewed in this small country of ours. From now on Manchet, the magazine for members of the Netherlands-Limburg ‘Gulpener Biergilde’ is to be included in the Passion magazine. As a result, our Dutch readers not only obtain more informa- tion about Belgian beers, but the Belgians can also find out what is happening in the world of beer be- yond their own borders. Beginning with the pre- vious issue, we are focusing the spotlight on the best Dutch and their beers in the ‘Beer from the Netherlands’ section. Trappist beers from La Trappe

FILIP VERHEYDEN Amongst the fields of Berkel-Enschot, a commune near Tilburg, lies the Netherlands’ only Trappist , ‘De Schaapskooi’. I was welcomed there one drizzly morning by Peter Peeters, the brewery manager. A man with a passionate enthusiasm, just like the beers he brews…

he dates back ly extensive range. However, the main aim was to fledged product, because the to 1868, when a Tilburg safeguard the jobs of the lay staff. brewery still bore its Pils image. Twool dyer bought a series The 1970s: Ultimately Artois’ intentions The brewery was still associated of farms, one of which was called the Artois period proved to be more economic than with Stella Artois, a name that ‘De Schaapskooi’. This good man social and they wanted to use ‘De had acquired negative connota- offered to loan the buildings to The monastery gradually expan- Schaapskooi’ solely to produce tions in the Netherlands. the , who bought the ded its brewery, sometimes suc- so-called B-brands. Most of the At first they only produced one entire site in 1883. ceeding, sometimes failing. They beers produced were of the Pils type of beer bearing the name The fathers soon decided to seek brewed a fairly wide range of type. ‘Koningshoeven’. In early 1987, a source of income. As the first beers, as well as a number of they began bottling ‘’ and abbot was the son of a brewer lemonades. The reason for this A fresh start ‘’, and this was followed from Munich, and therefore had was that their own sources pro- in 1992 by the ‘Koninghoeven good contacts in the vided the fathers with a surplus In 1980 the monks decided to Blond’. Draught ‘Dubbel’ had world, they opted in favour of of quality water. start brewing beer themselves already been introduced in 1986. a brewery. In 1969 a decision had to be again. On a small scale, admit- The ‘Koningshoeven’ range dif- In 1884 the abbey had sent one taken about the future of the tedly, because in the first year fers from ‘La Trappe’ owing to of its fathers to Munich to learn brewery. Either they would have they brewed about a thousand the use of a different cul- about the new, low fermentation to cease their activities, or they hectolitres. The main difference ture. brewing method. They had deci- would have to cooperate with a compared with the previous pe- In 1987 production of the origi- ded to make the so-called ‘Beiersch’ large, commercial brewery. They riod was that they now resolutely nal ‘La Trappe’ with which the beer, a sort of forerunner of Pils. chose Interbrew, at that time till opted in favour of high fermen- brewery started up in 1980 ceased The reason for this was mainly Artois from Louvain. ‘De tation beers. So no more Pils! and was replaced by two other commercial: after all, there were Schaapskooi’ saw benefits main- However, this switch was not beers: ‘La Trappe Dubbel’ and a number of other breweries in ly in joint research, purchasing entirely smooth. Consumers did ‘Tripel’. The ‘Dubbel’ was new, Tilburg, all of which had a fair- and sales, and distribution. not yet view ‘La Trappe’ as a fully- while the ‘Tripel’ was a heavier

8 BeeRpassi on - december/january/february 1999-2000 version of an exis- to an active sales and marketing ting beer. In 1985 strategy. ‘De Schaapskooi’ In mid-1990 Peter Peeters decided to begin became the manager, the first lay exporting. Together manager since the end of the nine- with John Martin from teenth century. He aims to de- , the beer was dis- velop the only independent spe- tributed throughout the world. cial beer brewery in the Netherlands to achieve a turnover of forty Four successful thousand hectolitres in the year Trappist beers 2000. Peter Peeters has this to say: “A number of steps have In 1989, just one year after it was already been taken to strength- decided to fully modernise the en brand image of ‘La Trappe’ on brewery, an external consultan- the market, such as changing the cy firm was called in to examine house style in 1991 and the intro- the future opportunities and risks duction of the ‘’ sea- facing the brewery. The main sonal beer. In 1992 the commer- theme running through the con- cial machinery was strengthened. clusions of the survey was that ‘Enkel’ was launched in 1993, the brewery needed to change which means that the ‘La Trappe’ course completely as far as its mar- range currently consists of four ket approach was con- beers, ‘Enkel’, ‘Dubbel,’ ‘Tripel’ cerned, moving from a and ‘Quadrupel’. As we brew passive commercial policy Trappist beers, the types of beer

Beerpassion - december/january/february 1999-2000 9 Tasting notes by Filip Verheyden

‘La Trappe Blond’ (This is the only beer that is not fermented in the bottle) Alcohol content: 6.5% Vol. Alc. Bottle volume: 30 cl (standard volume in the Netherlands) (crown cap) Colour: clear blond to pale amber and fairly lasting white head. Aroma: pure aroma including flowers, malt and a slight hint of yeast. Very fresh. Taste: very smooth initial taste that gives way to a subtle, fine centre. Pronounced taste of malt and pleasant hops bitterness in aftertaste, with hints of malt, honey and coriander. A perfect thirst quencher with a marvellous body!

‘La Trappe Tripel’ Alcohol content: 8% Vol. Alc. Bottle volume : 30 cl (also available in 50 cl pitchers and 75 cl bot- tles) (crown cap) Colour: deep, warm, amber and fairly lasting white head. Aroma: very complex aroma with hints of green fig, plums, prunes, are given on the label in Latin The future for Trappists is far caramel, coriander and a slightly animal smell. Very special and cap- (respectively ‘Angulus’, ‘Duplus’, from rosy! The number of monks tivating. ‘Triplus’ and ‘Quadruplus’), as is falling constantly and we do Taste: fully confirmed in the taste. Pithy initial taste that gives way to well as being indicated by one, not have any monks at all work- a strong, alcoholic centre. Hints of plums, honey, and spices. Marvellous two, three or four crosses. In the ing in our brewery now. This is body giving way to a lasting aftertaste that is but pleasant. experimental phase of the Enkel why from 1999 onwards we have beer, it was also produced with joined forces with Bavaria. The ‘La Trappe Dubbel’ a completely blank label, fol- monastery simply cannot con- Alcohol content: 6.5% Vol. Alc. lowing in the footsteps of the tinue to support the brewery and Bottle volume: 30 cl (also available in 50 cl pitchers and 75 cl bot- ‘Westmalle Extra’. distribution has always been our tles) (crown cap) From 1 January 2000 the ‘Enkel’ big problem. Bavaria can help us Colour: deep reddish brown and turbulent light brown head that dis- will disappear and be replaced by here. appears fairly rapidly. the ‘Blond’, so as to be more in Peeters continues enthusiasti- Aroma: fairly closed aroma that releases hints of caramel, coffee line with market demands.” cally: “Our beers are fully fledged (roasted), aniseed and liquorice when the beer is swirled. There is The brewery also markets its Trappist beers, whatever anyone also a touch of fresh orange peel. ‘ Trappist beers in pitchers. “This else might say. We may not ful- Taste: pleasant, slightly bitter initial taste with hints of coffee and ‘ is mainly because Tilburg as a fil all the criteria of the Authentic caramel, that gives way to a fairly smooth centre. The bitterness comes carnival town is known as ‘pitch- Trappist Product’ label (because pleasantly to the fore in the aftertaste, with hints of coffee and a slight- er town’,” Peeters explains. of this commercial dimension) ly roasted touch. Heart-warming and yet not too heavy thanks to a but we are still a member of the pleasant degree of acidity, which lends the beer freshness. association. This is why we are The future of the removing the label from our pro- ‘La Trappe Quadrupel’ Trappists? ducts from 1 December onwards, Alcohol content: 10% Vol. Alc. although we are also doing this Bottle volume: 30 cl (also available in 50 cl pitchers and 75 cl bot- This whole story shows that ‘La because we think there are already tles) (crown cap) Trappe’, the only Trappist brew- too many logos.” Colour: dark brown but fairly clear colour and light brown head ery outside Belgium, has its own, that disappears rather rapidly. modern strategy and does not The beers Aroma: very complex aroma dominated by malt and yeast and inclu- plan to continue to operate n a ding caramel, coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, biscuit and apple (yeast) small scale, as the Belgian abbeys The four ‘La Trappe’ beers are all supplemented by aniseed and liquorice. do. “That’s quite right”, says Peter high fermentation products and Taste: same as aroma. Pithy initial taste that gives way to a very Peeters, “And it has already caused are available throughout the year. complex and alcoholic centre. Hints of caramel, chocolate, aniseed, quite a fuss. Our Belgian col- The ‘Quadrupel’ is especially pro- liquorice and other spices. The aftertaste is very peppery (owing to leagues think we are too com- moted in the autumn and win- the high alcohol content) and particularly lasting. A heavy but deli- mercial. But what can you do? ter months as a winter beer. cious drink…!

10 BeeRpassi on - december/january/february 1999-2000