Trappists - 修道院啤酒
"Trappist" beer is considered the royal category of beers by many amateurs. Since 1962, this appellation is officially granted and corresponds to a simple rule: the brewing must be performed by Trappist monks, in an abbey of that order. Therefore, there are few, five exist in Belgium and one in the Netherlands, The Trappe de Koningshoeven. But in 1999 this last member saw its appellation revoked because the brewing was no longer performed entirely within the abbey. In contrast, a tiny new one sprang up, in Achel, in the province of Limburg, making Belgium the exclusive world home of the appellation.
这是比利时最负盛名德一种古老工艺酿造的啤酒，負責釀造啤酒的專家是由教會裡的修士來擔任，釀造啤酒的地方就在教堂地窖來進行，這種修道院啤酒據說從中世紀就開始生產，采用「上层发酵法」、高酒精浓度、经过2到3次瓶内发酵、全程手工制作。最具知名度的五大修道院啤酒為Chimay，Orval，Rochefort，Westmalle.。其中Orval与Chimay是众多比利时啤酒当中具有国际知名度的经典之作，Orval修道院创立于1070年，它只生产一种啤酒，啤酒评论大师Michael Jackson认为是全世界最特别的啤酒，独特的麦芽香味足以绕鼻三日，蛇麻草的添加将芬芳的气味进一步延伸，美丽的金黄色泽与厚实细致的泡沫，尽在这330ml深褐色典雅的玻璃瓶中。Chimay的高知名度与Orval不相上下，是销售量最大的Trappist，也是第一间以Trappist为名跨足商业市场的修道院，产品分为红标、白标与蓝标，红标最为普遍，带有淡淡的甜味与肉桂香；白标口感强劲，带有苦味与浓郁的香料味，酒体厚实，是Chimay的中间产品；蓝标是Chimay的顶级之作，又称为「Grande Reserve」，丰富的香味口感，让人难以相信是由啤酒表现出来。
Achel Blonde: 8%
The Achel Blonde develops a weak and only slightly dense head. Elsewhere, it offers a cloudy robe although it is filtered and a release of gasses that is fairly weak. Fairly flat in the nose, malt is by far the dominant element. In the mouth malt is present again though relatively short and it presents a weak bitterness. Notes of hops dominate the after-taste.
Achel Brune: 8%
Chimay Bleue or Grande Reserve: 9 %
Chimay Bleue presents itself in dark fullness with a fruity aroma. It shows a beautiful brown body and brown head, abundant and tenacious. It releases an abundant amount of gasses and has a fruity nose. It's taste is piquant, with a long bitterness and a pronounced roasting flavour.
Chimay Rouge ou Chimay Premiere: 7 %
It characterizes itself with a light coppery-brown colour and a very smooth taste. Best served between and 10 and 12 C, it develops a head that holds well. It has a significant softness in the nose and carries notes of hops and roasted barley. In the mouth, it is slightly piquant in spite of its overall softness. One notices a balanced bitterness and a touch of vanilla.
Chimay White or cinq cents: 8 %
Its coppery blond colour and abundant gas release is topped with a beautiful and generous head, creamy and compact. It offers a nose of hops and wheat. In the mouth, it is full and leaves a prolonged bitterness. It's tastes presents notes of anis and nuances of herbs while the aftertaste leaves a milky impression.
Orval: 6,2 %
Coppery blond beer with a significant release of gasses and a large head that is short lived. Its nose is fruity and acidic. As for flavour, one definitely senses the hops, with a nice prolonged bitterness, piquant, peppery and notes of pear. It is a beer with full breadth.
Rochefort 6 : 7,5 %
This Trappist presents a lightly veiled brown body, abundant effervescence and a significant, compact head that holds well.. In the nose, one picks up mostly notes of malt and pear. In the mouth, it is a little acidic but also recalls its olfactory characteristics, along with the addition of mocha, liquorice and a light bitterness.
Rochefort 8: 9,5 %
"8" is a lightly veiled brown, with a head that is short lived and a significant release of gasses. Fruity to the nose, it also presents a light roasting smell. In the mouth, it is full, light, offering a balanced bitterness, notes of banana and pear, anis and liquorice.
Rochefort 10: 11,3 %
The Rochefort 10 is a very dark brown beer, with abundant bubbles and a head that doesn't hold well.It presents a nose of Barley, caramel and roasting aromas.In the mouth, it offers a lingering bitterness, with notes of apple and chocolate. The water, which gives each beer its own character and bestaows this beer with it's remarkable taste, is taken from the "Tridaine" spring.
Westmalle Dubbel: 6,5 %
A dark brown beer with an average effervescence and a head that holds well, creamy and abundant, the Westmalle Double presents a floral and winy nose. Piquant in the mouth, one distinguishes flavours of roasting, mocha, liquorice, notes of pear, banana and toasted bread.
Westmalle Tripel: 9 %
Presenting a beautiful blond colour, a little cloudy an with a compact, short lived head, the Westmalle Triple also offers a fruity and herby nose, accompanied by notes of fresh hops. Round in the mouth, it develops a powerful bitterness followed by flavours of lemon and caramel, rock candy, sage and orange.
