First American Trappist beer in preparation

The timeless tradition of Trappist beer brewing could soon shift away from the European continent for the first time ever, with a new Trappist beer being prepared in Massachusetts in the US. According to industry reports, the monks of the Saint Joseph abbey in Spencer, Mass., about 55 miles (88km) west of Boston, are working together with colleagues from Chimay in Belgium to prepare a new beer which could be the first non-European Trappist ever, and only the ninth in the world.

According to the rules of the International Trappist Association, a beer bearing the appellation of Trappist must be brewed in a monastery under the supervision of the monks themselves. At present, only eight abbeys are recognised as genuine Trappists (see photo): Achel, Chimay, Rochefort, Orval, Westmalle and Westvleteren (without label) in Belgium, Koningshoeven in the Netherlands (which produces La Trappe beer) and Stift Engelszell in Austria (Gregorious). Although the beers differ widely in style, they are considered to be of exceptionally high quality.

The beer press in the US reports that the Saint Joseph brewery, about 4,500 square metres in size, is nearing completion after years of rumoured development. One website, beerstreetjournal.com, reported the beer in question will be “a full-bodied, golden-hued Trappist ale with fruity accents, a dry finish and light hop bitterness” with an alcohol content of 6.5%, typical characteristics of the Trappist dubbel style and similar to Westmalle Dubbel and Chimay Red.