Resilience in Changing Times
Brouwerij der Sint-Benedictus Abdij de Achelse Kluis (say that three times fast), better known as just Achel, was an official Trappist brewery, until it wasn’t. Achel was all the rage in 1998 when it became Belgium’s newest, and smallest, Trappist brewery. Unfortunately, in 2021, Achel lost its status as an official Trappist brewery. Why? To answer that, we have to look at the requirements to produce an “Authentic Trappist Product.”
The brewery must be on the grounds of a Trappist monastery.
Production must be carried out under the supervision of the monks or nuns
Profits are intended for the needs of the monastery or for development projects and charitable works.
Achel lost its Trappist status when the last of its monks passed away, leaving the beers unsupervised by monks or nuns. Westmalle helped for a while by loaning Achel one of its monks, but Achel was unsuccessful at recruiting any new monks, prompting its change in status. The monastic lifestyle is not for everyone, and all of the Trappist monasteries are experiencing diminished numbers of monks as the older ones retire or pass away.
History
Achel was founded in 1648 and mostly farmed until the abbey was destroyed during Napoleon’s reign. The monks from Westmalle helped Achel rebuild, and their brewery released its first beer in 1852. In 1871, they officially became a Trappist monastery and brewed beer frequently until the Germans tore apart the brewery for its copper during World War One. With the help of Westmalle and Rochefort, they rebuilt their brewery and started making beer again in 1998. 23 years later, their lack of monks caused them to lose their Authentic Trappist Product status on January 1, 2021.
Achel Beers
Down but not out, Achel continues to make six beers. They work closely with the brewers at Westmalle for technical support and to stay current on the latest brewing techniques.
In the taproom, which has a large patio that attracts many hikers and cyclists, Achel’s old-style Blond 5 and Bruin 5 (both 5.0% ABV) are available on draft. Achel’s stronger, bottled offerings are also available and can be found throughout most of the country. They are:
Achel 8 Blond, a Tripel, comes in at 8.0% ABV
Achel 8 Bruin, a Dubbel, is also 8.0%
Achel Extra Blond is a 9.5% Golden Strong Abbey Tripel
Achel Extra Bruin is a 9.5% Dark Strong Ale/Winter Ale
All of the Achel beers are good examples of Trappist Ales and are of excellent quality. Despite no longer being able to use the Authentic Trappist Product seal, Achel continues to brew fine beers at the abbey and has quite a following among Trappist ale fans. Definitely worth picking up some at your local liquor store. Santè!