You’re a beer lover who’s done a bit of exploring into different types of brews; chances are, you’ve come across Trappist beer. This widely respected and superbly brewed class of beer holds a special place and rank in the global beer scene. A classification of beer that is not only delicious, but also made by monks. Yes, you read that right — religious monks. 

And, believe it or not, the classification of Trappist is regulated by an association, and breweries can, and have, lost their designation as a Trappist brewery for not meeting specific criteria. Which leads us to the obvious next question: what is Trappist beer?

There is a set of rules that dictate what makes a beer a Trappist beer. One of the most important rules is that the beer is made by Trappist monks, a sect of monastic Catholic monks. 

Along with prayer, manual labor has always been an integral part of the spiritual practice of these monks. In a more practical sense, this custom has also been a means for monks to fund their monasteries and monastic lives, selling a variety of offerings such as cheese, woven fabrics, and beverages. 

At one point in time, most of these monasteries were located in France. In response to being targeted in the midst of political upheaval, many of these monks found their way to Belgium, along with some other countries such as Austria and Italy, where they were able to set up monasteries, continue living their monastic lives, and, of course, make beer. 

Given their spiritual devotion to manual labor, these monks didn’t just make beer; they made really good beer. Not looking to cut any corners that would diminish quality, they did things the right way and developed their own unique systems and beer recipes. 

Fast forward, and the beer that comes out of these monasteries is world-renowned for its depth of flavor and amazing quality. However, while there are certain characteristics that many Trappist breweries share, these flavors aren’t part of the actual criteria that qualify a beer to be labeled as Trappist. 

To be a Trappist brewery, beer must be made relatively close to an abbey while production is overseen by Trappist monks or nuns. In addition, the money gained from selling the beer cannot be used as profit, but must go to the monastery or to other sanctioned uses, such as charity. 

But, as we’ve touched on, many Trappist beers do also share specific flavor profiles. For the most part, drinkers describe Trappist beers as malty and grain-forward. However, it must be remembered that beers within the Trappist denomination can come in a variety of styles and forms, each with its own unique profile. 

While they can go by different names, the majority of Trappist breweries categorize their beers into four distinct categories: Enkel, Duvel, Tripel, and Quadtrupel (or single, double, triple, and quadruple). These classifications denote the general strength of the beer in ascending order. 

Some of the most popular Trappist breweries include La Trappe, Westmalle, Orval, and Chimay. Today, 13 abbeys have been approved to use the ATP (authentic Trappist product) label on their goods, with nine of these abbeys approved to produce Trappist beer with the ATP label. 

The nine abbeys currently creating Trappist beer at the time of writing this include:

• Chimay (Belgium)
• La Trappe (The Netherlands)
• Orval (Belgium)
• Rochefort (Belgium)
• Tre Fontane (Italy)
• Tynt Meadow (The UK)
• Westmalle (Belgium)
• Westvleteran (Belgium)
• Zundert (The Netherlands)

You’ll notice that the majority of the breweries that produce Trappist beers are found in Belgium. This contributes to a common misconception that all Trappist breweries are located in Belgium when, in fact, they can be found in several different European countries. 

However, most of the well-known breweries that come to mind when people think of Trappist beer are all from Belgium, with the exception of La Trappe. So, when associating Trappist beer with the country of Belgium, consumers aren’t exactly wrong, as these particular Trappist breweries have played an important role in putting Trappist beer on the world stage. 

If you’re located in Portland, don’t think that finding Trappist beer is impossible. There are most certainly some stellar spots to pick up some monk-made beer goodness. And while the price point of Trappist beer may seem high, the truth is that it deserves to be. These beers have been crafted by monks who have dedicated their lives to doing their best work in the aim of achieving spiritual goals. 

So, bottoms up, Portlanders.

I’ll shoot straight with you, Portland isn’t exactly the city with the most plentiful array of establishments serving Trappist beer. That being said, the few options you do have are quite spectacular (as an aside, there is actually a Trappist monastery located not too far from Portland in Lafayette, OR. Sadly, they don’t seem to brew beer). 

Here are three great spots to find Trappist brews. 

Belmont Station is a bottleshop and taproom in SE Portland (though it’s not actually on Belmont, but a street up on Stark). Sadly, the taproom doesn’t typically serve Trappist beer, though there are a good number of options in the bottle shop. 

If you stop by to stock up on some Trappist delight for the home, I highly recommend grabbing a quick brew to enjoy with an exquisite smash burger from the Monster Smash food cart downstairs (Vegan options too, including a delicious vegan burger sauce!).

Part alcohol marketplace, part drinking establishment, John’s Marketplace is a true Portland-area gem. There are three John’s Marketplace locations, with one located in Beaverton and two located in Portland proper (one on the West side and one on the East side). 

John’s Marketplace has a great selection of Trappist beer along with a fine (and well-priced!) range of Trappist mugs. Beyond that, they have an absolutely outstanding collection of domestic and imported beers, along with great wine and cider selections, too.

My personal favorite spot on this list to go kick back and enjoy a delicious Trappist brew, Beermongers is a SE Portland jewel worthy of a trek, no matter where in the city you’re located. With both a robust rotation of beers on tap and a wide selection of bottles and cans you can drink on premises for a small corkage fee, you won’t be leaving this place disappointed as a beer-lover.  

While the Trappist beer selection here isn’t gargantuan, it still gives you a decent amount of options. And, it doesn’t hurt that when you drink one there they’ll pour it into a Trappist abbey mug for you (usually from the actual monastery brewery you’re drinking!).

Though you won’t be finding Trappist beer at these establishments, they have some out-of-this-world German beer offerings. Prost! and Stammtisch have the same owner and very similar (if not identical) offerings on tap. 

I know Trappist beer and German beer can be different, but I’m remiss that there’s nowhere to get Trappist beer on tap in Portland (at least to my knowledge as a mildly degenerate alcoholic living in the city). If you’re looking for frosty imported European kegs, these are the spots I recommend hitting. It might be one of the more boring beers to pick, but a Hofbraü Original on tap is truly one of my favorite drinking experiences in the world.