Not every beer labeled as Trappist is actually brewed by monks in a monastery

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Authentic Trappist Product label is a strictly regulated designation, not a generic style. While many commercial beers use monastic imagery, true Trappist ale must be produced within monastery walls under the supervision of monks, with profits supporting charitable works rather than corporate shareholders. Understanding the distinction is essential.

The Trappist order traces its roots to the Cistercian monastery of La Trappe, France, where the Strict Observance was established in 1664 to counter perceived liberalism. A fundamental tenet of this life is self-sufficiency, which historically led monasteries to brew beer to feed their communities. Today, thirteen breweries produce Trappist beer, but only ten are authorized by the International Trappist Association (ITA) to display the Authentic Trappist Product (ATP) logo.

Founded in 1997, the ITA created the ATP label to protect the name from commercial exploitation. To qualify, a brewery must be of secondary importance to the monastery, and the production must occur on-site under the supervision of monks or nuns. Profits are strictly limited to covering living expenses and building maintenance, with any surplus donated to social work or those in need. This is why the label is distinct from 'Abbey' beers, which are often produced by commercial companies using the names of defunct or fictitious monasteries.

The nomenclature of these beers—Enkel, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quadrupel—often reflects their relative strength and historical brewing methods. For instance, the Westmalle Abbey developed the Dubbel style in 1856 and the Tripel in the 1930s, both of which have since been widely imitated by secular breweries. While the popularity of these beers has surged since the 1990s, the monastic life remains the priority. Recent years have seen significant shifts, including the closure of St. Joseph's Abbey in 2022 and the dissolution of the monastery at Stift Engelszell in 2023, illustrating that these breweries are living, changing institutions rather than static commercial entities.

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