Trappist beer crisis over shortage of new monks

‘‘The existential reality of what this means for one of Belgium’s most cherished brewing traditions is becoming clear.’’

Eoghan Walsh

Author of Brussels Beer City: Stories from Brussels’ Brewing Past

Belgium’s Trappist beers are under threat from a crippling shortage of new monks to replace their ageing brewing brothers.

The recruitment crisis has already led to one brewery, Achel, losing its Authentic Trappist Product label after the last two monks at the St Benedict’s Abbey in the province of Limburg, close to the Dutch border, retired.

There are about 100 Cistercian monks brewing in Belgium, which is the spiritual home of the Trappist beers and, until recently, boasted almost half of the world’s 14 Trappist breweries.

The vast majority of the monks have already reached retirement age but fewer and fewer Belgians are replacing them, leading to fears the monastic order could die out.

‘‘Achel is the first of the six monasteries that no longer has a living community.

‘‘For the past four years there have only been two brothers,’’ Abbot Nathanael Koninkx, of the Westmalle Abbey, told the De Tijd newspaper.

‘‘In Westmalle, there are still 27. I do not dare to say how many will still be there in 20 years’ time. If you can provide more vocations, please do.

The Authentic Trappist Product label is only awarded to beers made in the immediate surroundings of an abbey, produced under the supervision of monks or nuns and sold to fund the monastery and for charitable works.

Eoghan Walsh, the author of Brussels Beer City: Stories from Brussels’ Brewing Past, said: ‘‘The number of new vocations for new monks have dropped off a cliff in Belgium, and they have never exactly been very high to begin with.’’

Walsh added: ‘‘The existential reality of what this means for one of Belgium’s most cherished brewing traditions is becoming clear.’’

There are six Trappist breweries in Belgium and 14 Trappist breweries worldwide, including Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, near Coalville, Leicestershire, which makes Tynt Meadow, as well as breweries in the US.