Edited 11th April 2024 As you probably already know, Nillis van La Trappe is the very first alcohol-free Trappist beer in the world. And it has been voted the tastiest non-alcoholic beer in the Netherlands by the beer connoisseurs at Bierista . This quickly raises the question of what exactly a Trappist beer is. And we will tell you whether we can expect more non-alcoholic Trappist beer.
Trappist beer, also called Trappist, is beer brewed by monks. These Monks are also called Trappists and are Monks of the order of Cistercians. Trappists brew different types of beer and the name "Trappist" comes from the French abbey where the name of the Trappist order comes from: Notre-Dame de la Grande Trappe Abbey.
There are currently 10 Trappist monasteries. Five in Belgium, two in the Netherlands and one each in Austria, Italy and England. These breweries/monasteries are characterized by three things:
Production takes place on the grounds of the monastery
The monastery is independent and not part of a larger organization and production takes place under the watchful eye of the Monks
The proceeds from the beer go to charity
Trappist beers are often confused with Abbey beers. The latter is a beer affiliated with a monastery. But it does not meet all three requirements of a Trappist beer. The brewery is often part of a larger group and the beer is usually only linked to the abbey in name. There are various non-alcoholic abbey beers available, such as Leffe , Affligem and Ter Dolen .
Will there be more non-alcoholic Trappist beer?
Yes, a new non-alcoholic Trappist is now on the market. Nillis from La Trappe is joined by an alcohol-free Witbier. Nillis is a dark, amber-colored beer with a deep taste with a hint of caramel and chocolate. Its brother (or sister) is called Epos and is a fresh, cloudy light blond beer with a generous foam head. The taste is characterized by a pleasant bitterness and a fresh aftertaste. Ideal for enjoying in the sun. In now..
We have not yet received any reports from other Trappist monasteries that they are following La Trappe's initiatives. But after the success of the Nillis, they cannot lag behind.
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