Abdij van de Trappisten van Westmalle

Location:          Westmalle, Antwerpen, Belgium 

Website:         Abdij van de Trappisten van Westmalle

There are only 7 breweries in the world that can official call themselves producers of Trappist beer. The monastery at Westmalle became a Trappist Abbey in 1836, in the same year construction started on a small brewery and later that year the first brew of Trappist beer was served. As the quality of the beer started to make a name for itself the monks began to sell their product at the gates of the brewery. Demand increased and in 1921 they began to sell to the beer trade. Brewing continues within the walls of the abbey which is one of the criteria the brewery must maintain in order to remain an official Trappist brewery.