Monastic Ale

Category 26. MONASTIC ALE

• Category intro: Religious institutions have a long history of brewing in Belgium, although often interrupted by conflict and occupation such as during the Napoleonic Wars and World War I. Very few such institutions actually brew today, although many have licensed their names to commercial breweries. Despite the limited production, the traditional styles derived from these breweries have been quite influential and have spread beyond Belgium.

26A. Belgian Single

Overall impression

• A blond, bitter, hoppy table beer that is very dry and highly carbonated. The aggressive fruity-spicy Belgian yeast character and high bitterness is forward in the balance, with a soft, supportive grainy-sweet malt palate, and a spicy-floral hop profile.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Medium-low to medium-high Belgian yeast character, showing a fruity-spicy character along with medium-low to medium spicy or floral hops, rarely enhanced by light herbal or citrusy spice additions. Low to medium-low malt backdrop, with bready, crackery, grainy, or light honey notes. Fruit expression can vary widely (apple, pear, grapefruit, lemon, orange, peach, apricot). Phenols are typically like black pepper or clove. Bubblegum inappropriate.
• Appearance: Pale yellow to medium gold color. Generally good clarity, with a moderate-sized, persistent, billowy white head with characteristic lacing.
• Flavor: Initial malty flavor is light and has a honeyed biscuit, bready, or cracker character. Grainy but soft malt palate, and a crisp, dry, hoppy-bitter finish. Moderate spicy or floral hop flavor on the palate. Moderate esters similar in character to aroma. Light to moderate spicy phenols as found in the aroma. Medium to high bitterness, accentuated by dryness. The yeast and hop character lasts into the aftertaste.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body. Smooth. Medium-high to high carbonation, can be somewhat prickly. Should not have noticeable alcohol warmth.

Context

• Comments: Often not labeled or available outside the monastery, or infrequently brewed. Might also be called monk’s beer, Brother’s beer, or simply a Blond (we don’t use this term to avoid confusion with the very different Belgian Blond Ale style). Highly attenuated, generally 85% or more.
• History: While monastic breweries have a tradition of brewing a lower-strength beer as a monk’s daily ration (Westmalle began making theirs in 1922), the bitter, pale beer this style describes is a relatively modern invention reflecting current tastes. Westvleteren first brewed theirs in 1999, but it replaced older lower-gravity products.
• Characteristic ingredients: Pilsner malt. Belgian yeast. Continental hops.
• Style comparison: Like a top-fermented Belgian interpretation of a German Pils – pale, hoppy, and well-attenuated, but with a strong Belgian yeast character. Has less sweetness, higher attenuation, less character malt, and is more hop-centered than a Belgian Pale Ale. More like a much smaller, more highly-hopped Belgian Tripel (with its bitterness and dryness) than a smaller Belgian Blond Ale.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Chimay Gold, La Trappe Puur, Russian River Redemption, St. Bernardus Extra 4, Westmalle Extra, Westvleteren Blond

Tags

• standard-strength, pale-color, top-fermented, western-europe, craft-style, bitter, hoppy

26B. Belgian Dubbel

Overall impression

• A deep reddish-copper, moderately strong, malty, complex Belgian ale with rich malty flavors, dark or dried fruit esters, and light alcohol blended together in a malty presentation that still finishes fairly dry.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Moderate to moderately strong, rich malty aroma, with hints of chocolate, caramelized sugar, or toast. Never roasted or burnt. Moderate fruity esters, often dark or dried fruit, especially raisins and plums, sometimes pome fruit or banana. Low to moderate spicy, peppery phenols. Hops typically absent, but can have a low spicy, herbal, or floral character. The malt is strongest in the balance, with esters and spice adding complexity. Low soft, perfumy alcohol optional.
• Appearance: Dark amber to copper in color, with an attractive reddish depth of color. Generally clear. Large, dense, and long-lasting creamy off-white head.
• Flavor: Flavor profile similar to aroma (same descriptors and intensities apply) for malt, esters, phenols, alcohol, and hops. Medium-low to medium bitterness, but malt is always most prominent in the balance. The esters and phenols add complexity and interest to the malt, alcohol not typically tasted. Malty-rich, sometimes sweet flavor, that finishes moderately dry with a malty aftertaste accented by yeast esters and phenols.
• Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium to medium-full body. Medium-high carbonation, which can influence the perception of body. Low alcohol warmth optional, never hot or solventy.

Context

• Comments: Most commercial examples are in the 6.5 – 7% ABV range. Can taste somewhat sweet due to restrained bitterness, but the beers are actually fairly dry.
• History: While dark and strong beers were produced long before, modern Dubbel traces back to the double brown or strong beer first produced at Westmalle in 1922 when the brewery was re-established after World War I. Other examples date from post-World War II.
• Characteristic ingredients: Spicy-estery Belgian yeast. Impression of a complex grain bill, although many traditional versions are quite simple, with caramelized sugar syrup or unrefined sugars and yeast providing much of the complexity. Continental hops. Spices not typical; if present, should be subtle.
• Style comparison: Perhaps similar to a Dunkles Bock but with a Belgian yeast and sugar character. Similar in strength and balance to a Belgian Blond Ale, but with a richer malt and ester profile. Less strong and intense than a Belgian Dark Strong Ale.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Chimay Red, Corsendonk Bruin, La Trappe Dubbel, Rochefort 6, St. Bernardus Pater 6, Westmalle Dubbel

Tags

• high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, western-europe, traditional-style, malty

26C. Belgian Tripel

Overall impression

• A strong, pale, somewhat spicy Belgian ale with a pleasant rounded malt flavor, firm bitterness, and dry finish. Quite aromatic, with spicy, fruity, and light alcohol notes combining with the supportive clean malt character to produce a surprisingly drinkable beverage considering the high alcohol content.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: Complex but seamless bouquet of moderate to significant spiciness, moderate fruity esters, low alcohol, low hops, and light malt. Generous spicy, peppery, sometimes clove-like phenols. Esters often reminiscent of citrus fruit, like oranges or lemons, but may sometimes have a slight ripe banana character. A low yet distinctive spicy, floral, sometimes perfumy hop character is optional. Alcohols are soft, spicy, and low in intensity. The malt character is light, with a soft, slightly grainy-sweet, or slightly honey-like impression.
• Appearance: Deep yellow to pale amber in color. Good clarity. Effervescent. Long-lasting, creamy, rocky, white head resulting in characteristic Belgian lace on the glass as it fades.
• Flavor: Flavor profile similar to aroma (same descriptors apply) for malt, esters, phenols, alcohol, and hops. Esters low to moderate, phenols low to moderate, hops low to moderate, alcohol low, all well combined in a coherent presentation. Medium to high bitterness, accentuated by a dry finish. Moderate bitterness in the aftertaste with substantial spicy-fruity yeast character. Should not be sweet.
• Mouthfeel: Medium-light to medium body, although lighter than the substantial gravity would suggest. Highly carbonated. The alcohol content is deceptive, and has little to no obvious warming sensation. Effervescent. Should not be heavy.

Context

• Comments: High in alcohol but does not taste strongly of alcohol. The best examples are sneaky, not obvious. High carbonation and attenuation helps bring out the many flavors and to increase the perception of a dry finish. Most traditional versions have at least 30 IBUs and are very dry.
• History: Popularized by the monastery at Westmalle, first brewed in 1931.
• Characteristic ingredients: Pilsner malt, often pale sugar adjuncts. Continental hops. Spicy-fruity Belgian yeast strains. Spice additions are generally not traditional, and if used, should be a background character only. Fairly soft water.
• Style comparison: May resemble a Belgian Golden Strong Ale but slightly darker and a bit fuller-bodied, with more emphasis on phenols and less on esters, and fewer late hops. Should not seem like a blond Barleywine.
• Entry instructions: none

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Chimay Tripel, La Rulles Tripel, La Trappe Tripel, St. Bernardus Tripel, Val-Dieu Triple, Westmalle Tripel

Tags

• high-strength, pale-color, top-fermented, western-europe, traditional-style, bitter

26D. Belgian Dark Strong Ale

Overall impression

• A dark, complex, very strong Belgian ale with a delicious blend of malt richness, dark fruit flavors, and spicy notes. Complex, rich, smooth, and dangerous.

Vital statistics

Judging anchors

• Aroma: A complex and fairly intense mix of rich maltiness and deep fruit, accentuated by spicy phenols and alcohol. The malt character is moderately-high to high and has a deep, bready-toasty base with dark caramel notes, but no impression of dark or roasted malt. Esters are strong to moderately low, and reminiscent of raisins, plums, dried cherries, figs, dates, or prunes. Spicy phenols like black pepper or vanilla, not clove, may be present as a low to moderate background character. A soft, spicy, perfumy, or rose-like alcohol is low to moderate, but never hot or solvent-like. Hops are usually not noticeable, but if present can add a light spicy, floral, or herbal character.
• Appearance: Deep amber to deep coppery-brown in color (dark in the style name implies more deeply colored than golden, not black). Huge, dense, moussy, persistent cream- to light tan-colored head. Usually clear.
• Flavor: Rich and complex maltiness, but not heavy in the finish. The flavor character is similar to the aroma (same malt, ester, phenol, alcohol, and hop comments apply here as well). Moderately malty-rich on the palate, which can have a sweet impression if bitterness is low. Usually moderately dry to dry finish, although may be up to moderately sweet. Medium-low to moderate bitterness; alcohol provides some of the balance to the malt. Generally malty-rich balance, but can be fairly even with bitterness. The complex and varied flavors should blend smoothly and harmoniously, and often benefit from age. The finish should not be heavy or syrupy.
• Mouthfeel: High carbonation but not sharp. Smooth but noticeable alcohol warmth. Body can range from medium-light to medium-full and creamy. Most are medium-bodied.

Context

• Comments: Also known as a Belgian Quad, mainly outside of Belgium (Quadruple is the name of a specific beer). Has a wider range of interpretation than many other Belgian styles. Traditional versions tend to be drier than many modern commercial versions, which can be rather sweet and full-bodied. Many examples are simply known by their strength or color designation. Some might be labeled Grand Cru, but this is more of a statement of quality than style.
• History: Westvleteren started making their version just before World War II, with Chimay and Rochefort adding their examples just after. Other monastic breweries created products towards the end of the 20th century, but some secular breweries began producing similar beers starting around 1960.
• Characteristic ingredients: Spicy-estery Belgian yeast. Impression of a complex grain bill, although many traditional versions are quite simple, with caramelized sugar syrup or unrefined sugars and yeast providing much of the complexity. Continental hops. Spices not typical; if present, should be subtle.
• Style comparison: Like a larger Belgian Dubbel, with a fuller body and increased malt richness. Not as bitter or hoppy as a Belgian Tripel, but of similar strength.
• Entry instructions: The entrant must either specify a style with a BJCP-supplied description from the list below, or specify a different historical beer style that is not described elsewhere in these guidelines. In the case of a style that has changed substantially over the years (such as Porter or Stout), the entrant may specify an existing BJCP style as well as an era (e.g., 1820 English Porter). When the entrant specifies any style not on the BJCP-supplied list in this category or on the Provisional Style list, the entrant must provide a description of the style for the judges in sufficient detail to allow the beer to be judged. If a beer is entered with just a style name and no description, it is very unlikely that judges will understand how to judge it. Currently defined examples: Kellerbier, Kentucky Common, Lichtenhainer, London Brown Ale, Piwo Grodziskie, Pre-Prohibition Lager, Pre-Prohibition Porter, Roggenbier, Sahti.

Commercial examples (as listed)

• Achel Extra Bruin, Boulevard The Sixth Glass, Chimay Blue, Rochefort 10, St. Bernardus Abt 12, Westvleteren 12

Tags

• very-high-strength, amber-color, top-fermented, western-europe, traditional-style, malty