Right beer lovers - which is your fav Trappist beer and which brewery do you want to hear about next? Don't say Westvleteren... coz we can't get the beers til January!
Rochefort 10 might be my all time favorite top 1. Chimay Blue is also very nice. I can also highly recommend the Stift Engelszell Beers. All 2 or 3 of them that i tried were excellent. I also recently had some "Tripel Karmeliet" from Bosteels, which is awesome as well, although it's not a Trappist but a Carmelite beer.
I fell in love with Chimay on our honeymoon in Belgium. I tend to prefer hoppy beers now but still really like the Belgian ales. Don't really have a favorite though
In 2019 I bicycled in Belgium and The Netherlands with a friend with the goal of visiting as many of the Trappist breweries as possible. We got to six of them (Westmalle, Chimay, Achel, La Trappe, Orval, and Westvleteren) and enjoyed beer in all of their tasting rooms. It was a fantastic trip and I would love to do it again!
Tragic. Western cultures current decline in religious belief is not good for many reasons. And I could make that argument fairly well to an atheist simply by showing what has replaced religious belief
For 2 weeks in August me and my dad travelled from the UK via motorhome to Westvleteren, Orval, Chimay, Westmalle, Rochefort, Achel, St Bernardus, Bosteels, La Chouffe, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, La Trappe and Zundert. Amazing bucket list experience visiting the abbeys and villages and sampling plenty of Trappist cheese 🍻
They only have the 8 at the regular supermarkets here in the Netherlands, but it's really great that we even have real trappists in the regular shops at all! Chimay Blue, La Trappe, Rochefort nr.8 and Westmalle Tripel. Those are common to find here. (Luckily I live not that far from the Achel abbey, while not a trappist brewer anymore, they still sell every single trappist beer in existance)
The timing on this video... Currently on a work trip in the Netherlands from the US and just raided the local shop for all the Trappists i can get back home... Now I can drink a long!
Best Rochefort experience ever was in a pub in Brussels, where we were served a 10 with some 70% Belgian chocolate. Mouth-gasm!! Looking forward to the next episode!
About time we see some more monky business! :D If I remember my "Brew like a Monk" correctly, the numbers on the bottles come from the Belgian units for gravity. What you do is take the British specific gravity, throw away the 1. in front and multiply the remainder by 100. Rochefort 6 has a starting gravity of around 1.060, Rochefort 8 clocks in at 1.080 and Rochefort 10 comes with an OG of 1.100. Rochefort is a brilliant point to start this journey, the 10 is an absolute beauty.
Guuuuuuys!!! Breaks my heart to see you pour the full bottle in one go!! The beers are bottle fermented, there’s lots of flavour in the yeast slurry on the bottom of the bottle and that deserves to make it into the glass too! Pour half a bottle, swirl the bottle to loosen the slurry and then pour the second part of the bottle. Makes a world of difference!!
CBC should come with a Govt Health Warning! There I was minding my own business.....Have now ordered a Rochefort mix-pack from the Swedish monopoly!!! Should be here in time for Christmas. Cheers!!
Westmalle Tripel is not only my favourite Trappist beer but it might be my favourite beer overall! Love all Belgian beers though, can never resist a La Chouffe!
Trappists, the beers that made me fall in love with 'specialty' or 'craft' beers and always return to when in doubt. I don't know whether they take 6, 8 or 10 weeks to brew, but the Rochefort beers are named after the density of their wort in old 'Belgian degrees'. This system was abolished officially in 1993. 6° would be around 15° Plato, 8° corresponds to 20° P and 10° to circa 24,5° P. The persecution Trappists faced in history helps explain why Trappist monasteries are located close to country borders, which is clearly visible on your map! A series I will certainly enjoy thoroughly and I am sure you will hit right out of the park. P.S: My favourite Trappist beer is La Trappe Tripel. Could you do Koningshoeven Abbey next?
Being from Belgium we are so used to see those beers everywhere that it is sometimes difficult for us to think of the beer in general outside of those styles. When you are talking to a Belgian about a "bière spéciale" as you are using it in your video, this is the kind of beer that they think about. It might be for the better as these are really good beers but it's sometime a little bit harder for me to convince my friend to try something else... I just watched your video about the Westvleteren as well and I agree with what you say. I'm glad to have a few cases of those in my basement and it makes a really nice gift because it's really rare even in Belgium but I agree it's not the best beer in the world and not even the best Trappist... I would put my coin for Orval in that matter (the 200+ Orval in my basement are a good hint for that I think...) Anyway, I'm exited for the rest of the series.
Westmalle Tripel for me. I got to spend about 6 months working in Belgium and that is still my favorite Trappist. It started my Belgian beer glass collection also. As we all know if you drink Belgian beer in the wrong glass it doesn't taste the same.
I'm a big fan of the Rochefort series, it's one I always go to at Christmas too. Really interesting piece here and hope you guys get a chance to visit the breweries to see the operation in the flesh.
All wonderful beers, but special mention for Rochefort 10 - tremendously complex and like liquid gold simply one of the finest beers ever made. Great video guys 👍
Very nice thing about the weeks it takes to brew, but the actual background is a little more dull: the 6, 8, 10, 12 refers to sugar content in the wort in Belgian degrees. It works as follows. Say you have a beer with an OG of 1.080, that would be 8 belgian degrees, 1.060 would be six belgian degrees and 1.120 would be 12.
My super newb review of Rochefort 10 from 2004: "Poured an impressive brown with a hint of plum and a lingering tan head. Smell was impressive as well, floral with plum and prune esters. Taste, this is worth noting, it started very stealthy, dark fruits, and some malts, but going down it is smooth, almost unbelievably so. The world slowed to a crawl around me and for what seemed like an eternity there was nothing be me and the beer. I heard a buzzing in my ears and noticed my friend what talking to me, I told him to give me a minute. It is a very complex beer with a velvety-smooth mouthfeel and I really must try it again to take it all in."
I'm belgian, Rochefort 8 is my favourite "evry day" trappist. I never knew the origins of the "6", "8" or "10". So nice to finally learn about that thanks :)
Just to be clear the origin is actually an abbreviation of the original gravity of the beer (1060, 1080, 1010) - the weeks thing is a happy accident the monks use to remember them!
Great time of year for the big Trappist beers. Orval is probably the best all round quaffable beer I've ever had, looking forward to that one. Whilst not a Trappist beer, I noticed St Bernardus 12 on the shelf at my local Tesco which was a nice surprise!
What an amazing start to what will certainly be my favorite serie! My personal favorite Trappists are Orval and Chimay Grande Réserve. Pretty sure we don't get them all in Quebec, so I am certainly missing a few (we do get 3 of the 4 Rochefort)
Lol, "Trappist Beer Thumbnail" I never clicked on a thumbnail that quick before. I do treat myself with a couple of 4pak's once a year, the one I buy is "La Trappe Quadrupel" beer and it pours with a consistence similar to diesel. Ice cold then pour into a frozen craft beer glass is the only way I do it ✌✌ About $29AU @ Dan Murphy's Australia, Good old Uncle Dan's😉😉
My ranking of Belgian brown beers goes as follows: -Noir de Dottignies (closer to a stout than a brown beer in my humble amateur's opinion but incredibly well balanced with a distinct chocolate with hints of licorice taste) -Rochefort 8 (it's my personnal Proust's madeleine, eating a fish and chips and drinking a rochefort 8 with my father and my brother at a local brasserie restaurant) -St Bernardus 12 -Chimay bleue
i have tynt meadow in my beer store (under the stairs where it's cool and dark) with my name on it for this evening. looking forward to it. i've had a rochefort beer and enjoyed it v.much
The beers arrived on 23 Dec so I went through them on Christmas eve whilst rewatching the vid. A good experience that I wouldn’t have otherwise tried. Enjoyed them all but not likely to become regular session ales at something like 7.5 to 11%, but couldn’t really pick that they are that strength. Thanks for the incentive to give them a go.😊
Yes , yes, yes! Loving this! Rochefort 8 & 10 are bad boys. Fortunately I have a bottle shop 10 minutes cycle away who specaliae in Belgian beer. Two of my Trappist favourites are Chimay white and green. Along with Rochefort 8. Yes I also have both the fancy goblets. Also in Bury St Edmunds we have a bar who specialise in Belgian beer.
Another good post. I managed to find a supplier that has them all so I’ll order them and rewatch when I have said beers in hand. Interestingly (to me at least) is that the supplier also is selling a beer advent calendar - 25 different craft beers from around the country (Australia). Awesome idea! Maybe you could do a Christmas post of the 12 beers of Christmas or even better, a 25 (more traditionally 24) advent calendar, a beer a day. Anyway, thanks for another really interesting vid.
I do love Westvletren beers although there are very difficult to get hold of. I did do a visit to the cafe that is by the Abby a number of years ago and sampled the beers as well as the cheese and pate that is made with the beers. At that time if you purchased the beer from the Abby you drove in, stayed in your vehicle whilst the monks loaded your order and then you drove out. You were also limited to the amount that you could buy.
Might go with the Xmas version of the rochefort 10 and that is “mad elf” for my next beer. These are the type of videos I love from you guys. You’re both there, lots of great info and of course brads color commentary 👍🏻🍻❤️
The concept and history of Trappist beers is amazing much less the beers themselves. Tried the 6 last night. Like you said.. miraculous! Which beers from other Trappist breweries would be similar to the 6? Cheers brothers! Love this channel! ❤️🍻
@@TheCraftBeerChannel I mean the extra weeks thing might also apply, as it would obviously take a shorter time for yeast to chew through a 1.060 beer, than it would a 1.100 beer. Plus don't they bottle condition a bit before being put out to retail? That would also take longer the higher gravity you go. Either way, just happy to see this series. Have had the 8 and 10 a few times, have never had the 6 or Tripel. Could have sworn they had as 12 at one time as well, but I think I am getting mixed up with St. Bernardus.
Second comment but I wanted to add that in Belgium the 8 is usually preferred as the 6 doesn't taste that much compare to the others and it's hard to justify drinking a 12° beer on a regular basis so the 8 is a good compromise between the two ^^
Really hope you are hitting up Tynt Meadow (Mount St Bernard). Just up the road from me, have some different batches cellared away to experience the changing flavour as they mature.
Been to Rochefort, slight disappointment you can't really visit. But close-by great places to enjoy the product. Currently, purely by chance enjoying an 8 with a 10 in the fridge for later :)
Love the Belgian and Dutch trappist beers. Most of them are available in supermarkets here in The Netherlands. The Rochfort 10, Orval, La Trappe Quad and Zundert 10 are my favorites. And yes, i've also had all the Westvleteren's and like / but don't love it. I actually think the Sint Bernardus ABT 12 is a bit better...
Considering it is the favorite tipple of cyclists who go out on weekends who tend to drink a couple one of their pitstops, it’s a wonder we don’t have more cyclist related accidents
I love the Rochefort series but I have a soft spot for Orval. I just love how they brew one beer and stick to it. Plus, I've never known a beer taste so different with age.
@@TheCraftBeerChannel Technically, yeah, but the context most people are aware of - Shakespeare's "Get thee to a nunnery." was definitely the slang meaning. No convent I know of (multiple relatives are nuns) would ever use nunnery for a convent.
@@MuriKakari This is one of those situations where the Old English term "nunnery" was gradually displaced by the Norman French word "convent", helped along by the Old English word's salubrious double meaning.
There is something very special about Trappist beers. The story behind the tradition to the taste of the beers themselves is completely unique and something I really like. They're beers to drink slowly and contemplate the universe over with the exception of the blonds of course. I've always rated Westvleteren as the best ones but Rochefort for me is right there with them and much easier to find in a shop! Would be great to speak to the monks and hear what the connection is for them between brewing and trying to understand God. Why do they do it basically?
I never knew that the numbers on the Rochefort bottles indicated the amount of weeks that takes to brew each of them. I always thought that the numbers referred to the ABV of the beers. I’ve never had a Rochefort before, I’ve got to pick up some bottles, especially the 10 intrigues me.
Just to be clear it actually refers to the gravity (amount of sugar) in the beer at the start of fermentation but also happens to correspond to how many weeks it takes to brew and condition!
Difficult to just pin down my favourite Trappist beer as for instance it's a bit tricky with La Trappe as they are basically similar to a craft beer brewery inspired by both traditional Belgian monastery brewing as well as more innovative styles and often brew new unexpected beers. Same could be said about Spencer I guess... RIP. My favourite from the top of my head is actually the Rochefort Triple and as I said in the Discord I'm a bit surprised you weren't a fan at first. It might not be the most traditional tripel (what is it then? A hoppy strong blonde? Seems too smooth for that, not that it matters) but I remember drinking it for the first time and it bringing a big smile to my face. Probably the first Tripel that has done that in a very long time... they are oversaturated in the market and many/most are just boring or bad. This trippy Rochy is in my opinion nothing like that :)
It is indeed a very different beer and I like to think Rochefort saw the busy market and wanted to set themselves apart.... perhaps I am biased because Westmalle Tripel is in my top 5 beers ever... so if I see the word tripel I just want that.
Sorry off topic one for Johnny! A while ago you recommended a place to stay for the weekend in England, which had a brewery/pub/farm (it wasn’t that far a drive from London, maybe? I want to say it was off in the direction of the Norfolk area?), I remember googling it at the time and it looked really nice. I’ve since forgotten it 😢 Any ideas what I’m thinking of please? 😂 Keep up the good work lads 👍
I love the entire Rochefort line but, for me, the 8 is the best. I love the 10, but I drink more of the 8. The flavors are there, but without the kick. When I want the high abv, then definitely the 10. I also disliked the Triple but have since grown to really like it.
Glad you're covering the Trappist Beers. You know they're a monastic order, not a 'sect', though, right? They're a part of the (Roman) Catholic Church. The most sensitive secular journalism I've read about them recently is Mark Dredge's piece on Tint Meadow. It's hard to balance the beer with the religion, I suppose.
Hi guys, Love your content ! You both are brilliant. Is the low brow dude primarily a designer? I saw the bottle opener vid. Dude seems to take a back seat to yourself/as the "beer"dude. Suuppp???
Hey Guys regarding the numbers of "6", "8" and "10" and as far as the Oxford companion to beer states, those numbers correspond to to an "obsolete calculation of the gravity of beer stipulated by belgian law. It was developed to as a practical way to analyse both regular and acidic beers, as the presence of acid led to errors in other methods." The formula for the Belgian brewing degree is as following: p=n+2A+1.5c n= residual extract A= percent alcohol by weight c= acidity or volatile acid content p= original gravity "The original gravity was converted to specific gravity. The factor 0.0013 was substracted" "Beligan brewing degrees were obtained from the second decimal place of the resulting number" "For example if the final number calculated was 1.0641, the Official Belgium brewing degree would be 6.41." And this would be the example for a beer in alcoholic strength similar to Rochefort "6". So the numbers are a reference to this old measurement and calculation - but because the brewhouse efficiencies increased over the last century, so did the alcohol contents. Therefore those calculations would probably not add up if conducted with today's versions of those beers.
it's good to see that British brewers are not the nationalists one could think they might be, and that you appreciate the importance of great foreign breweries as the belgian trappist ones.
Are these beers fresh or close to fresh? Aged Trappist beers (2 to 5 years) are completely different than when they were younger. I attended the Brussels Beer Fest in September and had a Westy 12 and did not like it fresh compared to some of my aged Westy 12's. Aging most of these beers especially the dark Trappists bring out some really wonderful malt/yeast complexities.
All these beers were under a year old. When it comes to ageing then I'd only really age the 10 - the others will get out of balance with oxidation and lose a lot of their joyous yeast character.
@@TheCraftBeerChannel thanks. After rereading my question i hope my question didnt come across as myUK friends say a wanker. Lol. I study all things beer and have used and value info on your channel that i have watched for years. I started a channel and was going to do a video 9n westie12 so i was fine tuning my knowledge and just noticed the discrepancy in info. I make mistakes or justmisspeak more than i care to admit. Lol. Thanks for all your videos. I enjoy watching them and learn a lot.
I have a question....and please don't don't laugh. I'm going to Flanders in April (from Boston) and want to bring home a suitcase full of Belgian beers. Can the best of them be found in cans? Rochefort 10, Westmalle, Chimay....etc....? I can save a lot of weight and space if cans are an option to me (nevermind breakage). Thanks for any input.
Hi Bobski - I'm afraid none of the classic Belgian breweries have really embraced cans. Rodenbach have some products in can, but that really is about it!
Right beer lovers - which is your fav Trappist beer and which brewery do you want to hear about next? Don't say Westvleteren... coz we can't get the beers til January!
Rochefort is my favorite. I like 8 and 10 best. Not so much for their triple. Chimay is also awesome, and orval.
I'd love to hear more about the English one! One of the newest and probably least written about.
Rochefort 10 might be my all time favorite top 1. Chimay Blue is also very nice. I can also highly recommend the Stift Engelszell Beers. All 2 or 3 of them that i tried were excellent.
I also recently had some "Tripel Karmeliet" from Bosteels, which is awesome as well, although it's not a Trappist but a Carmelite beer.
I fell in love with Chimay on our honeymoon in Belgium. I tend to prefer hoppy beers now but still really like the Belgian ales. Don't really have a favorite though
st.bernardus abt 12 is nearly the same as west-vleteren but with a different water source and different yeast. But it isn't a trappist.
In 2019 I bicycled in Belgium and The Netherlands with a friend with the goal of visiting as many of the Trappist breweries as possible. We got to six of them (Westmalle, Chimay, Achel, La Trappe, Orval, and Westvleteren) and enjoyed beer in all of their tasting rooms. It was a fantastic trip and I would love to do it again!
How good is Orval Vert!
Any chance you could share the route you took? This sounds incredible!
Achel is no longer.
@@motsrox sure. How can I get it to you?
I'm a cyclist in Tucson Arizona Desert 🏜️. This sounds really fun to Tour These! 🤔
“There’s a bit of an employment crisis in monking“
is definitely one of the best sentences I’ve ever heard said out loud. 😂
Tragic.
Western cultures current decline in religious belief is not good for many reasons.
And I could make that argument fairly well to an atheist simply by showing what has replaced religious belief
For 2 weeks in August me and my dad travelled from the UK via motorhome to Westvleteren, Orval, Chimay, Westmalle, Rochefort, Achel, St Bernardus, Bosteels, La Chouffe, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, La Trappe and Zundert. Amazing bucket list experience visiting the abbeys and villages and sampling plenty of Trappist cheese 🍻
Sounds amazing
They only have the 8 at the regular supermarkets here in the Netherlands, but it's really great that we even have real trappists in the regular shops at all! Chimay Blue, La Trappe, Rochefort nr.8 and Westmalle Tripel. Those are common to find here.
(Luckily I live not that far from the Achel abbey, while not a trappist brewer anymore, they still sell every single trappist beer in existance)
The timing on this video... Currently on a work trip in the Netherlands from the US and just raided the local shop for all the Trappists i can get back home... Now I can drink a long!
Best Rochefort experience ever was in a pub in Brussels, where we were served a 10 with some 70% Belgian chocolate. Mouth-gasm!!
Looking forward to the next episode!
About time we see some more monky business! :D
If I remember my "Brew like a Monk" correctly, the numbers on the bottles come from the Belgian units for gravity. What you do is take the British specific gravity, throw away the 1. in front and multiply the remainder by 100. Rochefort 6 has a starting gravity of around 1.060, Rochefort 8 clocks in at 1.080 and Rochefort 10 comes with an OG of 1.100.
Rochefort is a brilliant point to start this journey, the 10 is an absolute beauty.
Guuuuuuys!!! Breaks my heart to see you pour the full bottle in one go!! The beers are bottle fermented, there’s lots of flavour in the yeast slurry on the bottom of the bottle and that deserves to make it into the glass too! Pour half a bottle, swirl the bottle to loosen the slurry and then pour the second part of the bottle. Makes a world of difference!!
Absolutely do not do this! With British ale yeasts it will be to the detriment of the beer.
@@TheCraftBeerChannel that’s how all top fermenting and bottle fermented beers are served here in Belgium
And use the brand glasses they make the glass for best tast of the beer
CBC should come with a Govt Health Warning! There I was minding my own business.....Have now ordered a Rochefort mix-pack from the Swedish monopoly!!! Should be here in time for Christmas. Cheers!!
You guys, the channel, makes me even more interested in beers even thought I already know many of my local Belgian beers
Westmalle Tripel is not only my favourite Trappist beer but it might be my favourite beer overall! Love all Belgian beers though, can never resist a La Chouffe!
Trappists, the beers that made me fall in love with 'specialty' or 'craft' beers and always return to when in doubt. I don't know whether they take 6, 8 or 10 weeks to brew, but the Rochefort beers are named after the density of their wort in old 'Belgian degrees'. This system was abolished officially in 1993. 6° would be around 15° Plato, 8° corresponds to 20° P and 10° to circa 24,5° P. The persecution Trappists faced in history helps explain why Trappist monasteries are located close to country borders, which is clearly visible on your map! A series I will certainly enjoy thoroughly and I am sure you will hit right out of the park. P.S: My favourite Trappist beer is La Trappe Tripel. Could you do Koningshoeven Abbey next?
Precisely. That 'weeks to mature' bit is quite wrong.
Rochefort 10 has been my favorite beer since I discovered it about 12 years ago. Has to be warmer room temperature and settle down before use.
Yay! The Trappist series! Can't wait for the next installment. Just watching you drink these lovely beers makes my mouth water.
Being from Belgium we are so used to see those beers everywhere that it is sometimes difficult for us to think of the beer in general outside of those styles. When you are talking to a Belgian about a "bière spéciale" as you are using it in your video, this is the kind of beer that they think about. It might be for the better as these are really good beers but it's sometime a little bit harder for me to convince my friend to try something else...
I just watched your video about the Westvleteren as well and I agree with what you say. I'm glad to have a few cases of those in my basement and it makes a really nice gift because it's really rare even in Belgium but I agree it's not the best beer in the world and not even the best Trappist... I would put my coin for Orval in that matter (the 200+ Orval in my basement are a good hint for that I think...)
Anyway, I'm exited for the rest of the series.
Westmalle Tripel for me. I got to spend about 6 months working in Belgium and that is still my favorite Trappist. It started my Belgian beer glass collection also. As we all know if you drink Belgian beer in the wrong glass it doesn't taste the same.
Not to mention it is just about the only thing we would get stroppy about with tourists :-).
Rochefort 10 and Chimay Blue....I do like the Ovalle even though its not a quad.
I'm a big fan of the Rochefort series, it's one I always go to at Christmas too. Really interesting piece here and hope you guys get a chance to visit the breweries to see the operation in the flesh.
All wonderful beers, but special mention for Rochefort 10 - tremendously complex and like liquid gold simply one of the finest beers ever made. Great video guys 👍
Very nice thing about the weeks it takes to brew, but the actual background is a little more dull: the 6, 8, 10, 12 refers to sugar content in the wort in Belgian degrees. It works as follows. Say you have a beer with an OG of 1.080, that would be 8 belgian degrees, 1.060 would be six belgian degrees and 1.120 would be 12.
A solid segment. Thank you lads.
I was at Westvleteren last summer. Amazing. The Belgium beer culture is truly incredible. Belgium is well worth a trip for many reasons.
My super newb review of Rochefort 10 from 2004:
"Poured an impressive brown with a hint of plum and a lingering tan head. Smell was impressive as well, floral with plum and prune esters. Taste, this is worth noting, it started very stealthy, dark fruits, and some malts, but going down it is smooth, almost unbelievably so. The world slowed to a crawl around me and for what seemed like an eternity there was nothing be me and the beer. I heard a buzzing in my ears and noticed my friend what talking to me, I told him to give me a minute. It is a very complex beer with a velvety-smooth mouthfeel and I really must try it again to take it all in."
I'm belgian, Rochefort 8 is my favourite "evry day" trappist. I never knew the origins of the "6", "8" or "10". So nice to finally learn about that thanks :)
Just to be clear the origin is actually an abbreviation of the original gravity of the beer (1060, 1080, 1010) - the weeks thing is a happy accident the monks use to remember them!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel 1010? You mean 1110?
1.100@@Wolfpack1986
I love this channel! It's like the History Channel, but about beer 😄
And with less aliens and pseudoscience
After I watched this video I went to the Achelse Kluis brewery in Belgium. It's only about 20 mins from my home. Fantastic shop and cheap beer!
Great time of year for the big Trappist beers. Orval is probably the best all round quaffable beer I've ever had, looking forward to that one. Whilst not a Trappist beer, I noticed St Bernardus 12 on the shelf at my local Tesco which was a nice surprise!
Such a lovely series 😍 Can't wait for the upcoming episodes!
What an amazing start to what will certainly be my favorite serie! My personal favorite Trappists are Orval and Chimay Grande Réserve. Pretty sure we don't get them all in Quebec, so I am certainly missing a few (we do get 3 of the 4 Rochefort)
The 6/8/10/12 from Belgian abbey/trappist beers hail from the original gravity. A 6° would be a 1060 OG in the UK, an 8° would be 1080 etc.
I’m lucky to work in a bar that serves the 8 and 10 and get to drink them on the regular. They are amazing beers and I love them very much
YES YES YES! Without even watched the video I can already tell…. This is my JAM!! Going to watch tomorrow together with a Abt 12 🍻
Lol, "Trappist Beer Thumbnail" I never clicked on a thumbnail that quick before.
I do treat myself with a couple of 4pak's once a year, the one I buy is "La Trappe Quadrupel" beer and it pours with a consistence similar to diesel. Ice cold then pour into a frozen craft beer glass is the only way I do it ✌✌
About $29AU @ Dan Murphy's Australia, Good old Uncle Dan's😉😉
I always look forward to Wednesday evening! Thanks guys!
My ranking of Belgian brown beers goes as follows:
-Noir de Dottignies (closer to a stout than a brown beer in my humble amateur's opinion but incredibly well balanced with a distinct chocolate with hints of licorice taste)
-Rochefort 8 (it's my personnal Proust's madeleine, eating a fish and chips and drinking a rochefort 8 with my father and my brother at a local brasserie restaurant)
-St Bernardus 12
-Chimay bleue
i have tynt meadow in my beer store (under the stairs where it's cool and dark) with my name on it for this evening. looking forward to it. i've had a rochefort beer and enjoyed it v.much
The beers arrived on 23 Dec so I went through them on Christmas eve whilst rewatching the vid. A good experience that I wouldn’t have otherwise tried. Enjoyed them all but not likely to become regular session ales at something like 7.5 to 11%, but couldn’t really pick that they are that strength. Thanks for the incentive to give them a go.😊
where was Spencer in Boston in the U.S. area that has recently closed ? It is real Trappist stuff
I've had a Rochefort the other day and I forgot how amazing it tastes. I got to get me another case one of these days
Rochefort 10 - my first and only love. 💗
Yes , yes, yes! Loving this! Rochefort 8 & 10 are bad boys. Fortunately I have a bottle shop 10 minutes cycle away who specaliae in Belgian beer. Two of my Trappist favourites are Chimay white and green. Along with Rochefort 8. Yes I also have both the fancy goblets. Also in Bury St Edmunds we have a bar who specialise in Belgian beer.
Another good post. I managed to find a supplier that has them all so I’ll order them and rewatch when I have said beers in hand. Interestingly (to me at least) is that the supplier also is selling a beer advent calendar - 25 different craft beers from around the country (Australia). Awesome idea! Maybe you could do a Christmas post of the 12 beers of Christmas or even better, a 25 (more traditionally 24) advent calendar, a beer a day. Anyway, thanks for another really interesting vid.
I do love Westvletren beers although there are very difficult to get hold of. I did do a visit to the cafe that is by the Abby a number of years ago and sampled the beers as well as the cheese and pate that is made with the beers. At that time if you purchased the beer from the Abby you drove in, stayed in your vehicle whilst the monks loaded your order and then you drove out. You were also limited to the amount that you could buy.
Might go with the Xmas version of the rochefort 10 and that is “mad elf” for my next beer. These are the type of videos I love from you guys. You’re both there, lots of great info and of course brads color commentary 👍🏻🍻❤️
A lot of these are available in the supermarkets here in the Netherlands. And cheaper then in Belgium too.
Compliments for this video from Belgium. Tip: compare Orval aged 1-5 years old. At 5 years the taste goes near a Rochefort.
The Extra Tripel is more of an Imperial Wit than a traditional Tripel. Brewed with coriander and orange peel.
The concept and history of Trappist beers is amazing much less the beers themselves. Tried the 6 last night. Like you said.. miraculous! Which beers from other Trappist breweries would be similar to the 6? Cheers brothers! Love this channel! ❤️🍻
I actually had a 10 for the first time on my wedding day. Still try to crack one for our anniversary each year.
Rochefort 10 is my favorite....big fan.
I had read that the 6, 8, & 10 refers to the starting gravity of said beers. the 6 starts out a 1.060, the 8, 1.080, the 10, 1.100
Yeah I believe you're right. Didn't want to get into gravities in this less techy vid though!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel I mean the extra weeks thing might also apply, as it would obviously take a shorter time for yeast to chew through a 1.060 beer, than it would a 1.100 beer. Plus don't they bottle condition a bit before being put out to retail? That would also take longer the higher gravity you go.
Either way, just happy to see this series. Have had the 8 and 10 a few times, have never had the 6 or Tripel. Could have sworn they had as 12 at one time as well, but I think I am getting mixed up with St. Bernardus.
Awesome video and I learned several things! Now I need a Rochey 10!
Hey guys,
I tried Chimay and really enjoyed it.
Have you tried White Rabbit dark ale made in Australia, not dissimilar, well worth a try.
Looking forward to this series!
Second comment but I wanted to add that in Belgium the 8 is usually preferred as the 6 doesn't taste that much compare to the others and it's hard to justify drinking a 12° beer on a regular basis so the 8 is a good compromise between the two ^^
Black shirt guy is just waiting for the history lesson to be over so he can enjoy his beer.
Really hope you are hitting up Tynt Meadow (Mount St Bernard). Just up the road from me, have some different batches cellared away to experience the changing flavour as they mature.
Hoping to go there but at the very least we'll be covering them in a video from the Brudio
Been to Rochefort, slight disappointment you can't really visit. But close-by great places to enjoy the product. Currently, purely by chance enjoying an 8 with a 10 in the fridge for later :)
Love the Belgian and Dutch trappist beers. Most of them are available in supermarkets here in The Netherlands. The Rochfort 10, Orval, La Trappe Quad and Zundert 10 are my favorites. And yes, i've also had all the Westvleteren's and like / but don't love it. I actually think the Sint Bernardus ABT 12 is a bit better...
Alas, Spencer brewery, the only US trappist brewery is closing down their brewery. Great video. Belgian style beer is my favorite
Sad times indeed. We have some of their beer and might still cover it
You should do videos of all the Trappist breweries. Thanks for this one cheers
That's the plan!
Love seeing you boys get ever so slightly pickled as the video goes on.
The monks don't mess around abv wise!
Considering it is the favorite tipple of cyclists who go out on weekends who tend to drink a couple one of their pitstops, it’s a wonder we don’t have more cyclist related accidents
Wow 😲! Some Interesting History of These Monks? 🤔😲
Nice and interesting serie!! 👌🍻
Would love to see you guys talk about the Westmalle and Orval. Also I love the video keep them coming
We will get to them for sure!
I love the Rochefort series but I have a soft spot for Orval. I just love how they brew one beer and stick to it. Plus, I've never known a beer taste so different with age.
There's also the lower ABV 'Petit Orval', the small Orval. Not commercially available though.
@@stefanvansteenberge Sounds amazing. Shame it isn't available to try!
They need to get with the programme and do some cans of Rochefort 8 Imperial Flambanofee!
A new series, you beauty
Just a quick point of order. A house of nuns is properly called a convent. A nunnery was slang for a brothel.
Wait. Wut. Just googled, I think it can mean both?!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel Technically, yeah, but the context most people are aware of - Shakespeare's "Get thee to a nunnery." was definitely the slang meaning. No convent I know of (multiple relatives are nuns) would ever use nunnery for a convent.
Also, I"m not offended or anything, just thought it was funny and you should maybe know.
@@MuriKakari This is one of those situations where the Old English term "nunnery" was gradually displaced by the Norman French word "convent", helped along by the Old English word's salubrious double meaning.
That Jean-Claude Van Damme killed me 🤣🤣
There is something very special about Trappist beers. The story behind the tradition to the taste of the beers themselves is completely unique and something I really like. They're beers to drink slowly and contemplate the universe over with the exception of the blonds of course. I've always rated Westvleteren as the best ones but Rochefort for me is right there with them and much easier to find in a shop! Would be great to speak to the monks and hear what the connection is for them between brewing and trying to understand God. Why do they do it basically?
It sure would but few talk to media, especially video media. Maybe one day we will be able to!
Dopplebock also has roots to Catholicism. Brewed by monks during lent. Some of the best beers in the world are brewed by monks!
10 is the best quad. I prefer Chimay Blue over 8 for the Xmas beer category. 6 is too weak.
Matching your rochefort 10 with a brother thelonious from north coast, a 9.4% Belgian style abbey ale
best of the best. nr. 8.
I never knew that the numbers on the Rochefort bottles indicated the amount of weeks that takes to brew each of them. I always thought that the numbers referred to the ABV of the beers. I’ve never had a Rochefort before, I’ve got to pick up some bottles, especially the 10 intrigues me.
Just to be clear it actually refers to the gravity (amount of sugar) in the beer at the start of fermentation but also happens to correspond to how many weeks it takes to brew and condition!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel oh ok, thanks for clarifying 👍🏻
Difficult to just pin down my favourite Trappist beer as for instance it's a bit tricky with La Trappe as they are basically similar to a craft beer brewery inspired by both traditional Belgian monastery brewing as well as more innovative styles and often brew new unexpected beers. Same could be said about Spencer I guess... RIP. My favourite from the top of my head is actually the Rochefort Triple and as I said in the Discord I'm a bit surprised you weren't a fan at first. It might not be the most traditional tripel (what is it then? A hoppy strong blonde? Seems too smooth for that, not that it matters) but I remember drinking it for the first time and it bringing a big smile to my face. Probably the first Tripel that has done that in a very long time... they are oversaturated in the market and many/most are just boring or bad. This trippy Rochy is in my opinion nothing like that :)
It is indeed a very different beer and I like to think Rochefort saw the busy market and wanted to set themselves apart.... perhaps I am biased because Westmalle Tripel is in my top 5 beers ever... so if I see the word tripel I just want that.
Rochefort 10 is great. I do like a St. Bernadus 12 more though.
I'm going to start a band called Admin Monks 🤘
Zundert Trappist 10 (quadrupel) is our favourite, so happy we were allowed to shoot a short video there! (ruclips.net/video/LZTgHxLDMg0/видео.html)
Just watched it. You did a fantastic job!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel Thanks guys! Keep on producing those videos, your channel is fab 👍
Orval is king, but the Orval Vert sold at À l'Ange Gardien is a rare underappreciated trappist treat
Orval Vert is friggen incredible!
Not sure I'd say it's underappreciated, more unknown.
The dry-hopped character and freshness is simply incredible.
Sorry off topic one for Johnny!
A while ago you recommended a place to stay for the weekend in England, which had a brewery/pub/farm (it wasn’t that far a drive from London, maybe? I want to say it was off in the direction of the Norfolk area?), I remember googling it at the time and it looked really nice.
I’ve since forgotten it 😢
Any ideas what I’m thinking of please? 😂
Keep up the good work lads 👍
Probably Little Earth Project!
@@TheCraftBeerChannel thank a lot johnny, that’s the one, cheers 👍👍👍🍻
Keep up the great work 👌
Need to get some beer in those fermenters! New christmas brew vid coming?
I love the entire Rochefort line but, for me, the 8 is the best. I love the 10, but I drink more of the 8. The flavors are there, but without the kick. When I want the high abv, then definitely the 10. I also disliked the Triple but have since grown to really like it.
Glad you're covering the Trappist Beers. You know they're a monastic order, not a 'sect', though, right? They're a part of the (Roman) Catholic Church. The most sensitive secular journalism I've read about them recently is Mark Dredge's piece on Tint Meadow. It's hard to balance the beer with the religion, I suppose.
Apologies, wrong use of the word there.
Hi guys,
Love your content !
You both are brilliant.
Is the low brow dude primarily a designer?
I saw the bottle opener vid.
Dude seems to take a back seat to yourself/as the "beer"dude.
Suuppp???
He is indeed a designer, but also a beer lover. Not as geeky as me (other other one) though.
Rochefort 10, by far one of the best beers in the world, ever.
Awesome review. Best time of my life was living in Bruge. You are stop on with your reviews.
Good beer
Hey Guys regarding the numbers of "6", "8" and "10" and as far as the Oxford companion to beer states, those numbers correspond to to an "obsolete calculation of the gravity of beer stipulated by belgian law. It was developed to as a practical way to analyse both regular and acidic beers, as the presence of acid led to errors in other methods."
The formula for the Belgian brewing degree is as following:
p=n+2A+1.5c
n= residual extract
A= percent alcohol by weight
c= acidity or volatile acid content
p= original gravity
"The original gravity was converted to specific gravity. The factor 0.0013 was substracted"
"Beligan brewing degrees were obtained from the second decimal place of the resulting number"
"For example if the final number calculated was 1.0641, the Official Belgium brewing degree would be 6.41."
And this would be the example for a beer in alcoholic strength similar to Rochefort "6". So the numbers are a reference to this old measurement and calculation - but because the brewhouse efficiencies increased over the last century, so did the alcohol contents. Therefore those calculations would probably not add up if conducted with today's versions of those beers.
Hey Jonas - we know that! Didn't mean to imply it was the reason, just an interesting aside that it happens to be how many weeks the beers take too
@@TheCraftBeerChannel ohhh now rewatching it I get it. Sorry my bad. I misunderstood that. 😅
Rochefort? This video gets the thumbs up even before watching it
it's good to see that British brewers are not the nationalists one could think they might be, and that you appreciate the importance of great foreign breweries as the belgian trappist ones.
Left a like for “It’s a trap...pist”
Are these beers fresh or close to fresh? Aged Trappist beers (2 to 5 years) are completely different than when they were younger. I attended the Brussels Beer Fest in September and had a Westy 12 and did not like it fresh compared to some of my aged Westy 12's. Aging most of these beers especially the dark Trappists bring out some really wonderful malt/yeast complexities.
All these beers were under a year old. When it comes to ageing then I'd only really age the 10 - the others will get out of balance with oxidation and lose a lot of their joyous yeast character.
Big up the admin monks ✊🏻
I read in the oxgord companion to beer is the 6 8 and 10 are named for the OG 10 is 1.100 1.08 etc..... no ?
Indeed! Sorry we didn't mean to imply that the weeks are the reason for the names, only a happy accident.
@@TheCraftBeerChannel thanks. After rereading my question i hope my question didnt come across as myUK friends say a wanker. Lol. I study all things beer and have used and value info on your channel that i have watched for years. I started a channel and was going to do a video 9n westie12 so i was fine tuning my knowledge and just noticed the discrepancy in info. I make mistakes or justmisspeak more than i care to admit. Lol. Thanks for all your videos. I enjoy watching them and learn a lot.
I have a question....and please don't don't laugh. I'm going to Flanders in April (from Boston) and want to bring home a suitcase full of Belgian beers. Can the best of them be found in cans? Rochefort 10, Westmalle, Chimay....etc....? I can save a lot of weight and space if cans are an option to me (nevermind breakage). Thanks for any input.
Hi Bobski - I'm afraid none of the classic Belgian breweries have really embraced cans. Rodenbach have some products in can, but that really is about it!
Happily, nobody has complained about too much monk-ey business.
Anyone tried Tynt Meadow yet? Can't get hold of it here in Ireland.
We sure have and will be covering it on the channel. It's very delicious - like an ESB meets a Dubbel. Drier, more bitter, more Autumnal.
@@TheCraftBeerChannel Aww, now I REALLY want to try it!
Never tried Rochefort but this vid definitely triggered my curiosity! What is the recommended temperature to best enjoy these beauties?
I'd drink them all around 10C. The 10 could be a little warmer but I wouldn't go over 14.
Most of them will have a suggested serving temperature on the label.
Let it get to room temperature it isn’t a beer to drink too cold.
What are the two books? Can’t find the Van den steen one and you flash the Michael Jackson one too quickly.
Van Den Steen one is Trappist: The Seven Magnificent Beers and Michael Jackson's is Great Beers of Belgium