European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Is Fie a Trappist Monk in Belgium tastes a brew left. Brother Louis pours himself a Sample at the brewery in chimay the Best known of the Trappist breweries. Atlle by Roger Protz London observer service at the Schaa Iskooi brewery at Koning Hoeven Netherlands the term mob normally management buyout has a special meaning monks buyout. The owners of the brewery Are Trappist who bought their brewery Back from the giant belgian company Stella Artois. Schaa Iskooi is one of Only six Trappist breweries in the world. The other five chimay Orval Rochefort Vav Estalle and West Seteren Are in Belgium in countries dominated by lager Beers the Trappist determinedly produce top fermenting ales that Are Rich fruity and Hoppy. The Trappist Are a strict and silent Branch of the cistercian order. Their name is derived from the Abbey they founded at la Trappe in Normandy forced out of France at the time of the French revolution they headed North to found abbeys in the Low countries. Unable to make wine or liqueur they turned to the juice of Barley and started brewing in 1884. Brewing stopped during world War ii when the germans stripped every brewery in the Low countries of. Their Copper vessels to make bombs. After the War the monks responded to the rapid growth of lager by producing their version of Pilsner Beers. Then in 1966, the Vatican Council instructed monks to desist from entrepreneurial activity and the. Schaa Iskooi brewery was sold to Stella Artois which brewed Beer by the incongruous name of Trappist  by 1979, the Vatican had relaxed its attitude to business. Stella wanted to concentrate its activities in Belgium soothe Koning Hoeven monks bought the brewery Back. The old ale making equipment had been saved and the. Yeast refrigerated and brewing started again in 1984, aided by an influx of Young men who took up holy orders at a time of european recession and unemployment. The imposing Koning Hoeven Abbey was built for 150 monks. The number is now Down to 30. The picture is similar in All the Abbey breweries and there Are real fears that religious and bib Ulous activity will Cense within a generation or two. Principles have had to be relaxed. At Koning Hoeven a re i i f a a a by j monks reclaim brewery to renew age old custom commercial division is run by Peter peelers and brewing is done by civilians. But the monks remain firmly in control through a Board of finance and help with the brewing when they can be spared from their devotions. Brother Tarcisius 30, is one of the youngest monks. He s in charge of visitors to the Abbey helps in the brewery and warehouse and looks after the Beer on sundays when the secular workers Are at Home. The brewhouse he showed me is modern a computer controlled Plant installed in 1989. Ingredients Are Pale ale malt made from dutch Barley with two versions of Darker Munich malt. Hops Are a blend of German Halle Tau for bitterness and holdings or syrians for Aroma. The triple is the most Complex of the Beers with herbs and Bay leaves added with the hops during the Copper boil along with some dark Candy sugar. Primary fermentation lasts for a week followed by a week s cold storage and then warm conditioning for three to four weeks. During that time rough flavors and Aromas Are purged and the Beers gain a rounded character. The strength of Trappist Beers is marked simply by the terms Dubbel triple and  Schaa Iskooi May add an Enkel , with a less daunting strength. The Dubbel is 6.5 percent alcohol has a deep russet color and gives off a dark malt and spicy hops Aroma. In the Mouth the malt is balanced by fruit notes suggesting raspberries followed by a dry finish with hints of chocolate from the dark malt. The biggest Selling triple weighs in at 8 percent. It s Bronze coloured with pronounced Orange fruit and bitter hops on the nose Rich citric fruit in the Mouth and a big fruit and spices finish with a late burst of hops. In common with All the Trappist Beers it s a bottle conditioned ale that continues to work and mature in its Container. The quadruple at 1.0 percent is a big Beer in every Way. It s brewed Only in the Winter and has an enticing Aroma of Peppery hops Complete with a Muscat wine Yness. The palate is Rich and the finish has a Strawberry or Raspberry fruit character underpinned by a Good Belt of hops. .,-,.-. Across the Border and Down into the belgian ardennes chimay is the Best known of the Trappist breweries. Father Thomas has worked in the brewery for 27 years. He has a civilian brewing staff including assistant Brewer Paul Arnott a graduate of Edinburgh s Heriot Watt brewing school. The brewery is even More modern than Schaa Iskooi a with Mash Tun and brew kettles built into tiled Walls. The Beers Are strictly traditional their names derived from the color of their Caps. The 7 percent red is russet coloured with a pronounced orangey character and great hop attack. The 8 percent White introduced in 1968, is quite different from its cousins. It was aimed at the belgian Pale ale Market has very Little dark malt and has enormous hop character a hint of Nutmeg spiciness and a deep and bitter Gooseberry fruitiness in the finish. The 9 percent Blue also called grand Reserve when in Large corked bottles is a Beer for laying Down. It has  fruit and nuts on the nose with raisins sultanas and hazelnuts in the Mouth and hops and spices in the big  i o. Finish. Distributed by scrupps Howard news service september 22, 199-4 stripes 15