Grimbergen monks to brew again for the first time in 225 years
The monks at Grimbergen Abbey in Flemish Brabant are to brew beer again for the first time in around 225 years. Their new beer was presented to the press at a news conference held on Tuesday. The beer is a blond “tripel” abbey beer that has been allowed to mature in wooden whiskey barrels.
After more than two century beer will be brewed again at Grimbergen Abbey. One of the halls in the Abbey will is being converted into a brewery. Brother Karel will be charge of the new brewery. He is currently taking a brewing course.
He told Radio 2 Flemish Brabant that “I have already completed one of the four module at the Scandinavian Brewing School. There are still theory and practical lessons to come after which I will have to write a dissertation. We will start the conversion work on the abbey during the summer and we expect our first Grimbergen beer to be ready in the autumn of 2020”.
Beer matured in a whiskey barrel
On Tuesday a limited edition Grimbergen Tripel beer was presented to the press. Brother Karel told Radio 2
"It’s a Grimbergen Tripel that has matured for 5 months in whiskey barrels. It is a try-out, it shows what we want to do in the future”.
"It your smell it with your eyes closed, you think that it is a single malt whiskey and when you drink it you taste the oak barrel with burned whiskey, the taste of turf all mixed with Tripel Grimbergen. Unbelievable, unbelievable.
The hops to make the beer will be locally-sourced for nearby Asse and Droeshout.