Deep brown color; the flavor is vigorous and complex, with firm body to support the strength. The aroma has elusive notes of fresh fruit, spice, leather, and figs.
Great with full-flavored dishes like pate, duck, or wild game; shows well with strong-flavored cheeses. Also wonderful alone as an aperitif. Serve in traditional Rochefort stemmed goblet.
The Abbey of St-Remy, in the southern part of Belgium, was founded in 1230, and the monks began to brew beer sometime around 1595. The beautiful small brewery in the abbey, Rochefort Trappistes, is one of only six Trappist breweries in the world and makes full-bodied, deeply flavored dark ales. They are bottle-conditioned and among the world's most highly-respected beverages.
Many modern beers call themselves "abbey" or "abbey style ales," but the original and official abbey beers are brewed in Belgium and The Netherlands by Cistercian monks known as the Trappists. Trappist beers are not really a style of beer, but the seven breweries currently run by Trappist monks produce incredible beers that share a common heritage, history and many similar characteristics. Notably, the Trappist beers are often considered by experts to be among the best beers in the world.
Seven Trappist orders currently exist and brew beer including Orval, Rochefort, Chimay, Westmalle, Westvleteren, Achel and Koningshoeven (La Trappe).
Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ales
A dark, very rich, complex, very strong Belgian ale that is typically rich in malt complexity and can contain a wide variety of potential yeasty and fruity malt flavors.
Belgian Dark Strong Ales are generally higher in alcohol than Belgian Dubbels at 8% or higher. Some of the Trappist beers fall into this category and many of those variety tend to be drier, while non-Trappist beers tend to be sweeter.
This category does not include the spiced Belgian beers or the so called "Quads" which belong to the Belgian Specialty category.- Browse Belgian Dark Strong Ales
