Which Trappist Breweries Exist Today?

The Five Belgian Trappist Breweries

Belgium remains the heartland of Trappist beer. The oldest abbey still brewing is Westmalle in the province of Antwerp, whose brewery has existed since 1836. Its dubbel and tripel are considered benchmarks of these two styles by many experts. Just two years younger is the brewery of Sint-Sixtus Abbey in Westvleteren, which sells its beer exclusively by reservation.

Chimay belongs to Scourmont Abbey in the south of the country. The abbey was founded in 1850 by monks from Westvleteren, and the brewery followed in 1863. Chimay is the largest and most internationally known Trappist brewery. At Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy Abbey near Rochefort, brewing has taken place since 1899, producing mainly dark, strong beers.

Orval is the odd one out. The brewery at Notre-Dame d'Orval Abbey has only existed since 1931 and essentially offers a single beer for sale. It's heavily hopped and undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle with Brettanomyces, a wild yeast that develops dry, slightly leathery notes over time. As a result, a young Orval and an aged one taste noticeably different.

All five Belgian houses share one trait: the breweries themselves are usually not open to the public. The abbeys remain places of prayer. Those wanting to taste the beer fresh can find a nearby tavern at several of the monasteries, either belonging to or closely connected with the abbey. Westvleteren operates the Café In de Vrede directly across the street for this purpose.

Beyond Belgium: La Trappe, Tre Fontane, Tynt Meadow

In the Netherlands, Koningshoeven Abbey in Berkel-Enschot near Tilburg has brewed under the name La Trappe since 1884. Its history shows that the logo isn't granted permanently. It was withdrawn in 1999 and reinstated in October 2005.

Tre Fontane Abbey in Rome has been brewing since 2015. Its beer contains eucalyptus that grows on the monastery grounds. The newest member is Tynt Meadow from Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in the English Midlands. In June 2018, the first English Trappist beer hit the market there, a dark, strong ale.

These two newest members show that the list can still grow. An abbey can be added if it builds its own brewery and meets the rules. Both communities brew in notably smaller quantities than Chimay or Westmalle. Their beer is therefore only occasionally found outside their own country.

Which Trappist Beers Have Lost Their Logo?

The list has gotten shorter in recent years, usually due to a shortage of new members joining the orders. Achel in Belgium lost its logo in January 2021 after the last monks departed; the abbey was sold in 2023. In the US, Spencer Abbey halted its beer production in May 2022.

Austria once had its own Trappist beer with Engelszell. In May 2023, the order announced the dissolution of the community, and that same year the Trappist beer came to an end. In the Netherlands, Zundert followed in 2025, with its closure announced on May 13, 2025. Beer under these names may still appear on store shelves. It is, however, no longer a Trappist beer with the logo.

Trappist Beer Without the Logo: Mont des Cats and Cardeña

Two special cases regularly cause confusion. The French Mont des Cats Abbey has had its beer brewed at Chimay's brewery since 2011. The Spanish monastery of Cardeña has released a beer since 2016 that is likewise brewed elsewhere. Both come from genuine Trappist communities. Because the beer isn't brewed within their own monastery, they lack the logo.

This also explains a seemingly contradictory figure. The ITA counts 15 member abbeys, and according to its own data, ten of them produce beer. Yet only those whose beer meets all three rules carry the logo. Since the situation can change from year to year, it's worth checking the label when in doubt: only the hexagonal mark offers certainty.