Faith, Beer, and Other Things That Interest Geoff

New York Times Article on Trappist Beers

Local brewery Weyerbacher is mentioned for their Quad.

Though they adhere to traditional styles, Trappist breweries today are largely modern affairs, where the workers are often professionals hired by the abbeys. They have computerized equipment and well-designed Web sites. But the devotion remains to making ales as complex and distinctive as any in the world today, and, as the Dining section's tasting panel discovered, their beers set a lofty standard.

The term Trappist describes the source of these ales rather than a particular brewing style. In fact, the beers vary considerably. Some are dark as chocolate stout and some are amber-gold, bordering on orange. They can be intensely sweet or dry enough to pucker. Sometimes they can be both, reaching a full, rich, complex sweetness as you turn the ale over in your mouth, yet turning dry and refreshing as you swallow. They can all be wonderfully fragrant, with aromas of spices, flowers and fruit, and they are always strong, ranging in alcohol from about 7 percent to 12 percent, as opposed to the 5 percent of a typical lager.