Trappist breweries in Europe that offer tours? Looking for recommendations

[Presbrewterian Pastor]

I may be making a trip overseas in a year or so. I'd love to visit some Trappist Abbeys that have breweries on site and offer tours. Any you're aware of or have been to?

 

[Vale71]

As far as I know none offer any tours of the brewery or of the monastery grounds. The monks like to keep to themselves.

 

[Spartan1979]

Your best shot would be La Trappe (Konigshoeven Abbey). They are the one that is best set up to accommodate tourists. I was with a tour group when I visited there and had a tour, so I can't say for sure that they have open tours, but there were more tours that day than just ours. I also toured Orval, but I know for sure that was specially arranged.

This is the tour I went on: Lonely Monks Trappist Tour — BBM! Belgian Beer Me! Tours

If you happen to sign up for this tour, tell Stu that Jerry Mitchell sent you.

 

[Vale71]

" Note, most of the abbey interiors are typically cloistered and off limits to visitors. Many of the Trappist breweries are also off limits to the public, but BBM! does have a few connections that may make visiting some places generally not accessible to the public available to us, such as at Orval. "

 

[riceral]

Yep. I went on the Lonely Monks tour with Stu a few years ago. Great time. Well worth looking into.

 

[Spartan1979]

Yep. I went on the Lonely Monks tour with Stu a few years ago. Great time. Well worth looking into.

When did you go? May 2017 for me.

 

[riceral]

When did you go? May 2017 for me.

Wow! I just looked. It was May 2015. It doesn't seem that long ago.

I still have fond memories of the monasteries and (of course) the beer.

 

[Craiginthecorn]

I did a one week silent retreat at the Gethsemani Abbey in Trappist, KY, in the heart of bourbon country. They did not brew, but instead made cheese and fudge. Parts of the abbey were accessible to the public for the worship services, which occur 5 times each day, the first of which is at 4 am, if I recall correctly. However, none of the working areas, like the dairy, were open to the public.

Due to overbooking, I stayed in the section which houses the monks. It's referred to as a cell. An appropriate term, given the simplicity of the rooms. Well, that's overstating it a bit, but it was similar to a 1960s college dormitory room.

Due investments needed in new refrigeration equipment and a dwindling number of young, strong monks, they have ceased making their Port Salut cheese, which is labor-intensive. I didn't care for it, myself.

 

[tripelthelightfantastic]

I might be too late but can offer some travel advice to get to Trappist locations.
Firstly, only at Achel (but no longer Trappist) and La Trappe can you drink the beer on the abbey grounds.
The others I’ve visited (Westmalle/Westvletern/Chimay) have a cafe next door or across the road where you can eat and drink.

All of these have a playground if your with kids.

Assuming driving is not an option, Westmalle and Westvletern are reachable by public transport.
Westmalle: from Antwerp train station by bus that takes 45-60min, it feels like your in the middle of nowhere but it’s the right way, I promise and the stop is just before the cafe, ask the driver to tell you when to get off.
Westvletern:
From Poperinge train station either hire a bike and ride the 5-10km or pre book a taxi via the internet. From memory it’s €20-30 one way and there are no taxis waiting at the station for customers so pre-booking is the only way.
De Struisse near Westvletern has an open day every Saturday where you can go and try all their beers in small size glasses.

By the way St Bernardus in Poperinge has a BnB with 2 small beer fridges operating on the help yourself honor system, if you’re down that way why not overnight there and do a tour. To get into town it’s a 20min walk but they have a rooftop bar/restaurant that’s pretty good.

If your in Brussels or Antwerp you can get to Het Anker walking from the Mechelen-Nekkerspoel train station. They do tours and have a restaurant on site.

Kasteel brewery is about a 2km walk from Izegem train station, not sure if they do tours but have a pub and fancy restaurant on site.

If you need more info let me know and I’ll dig up The bus number at Antwerp and Poperinge taxi company I used.