Grimbergen Abbey brew incorporates methods found in 12th-century books
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Uncasking the first glass, Stautemas said the development was the culmination of four years of research into the methods of monks that brewed beer in the Norbertine monastery before it was burned down by French revolutionaries in 1798. The monastery was later reinstated but the brewery and its recipes were thought to be lost.
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The source of inspiration for the new microbrewery, located on the same spot as the original, was the discovery from 12th-century books of details about the original monks' brewing methods, specifically their use of hops rather than fermented herbs, which put the monks ahead of many of their contemporaries.
The books were saved in the 18th century when the fathers knocked a hole in the library wall and secretly removed them before the abbey was set on fire.
"We had the books with the old recipes, but nobody could read them," Stautemas said. "It was all in old Latin and old Dutch. So we brought in volunteers. We've spent hours leafing through the books and have discovered ingredient lists for beers brewed in previous centuries, the hops used, the types of barrels and bottles, and even a list of the actual beers produced centuries ago."
Only some elements from the recipe books are being used by the monks. "I don't think people now would like the taste of the beer made back then," Stautemas said.
Marc-Antoine Sochon, the newly appointed master brewer for the abbey, said: "In those times, regular beer was a bit tasteless, it was like liquid bread."
The lack of artificial additives, use of wooden barrels and exploitation of particular local soil or terroir is being emulated.
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. . . Stautemas said the royalties from all the Grimbergen beers would allow the monks to live in the monastery, make pilgrimages and help "those who come knocking on our door and need help".
