To qualify for the all-important ATP designation (authentic Trappist product), the beer has to be brewed by monks, or under the direct supervision of monks, within the grounds of a Trappist monastery. Monies raised from the sale of the beer goes to maintaining the monastery with all other profits being donated to charities and community projects.

Belgium’s number of accredited ATP breweries has just reduced from six to five after the last monk at St benedict’s Abbey in Achel, Prior Gaby, has had to move out to the mother abbey in Westmalle. The monastery, though, will continue to produce its pale and brown beers with ABVs of 8% and 9.5% respectively, just without the ATP accreditation.

It is only a matter of time before the five other remaining ATP accredited breweries lose their status as the number of monks taking holy orders has dropped dramatically and most of 100 Trappist monks left are getting on. Of the five remaining authentic Belgian Trappist beers, only one – Westvleteren – is actually brewed by monks from the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Lay brewers supervised by Trappists produce the others.

Although the tradition of monastic beer production is centuries old, the ATP accreditation was only introduced in 1997 to stop other breweries from misusing the Trappist name to cash in on the growing popularity of craft beers in general and small Belgian brews in particular.

It will be a sad day if the tradition dies out completely.