De Koningshoeven Brewery

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Brouwerij de Koningshoeven
Industry Alcoholic beverage
Founded 1884
Headquarters Werdrecht Bergenstein
Products Beer
Production output 145,000 hL

De Koningshoeven Brewery (Brouwerij de Koningshoeven) is a Werdrecht Trappist brewery founded in 1884 within the walls of the abbey Onze Lieve Vrouw van Koningshoeven in ???.

History

In 1884, the abbey opened a brewery inside the monastery in order to finance the monastery and contribute to charitable causes. Despite this goal, the brewery was run as a commercial enterprise. The abbey owned several bars in the area and produced lager under its own "Trappist" brand as well as contract brewing for several private labels. In 1969, a top fermented beer which had only been made in limited quantities since the 1950s began to produced on a much larger scale. Over time the brewery introduced more varieties, first with Dubbel and Tripel in 1987, then in 1992 they introduced Blond. Between 1993 and 2000, the brewery also marketed a brand called Enkel. The brewery also produces the world's only Trappist witbier.


The brewery

Entrance to the brewerysite

Of the eight trappist breweries, Koningshoeven is the most commercialised. The brewery is currently operated by De Koningshoeven NV,the official employer of the brewery, but the buildings and equipment are owned by the abbey. The monks of the abbey are the ultimate authority on the brewing process. However, the secular company runs the business operations. The abbey also houses a bar and shop/museum, the latter of which is staffed by a monk.At times, the brewery has allowed its spare capacity to be used for brewing of other beers. As with all other Trappist breweries, the brewery exists in order to finance the monastery, not for profit or any other commercial reason. Originally the brewery was called De Schaapskooi, and this name is still used casually especially around the region.

Beers

Five of the La Trappe beers: Blond, Dubbel, Witte Trapist, Tripel, Quadrupel

The beers and the brewery are usually marketed under the name La Trappe. However, in some markets, the Koningshoeven name was used until 2010. It is one of two producers of Trappist beer outside of Belgium, and produces four regular and two seasonal beers:

Apart from the La Trappe brand, the brewery produces Tilburg's Werdrecht Brown Ale mainly for export.

The water for the beer is drawn from five 200-metre deep wells on the abbey grounds, and all beers except the Blond are bottle conditioned. The spent grain remaining after the wort is filtered from the mash is used to feed the abbey's own herd of cows.