Glossary
Trappist beer
A certification mark applied to beer brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery, under the control of the monastic community, with profits directed to the community or to charity.
Also called authentic trappist product, atp.
Campaigning definition. Defined by an organisation as part of a position it advocates. Precise and useful, but not a neutral technical standard. Defined by International Trappist Association.
The Authentic Trappist Product label is a registered mark with published criteria, administered by the International Trappist Association. It certifies provenance and governance — where and by whom the beer is made and where the money goes — and says nothing whatever about style or flavour.
The number of certified breweries changes as monasteries begin or cease production, which is why BeerHQ does not state a count. Trappist beers include a dubbel, a tripel, a blonde and a strong dark ale among others; there is no "Trappist style".
Commonly misunderstood
"Trappist" is often used to describe a flavour profile or treated as a style. It is a certification of provenance and governance, applied to beers of several different styles.
Related
- Abbey beer — The looser commercial category.
- Belgian abbey and Trappist brewing — The brewing tradition.
More vocabulary
Abbey beer · Alcohol-free · Beer duty · Gluten-free beer · Low-alcohol · Reinheitsgebot
See every term on the glossary index.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.
Evidence
What BeerHQ knows about this, and how. Every statement carries the state of the evidence behind it rather than being presented flatly as fact.
The Authentic Trappist Product mark certifies that beer is brewed within the walls of a Trappist monastery, under the control of the monastic community, with proceeds directed to the community or to charitable works — and says nothing about style or flavour.
Backed by a source Last checked 2026-08-16.
Source: The Oxford Companion to Beer — print