Belgium
The Authentic Trappist Product mark is established
The International Trappist Association created a certification mark for goods made within monastery walls under monastic control, with proceeds to the community or charity.
1997
The mark certifies provenance and governance. It says nothing whatever about style or flavour, which is why Trappist beers include a blonde, a dubbel, a tripel and a dark strong ale with little in common.
Why it matters
Gave legal shape to a distinction consumers were already drawing, and separated Trappist beer from the much looser "abbey" category.
How well this is established
| Certainty | Documented. Supported by contemporary records that survive and are agreed on. |
|---|---|
| When | 1997. Known to the year rather than to the day. |
| Where | Belgium |
Traditions
- Belgian abbey and Trappist brewing — Strong, highly attenuated, bottle-conditioned ales built on expressive yeast and candi sugar, produced in or licensed by monastic communities.
Either side of this
← 1994: The double IPA emerges · 1998: Cask Marque begins accrediting cellar quality →
See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.