"For us, it's important to look to the heritage, to the tradition of the fathers for brewing beer because it was always here," Father Karel Stautemas told Reuters.
The abbey was founded in 1128 and made beer there until it was destroyed in 1798. But they will be dry no longer.
It's been more than 200 years between drinks for monks at the Grimbergen Abbey, but a tradition of beer making that dates back to the 12th century is being revived. And at 10.8pc alcohol by volume, it's not for the faint-hearted https://t.co/DOPk9MnfJO pic.twitter.com/deEBoW3wCs
— ABC Rural (@ABCRural) May 22, 2019
The abbey also has an appropriate emblem - a phoenix with the motto, written in Latin, "Ardet nec consumitur" which, according to Reuters, translates to "Burned but not destroyed."
The abbey may already be known to some beer connoisseurs since it has a license deal with two companies. Both Heineken-owned Alken-Maes and Carlsberg brew beers with the Grimbergen name both in Belgium and across the world, but now the monks will be making their own beers, NPR reported.
The first ale will hit shelves in late 2020, Reuters reported.
The local council in Grimbergen recently approved the monastery’s plan to build a new brewery.
Profits from the beer's sale will go to maintaining the abbey and will help charitable causes, Reuters reported.
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