#Trappist beer

[frustrapl]

Orval Trappist Ale

[frimleyblogger]

Ale And Not So Hearty

Sad news as one of Belgium's six authentic #Trappist breweries loses its ATP accreditation as its last monk, Prior Gaby, has had to leave the #Achel monastery #Belgium #beer

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…

[tabletopbellhop]

The Belgian Beers Race Review

New #Boardgame #Review on the Blog!

The Belgian Beers Race from Grand Gamers Guild and BYR Games

Check out what we thought of this game that seems to be made for me as it combines my two biggest hobbies, board games, and beers.

If you know what a Trappist beer is you are going to want to check this one out!

[januaryisbrittishbeermonth]

Tynt Meadow and the Night Soils

I thought the 2023 edition of January is British Beer Month would contain only one entry (Island Time), but as I browsed the shelves at Total Wine I happened across a bottle of Tynt Meadow, an English Trappist Ale brewed at the Trappist Monastery Mount St. Barnard Abbey, which has a rating of 96 on RateBeer.com.  That this happened in January was a sign from on high. 

Here’s a picture of someone posing with a Tynt Meadow Ale, perhaps in the actual Tynt Meadow in the Charmwood Forest area of the British midlands.  Idyllic, no?   The beer was definitely up to Trappist standards; different than Belgian Trappists, but every bit as good.

The monastery of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey was established in 1835 near the town of Coalville, Leicestershire, England, on land that included the Tynt Meadow.  Notable visitors to Saint Bernard Abbey over the years include Sir Alec Guinness, William Wordsworth, Florence Nightingale and perhaps Charles Dickens.

It sounds like the kind of place where the wonders of nature and culture abound. What could go wrong?

In 1844 the abbey’s original premises were replaced by new buildings about 400 yards to the north and the original building was converted to a reformatory for Roman Catholic boys.  Oh God help us, this can't end well!

Mount St Bernard's Reformatory for Roman Catholic Boys, Whitwick, near Loughborough, Leicestershire (childrenshomes.org.uk)

This institution was known variously as St. Mary’s Agricultural Colony, The Colony, or The Bad Lad’s Home, according to Wikipedia Mount St Bernard Abbey - Wikipedia. These lads, rather than coming from the midlands, were mostly from poor Irish families in Lancashire such as Manchester and Liverpool and were perhaps rougher than the monks were prepared for.

This photo of the monks at St. Bernard Abbey looks like a meeting of the High School English Teachers Association.  Do they look like they are ready for 200-300 delinquent teenage boys?

The monks made use of slogans written on the walls, such as “He who keepeth his mouth and tounge, keepeth his soul from trouble.”  I think my 6th grade teacher Sister Doris said it more susinctuly, “An empty pot makes the most nosie.”  By 1859 an official inspection noted that the school had “encountered very serious difficulties arising mainly from the misconduct and inefficiencies of the Brothers"

In April 1863, a mutiny took place at the school.  P.C. Challoner, one of the constables called in, reported that he was climbing the stairs to confront the boys “When we got part of way up, they emptied a bucket of night-soil over us and then threw the bucket.”   This mutiny was followed by more mutinies, riots and escape attempts, until 1885 when the last of the bad lads were gone.   Monastic time moves slowly, which may explain why it took the monks 155 years to figure out that an easier way to make money than housing juvenile delinquents was to make and sell this heavenly brew.  Was this the right choice?  From my perspective, the answer is a resounding “Amen”.

[bairbrewing]

Review #5

I am beginning to realize trappist ales are my favorite. This is a sensational beer. So fruity and balanced. Sweet and bright. 9/10

[auraeseer]

Feeling bleu . . .

[floridaboiler]

[warplanerubdown]

The vomiting monks of Rochefort Abbey

the twelve winds

illustration from an astrological-astronomical miscellany, alemmanic german, c. 1500

source: Wolfenbüttel, HAB, Cod. Guelf. 8.7 Aug. 4º, fol. 124r

[beardedmrbean]

1. PFAS pollution in Brussels tap water: New tests expected this week

Heading into its third week, the PFAS pollution scandal continues to concern citizens in Brussels and Wallonia over the safety of drinking water. Over the weekend, it emerged that there was a higher presence of PFAS in the capital's water network than first communicated. Read more.

2. Corporate profits drive inflation as EU salaries fall

Real wages have fallen across Europe over the past year while corporate profits have soared, according to a recent study by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Read more.

3. Hundreds of 'vulnerable' unaccompanied minors will finally get guardian

Unaccompanied minors arriving in Belgium are often very vulnerable given their age and new, unfamiliar environment after a long and dangerous trek from home. They are therefore entitled to a guardian to represent them and ensure their wellbeing. Read more.

4. From tasty Trappist to bold Berloumi: A guide to Belgium's finest cheeses

While Belgium is not traditionally seen as a country of cheese makers, the fact that it is sandwiched between the two leading 'cheese nations' (the Netherlands and France) means it is hardly surprising that producers here have tried their hand at the craft. Read more.

5. Money, money, money: Who are the richest people in Belgium?

While many are familiar with names such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos when speaking about extremely wealthy people, names such as Eric Wittouck and Alexandre Van Damme may be less well known. Read more.

6. From one stranger to another: It wasn't all bad in Belgium...

Sometimes it's the little things that have the biggest impact. In this week's round-up of positive news, read about a man who "brings a bit of sunshine" to people's day by sticking letters around cities worldwide. Read more.

7. Hidden Belgium: Cafe Zennegat 13

Cafe Zennegat 13 is a friendly, relaxed village cafe furnished with old wooden tables, oil paintings and piles of books. It is located in a strange damp region of marshes and tidal rivers that is virtually uninhabitable because of the risk of flooding. Read more.

[notes-web]

瓶詰のコルク栓ビール✨ #chimay #granderiserve #beer #trappist #yammy https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYCl4ypB2W/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[frimleyblogger]

Ale And Not So Hearty (2)

#Austria's only #Trappist #brewery is in danger of closing for good. #Beer #Ale

It is not news that has been shouted out from the rooftops, but another Trappist brewery is about to lose its coveted Authentic Trappist Product (ATP) label, only given to those ales whose brewing is supervised by a member of the Trappist order. Austria’s only designated ATP brewery is situated at Engelszell monastery on the banks of the Danube, a former Cistercian abbey that was resettled by…

[tabletopbellhop]

The Belgian Beers Race Unboxing

New #BoardGame #Unboxing

The Belgian Beers Race from Grand Gamers Guild

If you are a beer fan, especially if you know what a Trappist beer is, you need to check this one out. Also a solid game for non-beer fans.

Backpack across Belgium in order to try as many different beers as you can, toast friends, buy bottles to go, do tastings, and more!

[zzkt]

Big news in Belgium (VRT News frontpage 2023-01-26)

[artehago]

frustrated comet makes me vomit

put me out

of misery

or onto the back of a tiny ice planet

frustratingly spinnin

tourist trappist beer fan

not withstanding

a voyager forever

instead i am a me

with cemented feet

binocular eyed

still spanning sky

awaiting a comet

vomiting

on flat earth

[triviareads]

What is your favourite "oops, I banged my brothers best friend and caught feelings" book?

I am looking for a fun read.

Here are my favorites and they're all fun :D

Historical:

Bed Me, Earl by Felicity Niven: Phineas is Caroline's brother's Edmund best friend (Edmund is a future hero with a worryingly large dick apparently); Caro shows up in Phin's bedroom in the middle of the night and wordlessly conveys that she'd like to have sex with him (and by wordlessly i mean she lets him grope a tit), and the way Phineas is so down and ready..... he's one of the true rake heroes I've recently read. ALSO the funny thing is he doesn't recognize her??? She's a recluse and she just lets him believe she's a maid or something when he deflowers her lolol.

Sold to the Duke by Joanna Shupe: Actually so underrated because how many historicals do you know begin with VIRGINITY AUCTIONS? Eliza has always had a crush on her dead brother's friend Lucien and he ends up "buying" her but refuses to sleep with her and obviously the logical thing for Eliza to do is to reject his charity and be very pissy about him not banging her until he agrees.

When The Viscount Wanted Me by Lydia Lloyd: In which former slutty hero's best friend is *horrified* that his friend's sister has apparently lost her v-card and is all "HOW COULD YOU" but then when Henrietta asks Trem to sleep with her he hesitates for another half-second before agreeing. Guiltily.

The Good Girl's Guide to Rakes by Eva Leigh: Biiiiig huuuuge enormous Dom Kilburn's sister Celeste agrees to help Dom's friend Kieran find a wife in exchange for him showing her the *scandalous* side of London and obviously witnessing borderline sex parties leads to fucking around, which leads to Feelings.

A Rogue's Rules for Seduction by Eva Leigh: Dom may be Willa's brothers' best friend but the dumbass brothers in question helped Dom jilt Willa on their wedding day for Reasons and now Dom's sooooo cut up about it and finds himself accidentally stranded on an island with Willa...... whatever will they do.......... So I guess the banging comes after feeling here but it's too good to not include.

In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation by Alexandra Vasti: Henry is a starchy lawyer who's always been in love with Margo, his friend's sister, and they're stuck on a road trip together to "rescue" Margo's fellow disaster twin Matilda. There's some erotic cherry stem knotting with one's tongue in this.

All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan: Aurelia was actually friendly with her older broher's friend Max until she sees him with another girl at a party and now she's upset and draws a revenge cartoon that insinuates he has a small dick, making Max, uh, kind of unpopular for a minute. It's a light, zany enemies-to-lovers situation.

Sidenote I met Sophie Jordan the other week!?!?!? I was not expecting to but she was sitting like 2 rows behind me at a book event.

Contemporary:

Sinner by Sierra Simone: Sean is Zenny's MUCH OLDER brother's BFF :D; she's training to be a nun and asks him for sex lessons before she fully becomes a bride of Christ. So many "teach me daddy" moments it's so great.

Saint by Sierra Simone: And in an ironic twist of fate, Sean's brother Aiden dates, then breaks up with Sean's friend Elijah... who is also Zenny's brother. Now it's 5 years later, Aiden is a MONK and Elijah shows up engaged to a other man, ostensibly to write about trappist beer and they go on a European beer tour, together. Spoiler, cock cages and chastity are involved.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey: Georgie has always been in love with her older brother's friend Travis but he always saw her as an annoying little sister type. Now he's a washed up baseball player trying to get a commentating job that involves them fake dating to make him look "respectable" and to signal to the world Georgie is a big girl now lol.

The good thing about these books is that none of them do that obnoxious thing where they're all "your brother's gonna kill me" very much, but the age-gap ones lean into the taboo-ness more or less which is appreciated.