Men vertelt in de herberg . . .
English text
Een nieuwe brouwerij
Dat Trappist niet altijd synoniem staat voor
eeuwenoud, wordt geïllustreerd door de Sint-Benedictusabdij
in Achel. Daar produceert broeder-brouwer Antoine sinds februari
2001 een eigentijds Trappistenbier in een gloednieuwe brouwzaal
anno 1998. Maar wel steunend op een leven lang ervaring, kennis en
vakmanschap!
Van hoeve tot brouwerij
Tussen de akkers en
de bossen van de mooie Limburgse Kempen ligt op de
Nederlands-Belgische grens de abdij de Achelse Kluis. Het is een
plek met geschiedenis: reeds in 1656 was er hier een gebedshuis en
in 1846 stichtten de Westmalse Trappistenmonniken er het
Sint-Benedictusklooster. De monniken waren met hun modelhoeve zeer
actief in landbouw en veeteelt, maar door de industrialisering
kwam hieraan een einde in 1989. De vervallen ruimtes van de
stallen en de kaasmakerij werden 10jaar later omgetoverd tot een
kleine brouwzaal en een ruim cafetaria. Alleen hier kan men de
lekkere Achelse “5” blond en “5” bruin
proeven!
Licht, lekker en puur
Veel fietsers en
wandelaars hebben de weg naar de Achelse Kluis gevonden om er in
de gezellige ingerichte gelagzaal, of bij mooi weer buiten op het
terras, een kleinigheid te eten en te genieten van een lekkere
Achelse Trappist. Tweemaal per week wordt er gebrouwen. De
werkzaamheden van broeder Antoine en zijn co-brouwer Mark Knops
zijn te volgen door een glazen wand tussen de brouw- en de
verbruikerszaal. Zij werken verder met de recepten van Broeder
Thomas, die zijn brouwerssporen reeds verdiende in Westmalle,
Westvleteren en Orval, en wist wat hij wilde: "Een licht en
dorstlessend bier dat toch lekker smaakt, dat vragen de
dagjesmensen die hier langskomen. Een écht, puur bier! Hier
geen aromaten, geen suikers, maar nog wel de zuivere hopbellen,
kortom een bier waar iedere brouwer trots op kan zijn."
Vijf
De Vijf: typische heldere donkerrode amberkleurig, niet afkomstig van
suiker zodat de zuivere milde smaak volledig intact blijft, 5% alc. Vol.
De vijf helder goudblond, met een iets rijker en
pittiger proefpallet. En niet te vergeten de blonde “8”
in het flesje: licht troebel goudblond, met een verfijnde volle
smaak. Van de Achelse
Trappistenbieren wordt er de “8” gebotteld en zijn de
“5” blond en bruin enkel te drinken in de herberg van de
Achelse Kluis.
Sinds 2 mei 2002 is er de Achel Extra bruin 8.
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A new Trappiste: light, delicious and pure
Numerous cyclists and hikers
have discovered the path leading to the "Achelse Kluis
Abbey"
To taste a light snack accompanied by a delicious 'Achelse Trappist'
in the prettily decorated cafe or when the
weather permits outside on the terrace. Brewing is performed there
once or twice a week. The work of Brother Antoine and co-brewer
Mark Knops is able to be seen thanks to a glass- partition which
separates the brewery room from the cafe. They are working with
the recipes of Brother Thomas who has previously shown his
qualities as a brewer at Westmalle, Westvleteren and Orval and
knew what he want: "An authentic, thirst quenching beer with
a never the less distinctive flavor, is what is in demand by the
tourists who pass by here. A true and pure beer with no added
aroma or sugars just the simplicity of the hops, a beer that every
brewer could be proud off".
Five
The Five: Amber, dark-red, contains no sugar in order to maintain a pure full
flavor (5% vol.).
The Five blond: Light golden with a richer, fuller, stronger flavor.
Trappistes Beers of Achel are not bottled and can only by tasted in the
cafetaria of the Abbey 'De Achelse Kluis'. Except the “eight”
who is already spread
in Belgium, US, and abroad.
Like an oasis in the desert, we come upon the inn 'Achelse Kluis' in the midst of
the beautiful Limbourg coutryside.
This magnificent countryside
with its immense meadows where ruminating cows graze laying upon
the green grass; with its pink purple plain, its pine woods and
foliage crossed by shadowed pathways and pedestrian walks, far
from the activities and stress of the industries and the Belgian
and Dutch Limburg, a good oxygen reserve.
Just like an oasis which
from a remote past until today is the center where caravans coming
from various oriental countries meet, the Inn 'De Achelse Kluis'
has become an international meetingcentre. The two visitors books
where Belgian and Dutch visitors express their satisfaction and
admiration; visitors coming also from other countries, witnessed by the remarks
left in German, English, French, Swedish, American, Austrian and
Japanese, the visitors of the Oasis.
Rather than long caravans of
camels, here we meet both small and large groups of hikers, long
processions of bicycles, small groups of horseriders, who are able
to leave their horses in the stable for food and rest, families or
small groups of friends in wagon pulled by shire horses, organized
excursion groups of bikers, businessmen's meetings, travelers
wanting to eat a quick lunch. But also for customers who have
chosen this oasis as their favorite cafe. We are regularly asked
one question: what do we have to offer our visitors?: Firstly,
warmth and kindness, a restful and pleasant atmosphere which
radiates from the interior architecture, just as a considerate
doorman welcomes visitors. We also offer thirst quenching beer
brewed on the spot, homemade soup from the abbey, ham and cheese
sandwiches, coffee with a large choice of excellent cakes and
pastries, tea and hot chocolate and for the children refreshing
drinks and ice cream. For animals accompanying the walkers such as
horses, lions, dogs, camels and others, fresh water is always
available. But the real specification of this Oasis is the on the
spot beer brewing. "Why do Belgian Trappiste Abbeys brew
their own beer?". Answer: Is is an old tradition which spread
after the plague epidemics in the years……. Which reduced
the population by half in certain countries. Because water was one
of the main carriers of this epidemic, the monks developed a
sterile drink. Beer was an ideal solution by the fact that in two
different ways it guaranteed this sterility. Firstly during the
brewing water is used at high temperatures, from another source
after fermentation it contains alcohol which fights contamination.
In certain abbeys medicinal gardens have been developed where
plants giving the extracts to prepare this alcohol have been
cultivated, like a drug for internal or external use. Achel is
connected to this old tradition, and beer is brewed there since….
And until 1917 when the Germans destroyed the brewery. But a link
remained like a monument under the empty building of the old brewery,
like a weeping willow on a grave hoping for resurrection.
In the pursuit of an economical revival.
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