1337 Bière St. Bertin
Before hops conquered Europe, beer belonged to gruit.
Gruit was not a single recipe, but a system. A mixture of herbs and botanicals used to flavour and preserve ale before hops became dominant. Bog myrtle, yarrow, rosemary, spruce, sage, and dozens of other plants found their way into medieval beer depending on local custom and availability.
But gruit was also political…
1896 Pattersbier
Long before Belgian abbey breweries became internationally famous for strong ales, the monks themselves usually drank something much smaller.
Inside the monasteries of Belgium, beer existed in layers. The strongest and most expensive beers were often reserved for guests, wealthy patrons, special feast days, or commercial sale. But daily monastic life demanded something different: a modest, nourishing, highly drinkable table beer consumed alongside work, prayer, and communal meals.
This was pattersbier…
1956 Abbey Style Tripel
For centuries, monks brewed some of Europe’s finest beer.
Monasteries were among the most stable institutions in medieval Europe. While kingdoms fractured and armies marched across the continent, abbeys preserved agriculture, literacy, engineering, and craft traditions behind stone walls. Brewing became part of that world naturally. Monks cultivated grain, managed farms, hosted travellers, and supported themselves through skilled manual labour. Beer was woven into daily life…