Hasn't everything already been said and written about Trappist? No, quite the contrary. At least, that is what Koen Naulaerts and Kenny Hermans are convinced of. The enterprising youngsters, both 25, gave up their jobs in Dubai and at Coca-Cola respectively to launch a new project together: Trappist Tribute. "In the meantime, we are already dreaming of branches abroad."
Initially, the former fellow students see it in grand terms. Inspired by the Heineken Experience, the Amsterdam museum in which visitors are given an interactive multimedia tour, they think in terms of the beer experience and virtual reality. They visit breweries and abbeys, become more deeply impressed by the unique, authentic story of the Trappists and discover that the monks of the Cistercian order not only dedicate themselves to brewing beer, but also make numerous other craft products. The idea of a tribute project is taking shape.
Naulaerts and Hermans literally go knocking on the doors of almost all Trappist abbeys, from Austria to the USA, and are invariably received with open arms. "The welcome we received at Saint Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, was unforgettable. We stayed there for four days and although we were complete strangers to the Fathers, we were treated as guests of honour." Gradually, the two of them also gained the trust of the International Trappist Association (ITA), which eventually cooperated with the initiative.
Trappist Tribute is primarily an e-commerce business. From October onwards, subscribers will receive a Tribute Box with a bottle of Trappist beer, the accompanying glass, another Trappist product and - under the motto 'A story to taste' - extensive information on the history of Trappist abbeys, the philosophy of life of the Cistercian monks and an explanation of beer and food pairing. For the latter part renowned beer chefs such as Stefaan Couttenye (Het Hommelhof), Raf Sainte (De Gebrande Winning) and Alex Verhoeven (Hert) created a dish that forms a tasty combination with the Trappist in the box. The recipe is enclosed, so that you can try your hand at beer gastronomy yourself.
Trappist dinners
To draw attention to their enterprise, Naulaerts and Hermans opened the pop-up bar De Kloostergang in Aarschot at the beginning of July. In this atmospheric café, you can appreciate almost all Trappist beers, including those that are difficult or almost impossible to obtain such as the refectory beer Westmalle Extra and the IPA Sinergia '19, a collaboration between the Italian Tre Fontane and the American Spencer. You can also choose from a range of wines and liqueurs from the Spanish Trappist monasteries Monasterio de la Oliva and Monasterio de San Pedro de Cardeña. Even Trappist coffee from Koutaba in Cameroon is on the menu. Bread, various cheeses and cold meats, muesli, jams and honey, all made in the traditional way in Trappist abbeys, are available to feed the hungry. For the sweet tooth, there are also Trappist biscuits and chocolate.
Finally, special events such as cheese and beer tasting, Trappist quizzes, Trappist barbecues and Trappist dinners are regularly scheduled in De Kloostergang. "The response so far has been overwhelming. We have invested a lot of time and money in this project, so of course it is nice that it is going so well. We donate a portion of all proceeds to various charities. Meanwhile, we are already dreaming aloud of foreign branches. This concept could even score in Japan.
