Monday, May 24, 2010

Finale of Office Hours before summer break: Abbey/Trappist Overview.

Tonight's "Office Hours with the Publican" will be the final installment for the spring term. I'll pick it up after summer break, perhaps early September. I appreciate the participation, and it has been quite enjoyable to assemble a group of "regulars" from week to week.

On the agenda for this evening is a quick overview of Abbey and Trappist ales from (and perhap inspired by) Belgium. Recall that certified Trappists must adhere to a three step program: Brewed in the monastery (although fermentation can occur elsewhere); monks actively involved at some stage of the process; and a percentage of the proceeds going toward charity.

Abbey ales rather generically describe all those styles similar to Trappist, but not officially certified. There may be a real abbey licensing its name to a brewer, or a contract brewer making beer for a real abbey, or a brewer in Guam making ale to style definition, or the ruins of an abbey down the road somewhere. Some are as good (sometimes even better) than registered Trappists. Others, not.

Price is the same: $5, and the tasting starts at 6:30 p.m., perhaps in Prost this week, or if not, just outside.

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