Oct. 13-22, 2012 • Ten days, nine nights 

Beer is one of the few indulgences monks are permitted, and thus one of the reasons they know how to brew special beers so incredibly well. On this very ambitious tour we will visit the seven Trappist abbeys that brew beer (six in Belgium and one just across the border in the Netherlands) and sample their beers. While the theme of this tour will be Trappist ales, you will experience many other styles, too.

The designation of “Trappist” is a legal one and encompasses a range of styles rather than a single distinct one. The seven Trappist beers are Westmalle, Westvleteren, Orval, Chimay, Rochefort, Achel and LaTrappe (known as Koeningshoeven in the U.S.). Other breweries we will visit include, Duval, Halve Maan and De Struise.  We will also visit the WWI museum in Iepers called In Flanders Fields. You’ll experience the four corners of Belgium as we traverse the country to visit these abbeys, from the bucolic farmlands of West Flanders to the pristine Ardennes Mountains of Wallonia, to the beautiful countryside of the northern Limburg Province and the Netherlands. As with all our tours, fine cuisine, inviting hotels, camaraderie will be front-and-center, along with sightseeing, shopping and plenty of free time to unwind, explore and discover the beauty of Belgium.

Also, the abbey interiors are typically cloistered and off limits to visitors.  Many of the Trappist breweries are also off limits to the public, but BBM! does have a few connections that may make visiting some places generally not accessible to the public available to us.  Often we will not know until we arrive, or shortly before, just what will be possible, thus we cannot make promises.  It depends on several variables, including the schedules of the brewers and monks, days they are open, and the general willingness of the abbey to make special exceptions to allow visitors.  What we will do is experience the terrior and see at least the exteriors of the Trappist abbeys and breweries, and get to visit the official and unofficial brewery taps to sample the beers fresh from the brewery. 

Plans call for overnights in Brussels, Bruges, Rochefort, Baileux, Tilburg (Netherlands) and Iepers.  In Baileux, we will be staying at the famous Auberge de Poteaupre, the official brewery tap, restaurant and inn of Chimay and the Abbey de Scourmont.

 As an option, combine this tour with The Best Damn Farmhouse Ale Tour of Belgium & France the week preceding this Trappist Tour and have a full two weeks in Beer Paradise!

Plan now to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime tour!

$2795 land only, $575 single supplement. Deadline to sign-up Sept. 12, 2012.  

Click Here For Itinerary

Prices based on double occupancy, per person, U.S. dollars, land only. Single room supplements apply (SS).  We can also work with you to pair you with other single travelers to avoid the single supplement. Better yet, recruit a friend to come, too! Unless, of course, like Rick Steves says, you prefer to “snore alone.”

We require a minimum number of guests for each tour to be guaranteed to go, so it’s important to sign up ASAP, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Also, tours can fill rapidly and suddenly, so signing up early ensures that you will go and not be disappointed. Please spread the word about BBM! tours to fellow Belgian beer enthusiasts, your friends in general, and encourage them to join the fun!