Brouwerij St.Bernardus
St.Bernardus is a brewery in Watou, near Poperinge in West Flanders. Until 1992 it brewed the Trappist beers of Westvleteren under licence, after which that beer carried on under its own name. The flagship is Abt 12, a quadrupel based on the 1946 recipe.
- LocationPoperinge, Vlaams Gewest
- Founded1946
- TypeRegional brewery
- Untappd 3.78 · 1.3M ratings
- At Hoptimaal1 in stock · 6 in total
In stock now 1
Previously at Hoptimaal 5
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From cheese dairy to brewery in Watou
In the early twentieth century, Trappist monks fled from Mont des Cats to Watou. They settled at the Patershof farm and called their new home Réfuge de Notre Dame de St Bernard. In France they paid tax on their income, in Belgium they (still) did not. They made cheese there. When the monks returned to France, Evariste Deconinck took over the dairy.
Shortly after the Second World War, the Trappists of Westvleteren asked Deconinck to brew and sell their beers under licence. Master brewer Mathieu Szafranski, of Polish origin, brought recipes, knowledge and the St. Sixtus yeast with him. The brewery was built next to the cheese dairy. In 1962 a new thirty-year contract followed. That agreement ended in 1992, because the Authentic Trappist Beer label was from then on only given to beers brewed within an abbey. Since then they have sold everything as St.Bernardus.
In 1998 Hans Depypere took over the brewery, which was badly outdated by then. Volume grew from 8,000 hectolitres to around 33,000 in 2013 and to 50,000 in 2023. The beers go to more than 80 countries. Since 2018 the brewery also has Bar Bernard, a rooftop bar with a tasting room.
A beer that stands close to Westvleteren
The beers of St.Bernardus are regarded as a close match to the St. Sixtus beers in recipe and style. That is logical given the history: the recipes and the yeast came from Westvleteren.
Abt 12 is the flagship. It is a 10% quadrupel that, according to the brewery, follows the original 1946 recipe. Thanks to the brewery's own yeast, the aroma is very fruity, and the finish is long and bittersweet. The brewery recommends a serving temperature of 8 to 12 °C. It pairs with beef stew, game, a blue cheese such as Roquefort, or chocolate.
St.Bernardus at Hoptimaal
With us you will find St.Bernardus in 33 cl bottles, in the styles witbier, dubbel, tripel and quadrupel. The strength runs from 5.5 to 10%. On Untappd, Abt 12, Tripel, Prior 8, Wit and Pater 6 are rated highly.
You drink the Wit and the Tripel best cool and fresh. With Abt 12 you take your time: don't pour it too cold, around 8 to 12 °C, and the fruity, complex flavours come out best. The brewery gives the bottle a shelf life of four years.
Frequently asked questions
Where does St.Bernardus come from?
St.Bernardus comes from Watou, near Poperinge in West Flanders, Belgium. The brewery started in 1946 next to a cheese dairy that had grown out of a refuge of French Trappist monks.
What kind of beer does St.Bernardus make?
St.Bernardus brews Belgian abbey beers in the styles witbier, dubbel, tripel and quadrupel. The best known is Abt 12, a 10% quadrupel. The recipes and the yeast date from the time when the brewery made the Trappist beers of Westvleteren under licence.
Is St.Bernardus a Trappist beer?
No. Until 1992 the brewery brewed the Trappist beers of Westvleteren under licence. After that, the Authentic Trappist Beer label was only given to beers brewed within an abbey, so since then the beer has carried on under the name St.Bernardus.
