Herkenrode beer

Lore & Background

Herkenrode beer takes its name from Herkenrode Abbey, a former Cistercian nunnery founded in 1192 at Kuringen, part of Hasselt, where beer was brewed until the abbey's suppression in the 1790s due to the French Revolution. The brief for the beer, obtained from Wim Van Lishout, president of Herkenrode vzw (the company that runs the former abbey site), was to brew a beer with the strength of the counts of Loon, the elegance of the abbesses of Herkenrode, and the aroma of the Herkenrode herb garden.

Originally two beers were launched in December 2009: Herkenrode Tripel and Herkenrode Bruin, both at 7% alcohol by volume. From 2017, the range expanded to three varieties: Herkenrode Cister Blond (6.5% ABV), Herkenrode Vesper Tripel (9% ABV), and Herkenrode Noctis Bruin. The beer is brewed by the Cornelissen Brewery (formerly Brouwerij Sint-Jozef) at Opitter in Bree, Limburg.

Reader's Guide

Herkenrode holds significance as a modern revival of a historical brewing tradition, directly referencing the Cistercian nunnery of Herkenrode Abbey, which brewed beer until its dissolution in the 1790s. Its launch in 2009 and subsequent recognition as an Erkend Belgisch Abdijbier in June 2009 placed it among a select group of Belgian abbey beers, being the 23rd overall and only the second from Limburg. The beer's development was guided by a specific brief from the site's managing organization, aiming to embody historical and local character. The range has evolved from two original 7% ABV beers to three varieties since 2017, including a blond, a stronger tripel, and a dark beer. Herkenrode Noctis Bruin has garnered notable international awards, including gold medals at Monde Selection, being named best Belgian dark beer at the World Beer Awards in 2016, and a bronze medal at the Australian International Beer Awards in 2017. These distinctions underscore the beer's recognition beyond Belgium, while its abbey designation ties it to a broader tradition of Belgian monastic brewing.

Did You Know?

• Herkenrode is named after Herkenrode Abbey, a Cistercian nunnery founded in 1192.
• The beer was launched in 2009 and was the 23rd to be recognized as an Erkend Belgisch Abdijbier.
• The original two beers, Herkenrode Tripel and Herkenrode Bruin, both had an alcohol percentage of 7%.