Welcome, friends, to another episode in the Adventures of Trappist Ale! Today, I am here to talk about Zundert 8 from the De Kievit van Abdij Maria Toevlucht of the Netherlands.

My entry into the world of Trappist Ales began in the mid-eighties, with a wooden crated gift box of the three Chimay ales. My beer enthusiasm continued on into the 90s, and for most of that time there were six true trappist breweries, all spoken of in reverent tones. Along with Chimay, there were four more in Belgium: Westmalle, oldest of them all, Westvleteren, rarest and hardest to find, Rochefort, and Orval. The last, La Trappe, is located in the Netherlands.

There would be more to come. The first was Achel in 2001, then Austria’s Stift Engelszell arrived on the beer scene in 2012, then St. Joseph’s Abbey in Massachusetts and Zundert in the Netherlands in 2013, Tre Fontane Abbey in Italy in 2015, Cerveza Cardena Trappist in Spain in 2016, Mount St. Bernard in England in 2018, and then Mont Des Cats in France. Rest assured, these dates are not when the monasteries were founded, just when they started selling the beer they make, and for most their brewing traditions go back many years indeed.

Today I am here to speak of Zundert, or Trappist brewery De Kievit van Abdij Maria Toevlucht as its full name goes. It is the second trappist brewery in the Netherlands. Specifically, I am here to speak to Zundert 8 Ale. Here is how the importer, Merchant Du Vin of Seattle, describes the brewery:

The Abbey of Zundert decided to begin brewing beer after the monks determined that their farm was too heavy to maintain. Beginning in 2011, the monks researched and visited other Trappist breweries and started to build a brewery for themselves. Over the following two years, the monks developed a beer to their taste and made it available in the Netherlands and Belgium. In September 2018, export to the United States starts through Merchant du Vin. Producing just 5,000 hL annually (about 4,300 BBL), Zundert is one of the smallest Trappist breweries in the world.

Of the beer in particular they say:

A beer that the abbey describes as ‘slightly unruly’ -  Trappist 8 is a beer you must take time to savor and understand. Chestnut-colored and bottle-conditioned, with aroma of caramel, herbs and spices; initially floral and slightly sweet; character develops from light caramel to a lovely, dry, mellow hoppy bitterness as the flavor opens. Brewed within the walls of Zundert Trappist Monastery by the monks of the abbey.

Zundert 8 has an alcohol content of, you guessed it, 8% by volume. If you buy it at Total Wine, expect to pay about $8.99 for it; I picked up my first ever bottle at Target (Target!) a few years ago for just $5.69. This was shortly after the beer became available in the United States.

Zundert 8 pours to a beautiful orange-russet color with a thick creamy head of foam and a musky, funky yeasty nose. Taking a sip, the beer offers more funky musky yeastiness in the palate. It’s spicy with hints of star anise and perhaps coriander and boasts notes of soft caramel and rock candy. The beer finishes dry and warming with alcohol and spice.

This is a wonderful, wonderful beer full of flavor, and a welcome addition to the Trappist pantheon of beers.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled

(D)=Draft

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