Abbaye du Val-Dieu
Abbey
About this Brewery
Place: Val-Dieu
Brewing has a long history at the Abbaye du Val-Dieu. The Cistercian community founded the abbey in 1216, and beer was among the products made there for the monks and their guests. Records show that the abbey brewery was rebuilt in 1733, although brewing equipment was swept away during a severe flood in 1756.
The monastic brewing tradition eventually disappeared, and the modern Brasserie de l’Abbaye du Val-Dieu represents a revival rather than an uninterrupted continuation. Brewing returned to the abbey in 1997, when a new brewery was established within the historic complex.
The brewery developed a range of abbey beers inspired by traditional Belgian styles, including Blonde, Brune, Triple and Grand Cru. Unlike many modern abbey beers, Val-Dieu is brewed at the abbey whose name it carries.
Today the brewery remains within the Val-Dieu abbey complex near Aubel, continuing a brewing connection with the site that stretches back centuries, albeit with a substantial interruption between the historic and modern breweries.
Glasses in this collection
Curator's Note
Val-Dieu is considerably more than a brewery stop. The brewery sits within the historic abbey complex, with the basilica, courtyard and grounds providing much of the reason to visit.
Guided tours of the brewery are available, but visitors do not need to take a tour to enjoy the site. The abbey shop sells the brewery’s beers alongside local products, while the former stables house Le Casse-Croûte, where Val-Dieu beers can be sampled with food.
The surrounding Pays de Herve countryside also makes this a particularly good place to combine beer with walking. Several routes begin around the abbey, and the setting feels pleasantly removed from the nearby towns despite being only a short drive from Aubel.
Allow more time than you would for a simple brewery shop. Val-Dieu works best as a destination in its own right.