Westmalle
About this Place
Westmalle is a quiet village in the Antwerp Campine whose name has become synonymous with Trappist beer. The abbey lies just beyond the village, and although its gates remain firmly closed to casual visitors, its influence on Belgian brewing is impossible to overstate.
Visitor notes
Don't come to Westmalle expecting a brewery tour or a polished visitor attraction. That's missing the point.
The abbey is a working monastery before it is anything else, and the monks have chosen to keep it that way. Instead, enjoy a walk through the surrounding woodland before calling in at Café Trappisten opposite the abbey for a glass of Westmalle served exactly where it should be. Pair it with a simple lunch or one of the café's traditional Belgian dishes, then take your time.
If you happen to visit during one of the abbey's rare Open Brewery Days, treat it as a bonus rather than an expectation. Most people leave Westmalle with little more than a few photographs, a good beer, perhaps one of the brewery's distinctive chalices, and a glimpse of a living, breathing monastic existence.
Dog-friendly
Dogs are welcome on the woodland walks around the abbey and are generally welcome at Café Trappisten, making Westmalle a pleasant stop if you're exploring the area with your four-legged companion. They are not permitted inside the brewery during the abbey's Open Brewery Days because of hygiene regulations.