La Trappe is the elder of Netherland’s two Trappist breweries with over 130 years of brewing experience. Zundert, on the the other hand, has only been brewing for a few years. La Trappe was one of the founding members of the International Trappist Association although they have at times run afoul of the ITA since then and lost their designation for a time. Today, La Trappe is fully within the Trappist fold and is continuing to drive the category with some fun and interesting beers.
La Trappe’s Isid’or beer is named after Brother Isidorus, La Trappe’s first Master Brewer. Isidorus is considered the founding father of La Trappe’s brewery. The beer was originally created in 2009 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of La Trappe’s brewery. The beer proved so popular that they decided to produce it full time.
Appearance: Hazy amber, tan head, good retention.
Aroma: Caramel, clove, banana, spicy, toffee.
Taste: Clove, caramel, banana, nutty, nutmeg, toffee.
Overall Impression: Isid’or trends towards the slightly sweetish side and has a medium finish. Visually, it has a super nice, fluffy head. While La Trappe is famous for its Quad, which is often imitated by American breweries, Isid’or is a really nice beer from the Dutch Trappist; one that should be on your list of beers to try. The lower ABV, compared to the Quad, makes it a nice alternative when you want that classic La Trappe yeast flavor.
Availability: La Trappe’s beers are readily available where Artisanal Imports‘s beers are sold.
7.5% ABV
You can read more about La Trappe and their beers on my page dedicated to them.
If you’d like to know more about the history of the Trappist Order and their breweries, you can ready my history of The Brewing Monks.
