Zundert Trappist

The Netherlands

"Zundert Trappist beer requires a little time. We believe things should be allowed time..."

Abdij Maria Toevlucht

The name of the abbey translates to “Our Lady of Refuge” and refers to an event that happened in the late 19th century, the period of the French Revolution. Trappist monks of the Order of Cistercians looked for shelter in the Netherlands after abbey life and the survival of many monasteries in France came under siege. A first abbey was founded in Tilburg, the Abbey of Our Lady of Koningshoeven. To beerlovers better known for their Trappist brewery that produces La Trappe beers.

Not too long after a second monastery arose in Zundert that was elevated to the status of an abbey in 1938. The piece of land that was given to the monastery came in hand to derive an income from intensive dairy farming. Later on a switch was made to ecological cattle farming.

Brouwerij De Kievit

The cattle farm turned out to be too labour-intensive for the number of monks and came to an end in 2007. The decision to start a brewery might not seem so strange as several other monasteries in the Order of Cistercians derive an income from brewing Trappist beer.

The name of the original small farm on which grounds the monastery arose was “De Kievit”, a plover bird with distinctive wispy crest. Hence the name “Trappistenbrouwerij De Kievit” and the plover that appears in the logo. The brewery was built in 2011 and in December 2013 Zundert Trappist beer was introduced to become the second one to bear the label of Authentic Trappist Product in the Netherlands.

Zundert Trappist beer

Because of the fact that they were starting up a brewery with no previous experience the choice was made to produce only one beer to start with. Like most other Trappist breweries do, the name of the beer simply refers to the location of the abbey: Zundert Trappist.

Five years later, in 2018, a second beer is introduced and the beers are named Zundert 8 and Zundert 10, similar to the Trappist beers of Rochefort. Both beers are heavy in alcohol and take time to savor and understand. And taking time for things… well, that’s not coincidentally part of the way of life in a monastery. 

Visiting Zundert Trappist brewery

Brouwerij De Kievit has never been open to visitors, so as not to disturb the silence in the abbey. But since 2021 excursions are given on a regular base, signing up beforehand is a must. The abbey has a gift shop where the beers are available to buy. It is however not possible to drink the Zundert beer on the property of the monastery. There is a cafe across the highway that will be happy to serve you. Don't let this discourage you to visit Zundert, because it is also the birthplace of Vincent van Gogh and houses a museum devoted to the worldfamous painter.

The good news is that the other Dutch Trappist brewery, La Trappe, is less then 50 kilometers away. The Abbey of Our Lady of Koningshoeven in Berkel-Enschot is located just east of the city of Tilburg and the La Trappe brewery has not just a tasting room, they also offer daily excursions. 

Updated: 11-09-2024