Beer: Tynt Meadow
Brewery: Mount Saint Bernard Abbey (Leicestershire, England)
Style: Strong Ale – English
7.4% ABV / 38 IBU

Trappist brewing remains in a relative boom cycle with the opening of five breweries in five countries outside of Belgium within the last decade. A sixth—Spencer Brewing in Massachusetts—also launched in this wave but announced its closure earlier this year, leaving America with zero Trappist breweries. That loss is papered over by the meteoric rise of the brewing operation at the Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, the newest member of the International Trappist Association. In less than three years, these monks have created a world-class Trappist ale that absolutely deserves a cult-following.

In terms of annual production, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey is one of the smallest operations in the International Trappist Association, but 100% of that volume is devoted to a single beer: Tynt Meadow. While most people associate Trappist beers with the dubbels, tripels and quads produced in the Belgian abbeys, this English strong ale is more in line with the tastes of the British countryside. It’s a bold choice for a flagship beer, but they’ve managed to turn out something that is already elite, with balanced malt and hop profile.

Tynt Meadow delivers that higher-gravity Trappist ale experience at a price point that won’t break the bank. The chestnut color resembles a more occluded brown ale and the carbonation level provides a little bit of attractive lacing around the rim of the glass. This strong ale doesn’t offer much in the way of a nose, but there’s a surprising amount of depth and smokiness to the malt with lots of appealing hints of burnt sugar, caramel, and toffee. The most surprising aspect is the body, which is somewhat light for this style, but it definitely aligns well with every other aspect of the strong ale. It’s absolutely unique for a Trappist beer, but it’s so much more than a novelty.

For more info on Mount Saint Bernard Abbey please head here