La Trappe

The brewery was established by French Trappist monks who fled to the Netherlands seeking refuge and chose brewing as a means of self-sufficiency. La Trappe holds the Authentic Trappist Product designation, a certification that guarantees production within abbey walls under monastic supervision. Since 1999, the Abbey of Koningshoeven has partnered with Swinkels Family Brewers (formerly Bavaria NV) to operate the commercial brewery, whilst the abbey retains ownership.

La Trappe's alcohol-free range carries genuine historical weight: in 2021, the brewery became the first to produce a certified alcohol-free Trappist beer anywhere in the world. The name chosen for that product draws on Latin roots, combining the words for "nothing" and "none", a deliberate nod to the absence of alcohol. The AF range also includes a light-blonde 0.0% wheat beer brewed according to what the brand describes as a traditional, 100% natural process. Both sit in the premium bracket and are available through specialist alcohol-free retailers. La Trappe's Trappist credentials place it in a category of its own within the AF beer market.

Beyond the beer itself, La Trappe operates an on-site biological water purification system called the Biomakerij, which uses tropical plants to treat the brewery's wastewater, reflecting a commitment to environmental stewardship rooted in the abbey's monastic tradition. The brand appeals particularly to sober-curious drinkers who want a product with genuine provenance and a documented production heritage. La Trappe's position as the sole Trappist producer in the 0.0% space remains, for now, uncontested.