Chimay Glasses



Chimay glasses are a special kind of goblet glasses. Their primary purpose is for drinking the world famous Chimay beer that is produced by Trappist monks in the abbey known as Notre Dame de Scourmount. This abbey is situated in the municipality in Belgium from which the name of the beverage was obtained. These Roman Catholic monks belong to a religious order known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. They are called "Trappists" because their order originated from an effort in the 17th century in La Trappe Abbey in France.



This effort was devised to counter the trend in Cistercian monasteries where some of the rules of the order had been made easier. The fact that the Chimay goblet glass is shaped like a chalice, which is believed to be the shape of the Eucharistic cup used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper, is therefore fitting for the delicious beer that is made by Catholic monks. In fact the Chimay logo uses a font that is characteristic of this specific religious order. These monks developed this particular type of Trappist beer and special kinds of cheeses as a way to finance the needs of the monks as well as to contribute to employment in the Chimay municipality in Belgium.

When the Trappist monks established the abbey in 1850, they had to work hard to convert the desolate and infertile soil that they had found in the area into a productive farmland. Their efforts led to the creation of the world renowned brewery and cheese producing plant. The monks have transferred the management of these activities to the S.A. Bieres de Chimay to allow themselves to completely devote their time and energy to their religious vows. Nevertheless, Chimay beer is still produced at the abbey and then bottled at the nearby municipality of Baileux. After the beer is bottled, they are returned to the abbey for re-fermentation of the beverage for three weeks. It is only after this time has completed that the world-famous beverage is distributed to various parts of the world. Chimay glasses are used to drink three kinds of Trappist beer although there is a fourth kind that is only available through unofficial sources because it is intended only for consumption by the monks.

The three types of beer are the Chimay Blue, Chimay Red and Chimay White. Chimay Blue has the most alcohol content with 9 percent alcohol by volume or abv. Chimay White has 8 percent abv and Chimay Red has 7 percent abv. Chimay Blue is a kind of dark ale and is also called the Grand Reserve. It is somewhat bitter with a hint of pepper but its taste is predominantly fruity. Chimay Red is also called Premiere, is dark brown in color, and has a scent that is sweet and fruity. Just like Chimay Blue, it has a slight peppery taste but the malt introduces a nutty flavor. Chimay White is also called Triple and it is a type of pale ale that is golden in color.

Picnic Glasses