Do This: La Trappe Re-Launch

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jul 12, 2010 8:30PM

The only Trappist brewery not located in Belgium is right over the border in the Netherlands. Since brewing operations began in 1884 the beers of Brouwerij de Koningshoeven are known around the world as La Trappe and were marketed as such except for in the United States and Canada. There is a monastic community in Iowa that builds coffins, also known as La Trappe, that long claimed the copyright to use the name. In the US and Canada, the beer was marketed as "Koningshoeven."

Those issues have apparently been cleared up and Koningshoeven is ready for its official re-launch as La Trappe. To celebrate, there will be a couple of tastings tomorrow and Wednesday. the Fountainhead (1970 W. Montrose, 773-697-8204) is hosting a re-launch party tomorrow from 7 p.m. - 2 a.m. They'll be pouring the Dubbel, Witte and Quad and giving away free La Trappe glassware while it lasts.

If that's too short notice for you, the Bluebird (1749 N. Damen, 773-486-2473) will have it available all day long. Just walk right in. The Bluebird will also have on hand Lanny Hoff from Artisanal Imports. Hoff is responsible for importing the beer for the Chicago market and will answer any and all questions about the brewery, its beers, and legal pissing contests between monasteries.