---
title: "Westmalle Dubbel Turns 100 as the Trappist Beer That Gave Life to a Style"
description: "To celebrate the centenary, the brewery launched a 33-cl bottle with a commemorative label and a matching crown cap. It also presented a special edition of glasses with an anniversary design and a delicate silver rim."
url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/westmalle-dubbel-turns-100-as-the-trappist-beer-that-gave-life-to-a-style/
date: 2026-08-30
modified: 2026-09-02
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/westmalle-dubbel-100-anos.jpg
categories: ["News"]
tags: ["Aniversario", "Anniversary", "Beer Styles", "Bélgica", "Belgium", "Estilos de Cerveja", "Westmalle"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Westmalle Dubbel Turns 100 as the Trappist Beer That Gave Life to a Style

Westmalle Dubbel turns 100 in 2026. The Trappist abbey of Westmalle in Belgium celebrates the centenary of a recipe that in 1926 defined the Dubbel style and is still brewed today under the same principles established by the monastic community a century ago.

![Westmalle Dubbel, commemorative 100-year bottle](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/westmalle-dubbel-100-anos.jpg)*Westmalle Dubbel 100 years*

That journey—from a monastic table beer to one of the most replicated Trappist recipes in the world—spans nearly two centuries of abbey history.

## From foundation to the first beer

Westmalle Abbey was founded in 1794 and elevated to a Trappist monastery in 1836, the year the first abbot decided the community would brew its own beer.

At first, it was a low-alcohol table beer intended only for the monks’ consumption.

In 1856, a second beer was added—a strong brown ale that is now recognized as the direct predecessor of the Dubbel, still far from the current recipe, as also covered in our review of [the history of Westmalle Abbey](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/the-history-of-westmalle-abbey-and-its-renowned-trappist-beers/).

## Verlinden and the recipe that fixed the style in 1926

After World War I, the abbey faced difficulties, and the quality of that brown beer became inconsistent. In 1926, the community hired master brewer Henrik Verlinden to bring production back into order.

Verlinden thoroughly revised the recipe, adjusted the malt bill, and established a dark, fuller-bodied profile that the abbey named Dubbel Bruin.

That 1926 version is the starting point for the Westmalle Dubbel brewed to this day, and the one that other Trappist and secular breweries eventually imitated, giving rise to the Dubbel style as it is known today.

## Why is it called Dubbel?

The name refers to the technique of doubling the amount of malt compared to the house’s basic brown beer—the same decision Verlinden made in 1926 that determined the dense body and fruity character of the recipe.

## A recipe that transcended the Kempen

Nearly a century later, Manu Pauwels, marketing manager of the brewery, summarizes that legacy by noting that the Dubbel became the reference point for an entire beer style.

> The Dubbel was one of the first specialty beers to make a name for itself and to spread beyond the Kempen region.

Pauwels adds that the brewery has maintained the same principles since 1926, with brewing techniques that evolved over time.

That same starting point also served for another milestone: in 1934, when inaugurating a new brewhouse, the monks tripled the proportions of that original recipe and gave birth to [Westmalle Tripel](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/westmalle-tripel-tasting-notes-and-recommended-pairings-by-a-beer-sommelier/), considered by many enthusiasts the mother of all Tripels.

Those who wish to delve deeper into the Dubbel’s sensory profile can review [the full tasting notes](https://www.thebeertimes.com/westmalle-dubbel-notas-de-cata/), published by our team of beer sommeliers.

## What characterizes a Dubbel?

The style consolidated by Westmalle is defined by a dark mahogany color, a pronounced malty body, and notes of dark fruit, caramel, and mild spices provided by the yeast.

The typical alcohol content ranges between 6.5% and 8% ABV, a range in which the alcohol remains integrated into the flavor and is barely perceived on the palate, unlike more powerful styles such as Quadrupel.

That combination of body, restrained sweetness, and low alcohol perception is precisely what other Trappist and craft breweries replicated over the decades.

## Bottles, glasses, and cheese to mark the century

To celebrate the centenary, the brewery launched a redesigned 33-centiliter bottle with a commemorative label and a matching crown cap. It also presented a special edition of glasses with an anniversary design and a delicate silver rim.

Between late September and late October, selected bars will also offer a limited production of Westmalle cheese, made by the abbey itself.

## 17 monks and a brewery with another purpose

Currently, seventeen monks live in the abbey, along with 75 employees, 53 of whom work directly in the brewery. The income generated by production is not aimed at maximizing profits, but rather at maintaining the community’s heritage, paying staff salaries, and supporting charitable works.

This model follows the logic of [authentic Trappist breweries](https://www.thebeertimes.com/que-es-una-cerveza-trapense-referencias-de-estilos/), regulated by the ATP seal and historically linked to non-commercial purposes.

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

### 1. What is Westmalle Dubbel?

It is the Trappist beer of Westmalle Abbey, whose current recipe dates back to 1926, when master brewer Henrik Verlinden established the dark, fuller-bodied profile now known as Dubbel.

### 2. Why is it called Dubbel?

The name refers to the technique of doubling the amount of malt used compared to the basic brown beer the monks brewed before the 1926 reform.

### 3. Who created the recipe for the Dubbel brewed today?

Master brewer Henrik Verlinden, hired by the abbey in 1926 to solve the quality problems of the brown beer produced since 1856, following the crisis left by World War I.

### 4. How is Westmalle celebrating its 100 years?

With a redesigned 33-centiliter bottle, a special edition of glasses with a silver rim, and a limited production of Westmalle cheese in selected bars between September and October.

### 5. How many monks currently live at Westmalle Abbey?

Seventeen monks live in the abbey alongside 75 employees, 53 of whom are directly dedicated to the brewery.

## We Recommend

- [30 essential Belgian beers you should try at least once in your life](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/30-essential-belgian-beers-you-should-try-at-least-once/)
- [10 breweries you should visit in Belgium](https://www.thebeertimes.com/10-cervecerias-que-deberias-visitar-en-belgica/)