If the beer world wasn’t odd enough what with the regional
varieties out there, there’s one other aspect which beer fans
should be aware: that of the Trappist beers. What’s a Trappist
you ask? In short, a Trappist is a nun or a monk. The longer
answer is that a Trappist is a member of one of the fifteen
monasteries of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance,
who follow the rule of Saint Benedict. The Order has its origins
in La Trappe, France; hence Trappist (probably a derivation of
the French Trappiste). These people of God work under the rule
of Ora et labora (prayer and work). This rule means that these
members of the Benedictine order have committed themselves to
the work of God, and support their commitment by making products
that allow them to be productive (as idle hands are the devil’s
tool), self sufficient, as well as help a variety of charitable
causes. Some of the products them make include bread, chocolate,
cosmetics, candles, and even flags. One of the more popular
products they make is b