Founding of Our Lady of Koningshoeven
Originally a sheep pen
Anti-religious attitudes in France forced many religious orders to search for new homes elsewhere. The monks in Northern France discovered three farms and a sheep pen in the area of Tilburg, The Netherlands.
Establishment Trappist brewery
Brewing to survive
The monks begin to brew beer, in order to support their new venture in Tilburg. A trappist brewery is established, using the newest technology of the time.
Upheaval in in the beer business
Advertising via priests
The monks find themselves in a beer war with the local breweries. Thanks to the assistance of local priests via the pulpit they end up winning the ‘war’.
Building the new abbey
... and there was light
The revenues from the brewery allow the building of a new abbey, with electricity, which is unique at that time and not without its critics in the world of trappist monks.
Heavy debt and maladmi- nistration
On the brink of the abyss
Heavy debt and maladministration by the abbot threaten to cause the permanent closure of the monastery’s doors after 30 years.
Konings- hoeven during the war
Arrests in wartime
The arrest of the Löb brothers casts a deep shadow over the relatively stable war period.
Spreading the monastery’s wings
Establishment of subsidiaries in Indonesia and Kenya
The end of the second world war heralds new moves in the monks’ benevolence to developing countries outside Europe. This is illustrated by the establishment of subsidiary monasteries in Indonesia and Kenya.
Monastic culture modernized
New rules and regulations in the monastery
At the end of the war the monks search for a different, newer content for their monastic ideals. On the one hand this leads to a revitalisation of spiritual monastic life and on the other increasingly more individual freedoms for the monks.
Resurrection of the brewery
Birth of the La Trappe brand
La Trappe becomes an official brand. The La Trappe Dubbel and Tripel beers are introduced.
Ready for the 21st century
A new generation of monks
A new generation of monks leads the monastery community into the new millennium, with modern issues such as globalisation and sustainability. Not all these moves are without their downsides.
Building an abbey in Oeganda
Fleeing Kenya
After five decades of relative calm, the monks are forced to leave Kenya. They find a new location in Uganda and establish the Our Lady of Victoria Abbey.
First organic trappist beer
La Trappe Puur (Pure)
Attention to sustainability is not just ‘talking-the-talk’ and making plans. This is illustrated, amongst other things, by the introduction of La Trappe Puur, the world’s very first organic trappist beer brewed here.
A great develop- ment in sustainability
A water treatment greenhouse
With the building of a state-of-the-art modern greenhouse, we have made a significant step in the direction of circular water management in the abbey and the brewery.
First non-alcoholic trappist beer
La Trappe Nillis
In celebration of the 140 year anniversary of our abbey, we are introducing a very special new beer. La Trappe Nillis, an anniversary beer with 0.0% alcohol content.
