The Beer
Richly Layered with Flavour and History
Tynt Meadow and Tynt Meadow Blond are English Trappist beers richly layered with flavour and history.
In a world filled with both craft and mass-produced beers, Tynt Meadow stands apart. We proudly brew this beer as a not-for-profit, free from commercial pressures. Our process centres on integrity, quality, and community, which guide every step of our production.
This dedication produces a unique, dark ale that matures through secondary fermentation and deepens in flavour with age. History shapes its story. Quality enhances its taste, making it an exceptional ale. Time adds complexity to every sip, while the brewing itself brings us fulfilment.
In the end, the result is Tynt Meadow.
Tynt Meadow & Tynt Meadow Blond
Trappist beers typically take their names from the location of the monastery. We chose the name ‘Tynt Meadow’ for our humble ales to honour the land where monks re-established monastic life in the Midlands nearly two centuries ago.
Tynt Meadow is a mahogany-coloured beer with a subtle red hue and a lasting beige head. It offers hints of dark chocolate and liquorice, layered with dried fruit notes. Full-bodied yet balanced, it combines flavours of dark chocolate, roast coffee, pepper, hazelnut, and fig.
With time, Tynt Meadow’s character gently evolves. Age adds complexity, shifting its initial cacao and fruit notes towards lighter, tart plum flavours that elevate its sophistication. A smooth yet layered mouthfeel rounds out with a warm, dry finish. The ale undergoes two fermentations -the first in the tank and the second in the bottle.
Tynt Meadow Blond, our second addition, shares the same ingredients as the darker ale but brings a refreshing lightness. It combines citrusy notes of mandarin, orange, and vanilla. At 5% ABV, this English Trappist Blond complements the original’s rich malt profile, adding a balanced, effervescent twist to our brewing tradition.
Following a centuries-old Trappist brewing tradition, we create robust ales that carry a distinctly English character. Both Tynt Meadow and Tynt Meadow Blond feature English barley, hops, and a unique English yeast strain.
For the best experience, store our ales in a cool, dark, and quiet place.
The Revival
A recipe lost to time planted the seed for a modern revival.
Records show ale-making at Mount St Bernard in the 19th century. Like many monastic communities, we brewed beer as “table beer” for hygiene and daily sustenance.
In the 21st century, as farming declined as our primary form of self-sustenance, we revived Mount St Bernard’s brewing tradition. Transitioning from farming to brewing was not straightforward; while cows produce milk reliably, hops and barley require more care to yield quality ale.
The monks of Norcia, Westvleteren, Saint-Wandrille, and Zundert generously shared their decades of brewing experience. We gained invaluable advice from other Trappist breweries and received essential support from the International Trappist Association.
Several local brewers also offered their expertise, helping us adapt an ancient recipe to create an ale for a new century.
Trappist Ales
Trappist Ales stem from a long monastic brewing tradition that began in Europe during the Middle Ages. Originally brewed as ‘table beer’ to provide a safe alternative to contaminated water, Trappist Ales are now crafted exclusively in Europe and at Mount St Bernard Trappist Brewery.
An ale can only be called ‘Trappist Ale’ if it meets specific criteria:
- It must be produced within the abbey’s immediate surroundings.
- The monks or nuns must supervise its production.
- Profits must support the monastic community’s needs, solidarity within the Trappist Order, or development projects and charitable works.
For centuries, Trappist monks have carefully guarded their beer recipes and methods, passing them down through generations. Although each ale shares a common heritage, it remains distinctly unique.
Only Trappist monastic communities produce Trappist Ale, with strict accreditation overseen by the International Trappist Association (ITA). The ITA ensures quality, controls accreditation, and provides additional support to twenty Trappist monasteries worldwide, twelve of which currently brew beer.
Mount Saint Bernard Trappist Brewery is the only producer of Trappist Ale in England.
