SPENCER, MA – Cavalier Distributing has partnered with the U.S.’s only Trappist brewery, Spencer Brewery, and will distribute Spencer Trappist Ale immediately throughout Ohio. Brewed by the Trappist monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey (Spencer Abbey) in Spencer, Massachusetts, the Spencer Brewery is one of only 11 Trappist breweries in the world, and the first in the Americas.
Spencer Trappist Ale is a full-bodied, sunrise-hued ale with fruity accents, a dry finish and light hop bitterness. At 6.5% ABV, Spencer is one of the most accessible of the Trappist beers and complements a variety of foods. The monks recommend that the beer be served in a stemmed glass, preferably the distinctive Spencer glass designed specifically for the beer, and enjoyed responsibly, in the company of family and friends.
For the monks, the release of the beer marks both the culmination of years of hard work, and an exciting new chapter in the 191-year-old story of their monastery community. “We’re just so happy and grateful to be given the opportunity to share this labor of love with the world,” says Father Isaac Keeley, director of Spencer Brewery. “We hope that by making this beer, we can both honor the centuries-old Trappist tradition, and contribute to this exciting time in American brewing history.”
About St. Joseph Abbey, Spencer Brewery and Trappist Brewing
Settled in 1950 in Spencer, Massachusetts, St. Joseph Abbey or Spencer Abbey, is a Roman Catholic monastery of monks of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, commonly known as Trappists. The monks live in silence and solitude, dedicating themselves to prayer, service and solitude, following St. Benedict’s sixth century Rule for Monasteries. In 1954, the monks began handcrafting and selling jams and jelly under the name Trappist Preserves. In 2014, Spencer Abbey launched the Spencer Brewery, and Spencer Ale has been well received by both connoisseurs and occasional beer drinkers. Known for their complexity and richness, Trappist beers are unfiltered and unpasteurized, preserving live yeast and complex carbohydrates in the bottle. Historically, this nutrient-rich “liquid bread” was an integral part of the monks’ simple diet.
Trappist monks follow the Benedictine counsel of ora et labora (pray and work), and for centuries have supported themselves by the work of their own hands, producing a variety products, including beer. All 11 Trappist breweries – Westmalle, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Aachel, La Trappe, Stift-Engelszell, Zundert, Tre Fontane, and Spencer, must operate in accordance with the strict rules set by the International Trappist Association, a nonprofit which ensures that the beers are brewed at the abbey, under the supervision of the monks, and that the profits provide for the needs of the monastic community and its charitable outreach. The Trappist name is a registered trademark, and beers can be identified by the hexagonal “Authentic Trappist Product” logo displayed on their labels.
About Cavalier Distributing
Established in 1992 by Founder/President George Fisher, Cavalier Distributing is one of the only distributors in the country with a portfolio that is exclusively American craft and imports. Cavalier is dedicated to bringing great beer, spirits, and other craft beverages to increasingly discerning, appreciative, and educated consumers in Florida, Indiana, and Ohio. Cavalier employs more than 360 employees throughout the three states and is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio.