The Bowsing Ken

858: Leffe Blonde

  The Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe - alternatively Abbaye Notre-Dame de Leffe - is situated on the banks of Les Fonds de Leffe, a small river that flows into the nearby Meuse River. Although in the past the town of Leffe was a village in its own right, today it is a district of the larger town of Dinant, Belgium. And, although Leffe beer has not been brewed at the Abbey for a number of years, it is still associated with this ancient religious institution.

  The Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe was founded by, and is still administered today, by a group of Roman Catholic priests, as well as brothers and sisters, deacons and novices, known as the Canons Regular of Prémontré. They are also known as the Premonstratensians, the White Canons (in England) and as the Norbertines, this latter name being a nod to St Norbert, who founded the order in the early 12th Century. While following the Rule of St Augustine, the order also engages in work outside of the priories and abbey houses, trying to maintain a balance between simple, quiet contemplation and helping the general public, particularly the poor and aged by providing pastoral care in hospital and nursing home. The order serves the educational interests of the community by providing professors, teachers and administrators. They also provide chaplains to various branches of the military. In 2012, the order counted over 1,300 members, serving in countries all around the world.

  So, it was in the mid-12th Century that a nobleman by the name of Henry the Blind - Count of Luxembourg and Namur - got a present from Frederick, who at the time was the Holy Roman Emperor, as well as the King of Germany. By the way, Frederick's bushy red beard gained him the nickname Red Beard or Barbarossa - Frederick Barbarossa. The gift was a big chunk of land that included the village of Leffe. Now, Henry was a big proponent of the Premonstratensians, their work and their teachings, so in 1152, he called for the establishment of a religious community to be housed at the Church of Our Lady, in Leffe. The next year, the community, designated a priory and under the direction of a prior, was confirmed by Pope Adrian IV, and approved by Frederick Barbarossa. Over the next few decades the priory grew in size and stature, and by the year 1200, was re-designated as an abbey, under the leadership of an abbot.

OK...Now to the beer....

  There is an ancient document in the Archives of the State of Namur that is dated back to the year 1240. It is basically a bill of sale wherein a cleric by the name of Gossuin sold his brewery at Saint-Medard - on the other side of the Meuse River - to the Abbey at Leffe. Now run by the Leffe brethren, the brewery itself was moved across the river and housed in the abbey. The year 1240 is prominently displayed on the labels of the Leffe line of beers.

  For the next two centuries the brewery within the confines of the Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe brewed its beer, principally for consumption by the religious community. By the mid-15th Century, however, trouble was on the horizon. In 1466, Charles the Bold, the last of the Valois Dukes of Normandy - also known as Charles the Rash - came rolling through the region laying waste all along the way, including part of the Abbey at Leffe, and more importantly, large portions of the Abbey's archives. Now, with no formal records of donation, particularly grants of land, ancestors of the original grantors soon showed up demanding their family's land back. In addition to loosing money that was made by tilling of this land the Abbey faced mounting legal costs, requiring them to sell even more land to raise funds needed to maintain their community. In order to raise some funds, the Abbot decided to rent the brewery to an outside layman, although the Abbot still retained control over the facility and the brewing process.

  This partnership of brewing at the Abbey - a layman brewer supervised by the Abbot - would essentially be maintained for the next three centuries. Another historic document, actually the last will and testament of the one of these lay-brewers, a man named Norbert Martin and dated 1654, indicates that the system was working quite well. Mr. Martin was making money, and the Abbey was collecting money on the rents as well as taxes on the beer. Also, and perhaps more importantly, the reputation of the beer being produced continued to grow around the region. Some would surmise that when the Benedictine Dom Guyton, not even considered a Premonstratensian, decided to stop by and inspect the abbey in 1749, it was more to taste the beer than anything to do with a formal inspection.

   After over six centuries of existence, through success and failure, war, plague, famine, and natural disasters, the Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe, and its brewery, finally succumbed to foe that could not be overcome - the French Revolution. One aspect of the revolution was a program, began in 1796, of government-mandated dismantlement and destruction of all Catholic religious institutions, including houses like the Abbey at Leffe. Buildings were torn down, and lands were either confiscated or sold off. The brewery managed to stay in operation for a few more years, but was finally closed for good in 1809. What buildings that were left were converted over to industrial uses. By 1883, most of these buildings were standing empty.

  During the French Revolution the brethren of the Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe were scattered to the four winds, although they maintained their devotions, just not quite so openly. In 1902, the Abbey grounds, now all but abandoned, were purchased by a group of Premonstratensian canons then living near Avignon. They had a daunting task ahead of them, and for a time used an old barn built back in 1710, as the Abbey church. Still, the Abbot and his followers persevered, through two world wars, the results being what can be seen today. The brewery, however, was not revived. Reports have it that during World War One the long disused brew kettles were melted down and used for war material. Pity.

The Leffe Beer of Today

  In 1952, then head of the Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe - Abbot Nys (or Nijs)- had a bit of a problem on his hands. It was taking a lot of money to maintain the abbey, as well as support the Order's outside activities. Enter a brewer by the name of Albert Lootvoet, from the Belgian town of Overijse. Lootvoet and Abbot Nys entered into an arrangement where the former would brew Leffe beer in his brewery in Overijse, using the age-old processes and recipes provided by the latter. It was a win-win for all, including the beer-drinking public. The first beer produced was a dark variety - a Leffe Brown (Bruin). By 1977, Albert Lootvoet's beer was in such demand that he looked for an influx of cash to finance an expansion, which he got the Brasserie Artois - yes, of Stella Artois fame - in exchange for a stake in Lootvoet's company. The brewing of Leffe beer was transferred over to the Artois brewery - formerly the Brewery Grade - in the Waloonian town of Mont-Saint-Guibert. In 1987, Artois became part of the Interbrew organization, which later became part of InBev, and well, you know the rest of the corporate saga.

  Today, Leffe beer is brewed at the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven, Belgium, and is part of the world-wide AB InBev group, or whatever the conglomerate's name is today. A portion of the royalties is still sent over to the Abbey Notre Dame de Leffe. So with that in mind, and the fact that old recipes are still being used, or at least being referred to, I think Leffe can honestly be referred to as a true abbey beer. Ok, so it's not brewed in the abbey, but let's not get too wrapped around the axle over this. I recently read on a beer geek's blog that he was upset that Leffe is not brewed at the Abbey. I thought to myself: "Dude, it hasn't been brewed at the Abbey for over 200 years - and you are just figuring this out." Likewise, I read about some guy, clearly too tense to be a good beer drinker, who is suing the current brewers for false advertising - sheesh - get a life! I also read one time that the rule is - to be called an "abbey beer" it must be brewed within sight of the abbey with which it is associated. Hmmm...I find this one a bit hard to believe. 

   Just sit back and enjoy a Leffe - or not - it's your call. I have always enjoyed Leffe, both in Europe and in North America, and I think I will go have one right now. Maybe a bit of the price I paid will go to a good cause. Cheers!