Located in the heart of the Cistercian ruins of the Abbaye d'Aulne and the historic site of beer, the brewery-tavern of the Abbaye d'Aulne offers you to taste the famous beers of the Abbaye d'Aulne, the Blanche de Charleroi.
Abbaye d'Aulne History
In the southern region of Belgium, Wallonia, in the heart of the Vallée de la Paix, on the banks of the Sambre river, stands the ancient abbey founded in the year 657 by San Landelino. First established as a Benedictine monastery, it became a Cistercian abbey in 1147.
Over the centuries, the Abbaye d'Aulne went through periods of splendor and phases of decline until, in 1794, it was almost entirely destroyed by French revolutionary troops. In 1859, with the death of the last monk, the abbey was converted into a shelter. Since 2006, it has been owned by Wallonia, now a listed historic monument.
As in many other monasteries in Belgium, even in the abbey of Aulne the religious used to produce beer since the Middle Ages. The abbey had to provide food for about 1000 fathers and monks. On special occasions, strong beers such as Blonde, Brune or Triple were served; for daily consumption, on the other hand, lighter beers were produced.
In 1849, the monastery brewery closed its doors. About a century later, the production of abbey beer was allowed for the first time to common individuals (lay people). In 1950, the Brasserie de l'Abbaye d'Aulne resumed its activity. Even today, the Brasserie produces specialties of the Belgian brewing culture respecting the tradition of its founders: the Cistercian monks of the Aulne abbey.