The next time you sip a Leffe you may feel compelled to remember the beer’s fascinating heritage. For it stretches back more than 750 years, and is as richly complex as the beer itself.
First concocted by monks in 1240, Leffe is now owned by the world’s leading brewer, Anheuser–Busch InBev (AB InBev), and is sold in more than 60 countries. But the famous Belgian abbey beer’s humble roots, and a backstory pockmarked by fire, floods and fighting, makes it all the more surprising that today we can sip Leffe at all.
“The story of the Leffe Abbey parallels key moments in Europe, with it being impacted by various wars, including the French Revolution, and natural disasters,” says self-confessed “beer geek” Jonny Tyson, whose official title is beer knowledge and education manager at Leffe.
In the middle of the 13th century, Norbertine fathers began brewing at Abbey Notre-Dame de Leffe, founded in 1152 in the southern Belgium province of Namur, after discovering a mineral spring, which was limpid and pure.
Their brew was served to the community, and offered to passing pilgrims and travellers. It was a time when beer was safer to drink than water (because it was sterilised in the making process), and consumed as “liquid bread”.
The middle ages were not kind to Leffe Abbey. With severe flooding in 1460 and a fire six years later, sparked by Charles the Bold’s Burgundian invading troops, the beer taps were switched off for a period.
When a new church was consecrated in 1719, replacing the one rebuilt after the devastating flood, the festivities lasted for three days, though more trouble was soon to follow.
In 1735 billeted troops damaged the brewery, and further misery arrived thanks to the French Revolution, which began in 1789. “That area of Belgium came under the control of the French and the invaders were very anti-church, rather like in the UK, with the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII,” continues Tyson.
As a result, the Abbey was largely destroyed and abandoned, with brewery activity halted in 1809. That was until it was re-established in 1902 by returning Norbertine fathers, having been expelled from France (due to the country’s anti-clerical Combes law). The Norbertine fathers renovated the building, transformed the old granary into a church and revived the abbey. Brewing resumed until the village of Dinant was occupied by the advancing Germans in 1914, soon after the outbreak of the first world war. Throughout the country, brewing kettles and all other copper equipment from breweries were seized by the occupiers in order to have them melted down to serve for war ends.
“Despite rebuilding the abbey, the Norbertines hardly found themselves on a secure financial footing: in order to allow the community to survive, the young brothers of Leffe produced ink and incense which they sold to their brothers throughout Belgium in order to keep their heads above water. It’s in 1952 when Abbot Nys decided to take up partnership with Albert Lootvoet, a brewer in nearby Overijse.
“Together, they decided to resurrect the ancient brewers’ tradition of the abbey. From that time, the beer was no longer made in the abbey, but in Albert Lootvoet’s brewery in Overijse, naturally in close collaboration with the abbey, with respect for the authentic working methods and ancient preparation processes,” says Tyson.
Leffe is now produced in Leuven, to the east of Brussels, at a brewery owned by AB Inbev, who made a commitment to honour the tradition of the abbey. Indeed, the stunning tower of the original Abbey Notre-Dame de Leffe, situated in a picturesque valley between two rivers (the Leffe and the Meuse) is depicted on a stained-glass window on every label produced, in a nod to the brand’s proud heritage.
“Leffe is a certified abbey beer,” adds Tyson. “That signifies that the relationship with the original abbey is sustained; we still supply a portion of the profits for the upkeep of the abbey and to the Norbertine monks.
“Leffe really is special, because the age-old traditions established by the monks are adhered to now. The grain, hops and yeast used to make that ancient recipe – which is very similar to the Leffe Brune we offer – are still the national ingredients of today’s brew.”
