Our recipe was inspired by the traditional refectory ales known as patersbier (fathers beer in Flemish). These sessionable beers are brewed by the monks for their dinner table and are typically only available at the monastery. Spencer is a full-bodied, golden-hued ale with fruity accents, a dry finish and light hop bitterness. The beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized, preserving live yeast that naturally carbonates the beer in the bottle and keg, and contributes to the beer flavor and aroma. In 1997 the eight Trappist breweries (all in Europe) came together to form the International Trappist Association, a non-profit that protects the Trappist name by establishing rules for monasteries seeking certification and the privilege of using the Authentic Trappist Product logo.