Among Chimay’s range, the White is the one that surprises people who arrive expecting the brewery’s darker, maltier character. Where the Red leads with caramel and the Blue with dark fruit, the White moves in a different direction entirely — spice, citrus, a drier finish, and hops that are more present than in any other Scourmont beer. It was the last of the three classic Chimay colours to be released, arriving in 1966, and it has occupied a distinct position in the range ever since: the Trappist tripel that demonstrates the abbey’s range goes well beyond what it is most famous for. If you are Belgian and living in Tokyo, the White is the Chimay that catches people off guard, in a way worth engineering.
Chimay’s hop-forward Trappist expression since 1966
Bières de Chimay — the brewery of Scourmont Abbey — was founded in 1862 in Baileux, near Chimay in the Hainaut province of southern Belgium. The White, also known as the Tripel, was launched in 1966, making it the most recent of Chimay’s three original beers and the one that extended the brewery’s range into the pale, dry, hop-accented territory of the Belgian tripel style.
The pour is pale gold — brighter than the Red, lighter than the Blue — and the flavour profile diverges from both. Pronounced spicy yeast notes arrive first, a phenolic character from Belgian high-fermentation that defines the tripel style. Citrus follows, with balanced malt sweetness providing body without weight, and the finish is dry and warming from the 8.0% ABV. The hop presence is more assertive here than in other Chimay beers, giving the White a bitterness that balances the spice and keeps the finish clean. It is bottle-conditioned, like all Chimay beers, with live yeast continuing to condition the beer after packaging.
How Chimay White Beer is drunk at home
Santé! / Op uw gezondheid! (sahn-TAY / op-uw geh-ZONT-hayt) — French and Flemish respectively, both meaning “to your health.” At a Belgian table where multiple beers move through the courses of a Sunday lunch, the White tends to arrive in the middle — after the lighter Gold, before the intensity of the Blue.
In Belgium, the Chimay White is the beer that works alongside the lighter courses of the Sunday family table. Moules-frites is a natural fit: the brine and the natural sweetness of steamed mussels find a counterpart in the citrus and spice of the White, and the beer’s dry finish cuts through the butter or cream of the cooking liquid cleanly. Belgian fries with mayonnaise are present regardless of what else is on the table, and the dry, hop-edged finish of the White handles their salt and fat well. Stoofvlees, the slow-braised beef stew, is a heavier pairing than the White’s profile strictly calls for, but a Belgian Sunday lunch that includes both is not unusual — the White arrived earlier in the meal; the Stoofvlees simply caught up.
The Trappist abbey tradition gives the White, like every Chimay beer, a connection to Scourmont’s monastic history. The 1966 launch date means it was the product of a deliberate decision to expand — a brewery that had been making the Red for over a century choosing to demonstrate it could do something structurally different.
How to drink it in Japan
The Chimay White is a warm-season beer in Japan — April through September — when the citrus and spice of the tripel style suit the climate more naturally than the brewery’s darker offerings. The dry finish also makes it one of the more food-versatile Chimay beers across a Japanese table.
At 7-Eleven, try it alongside a crab cream croquette — the mild, slightly sweet filling and the crisp breaded exterior respond to the citrus note and dry finish of the White in a way that amplifies both. For a more deliberate pairing at home, serve it with tempura: the light, clean batter and the delicate ingredients — prawn, white fish, sweet potato — find a natural counterpart in the spice and citrus of the beer. The dry finish of the White performs the same role as a squeeze of lemon over tempura, clearing the palate between pieces without adding weight. It is a pairing that crosses the cultural distance without requiring any adjustment on either side.
At Tokyo specialty import shops, a 330ml Trappist tripel can run ¥800 or more per bottle. By the case from Omori Mart — 330ml × 24 bottles — the per-bottle cost is considerably lower, and the case covers the season.
Get Chimay White Beer delivered in Japan
Chimay White Beer is available from Omori Mart in a 330ml × 24 bottle case, delivered nationwide across Japan.
- Free shipping on orders over ¥15,000
- Pay at FamilyMart, 7-Eleven, or Lawson — or by bank transfer or card
- Nationwide delivery to any address in Japan
Rakuten and Amazon Japan do not carry this label. Omori Mart is where Belgians in Japan find the full Chimay range, including the beer that arrives last and surprises most.
[Shop Chimay White Beer →]
https://omorimart.com/product/chimay-white-beer-330ml-x-24-bottles/
Santé at Scourmont Abbey where the monks added this recipe to their range in 1966, and kanpai at a Tokyo table in summer — the beer that proves the abbey’s range has always been wider than people expect.
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