CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- On July 9, my beer world changed.

It was the day it became it became legal to sell beer with higher alcohol in West Virginia, raising the legal limit from 6 percent to 12 percent abv (alcohol by volume), similar to the abv level in wine. Since then I have been receiving reports from friends and readers telling me about new beers that are showing up on the store shelves almost daily. It's an exciting time for a beer geek.

I had every expectation to see the obvious entrees into the market from established craft brewers like Harpoon and Rogue. What I didn't expect (at least not so soon) was the availability of some of the world's finest ales, such as the Trappist-brewed beers from Rochefort and Westmalle, both from Belgium.

You may have thought it was a myth that monks actually brew beer, but they do! The typical "monk beer" is usually brewed by Trappist monks. Of the seven remaining Trappist breweries, six are in Belgium.

The Trappists are an offshoot of the Benedictine order of priests who follow the rules for monastic life as laid down by St. Benedict. One rule is for the monks to live by the work of their own hands, so the typical Trappist monastery may operate a bakery or brewery and often will make artisan cheese.

When buying a Trappist-made product, social consciousness is built in. The typical monastery uses more than half of all profits to benefit the surrounding townspeople as well as being sensitive to the environment.

Most of these monasteries are challenged by the increasing demand for their high-quality products while struggling to maintain their numbers within their priestly population. This has resulted in the use of laypeople to run the majority of the production operations, though they are closely supervised by the brothers. I have talked to some employees at a Trappist brewery and they are well taken care of and wouldn't consider leaving.

Now let's talk about the beer!

Rochefort beers are identified by number: Rochefort 6, 8 and 10, being in order of strength (and complexity). I consider Rochefort 10 to be one of the finest ales in the world. Weighing in at 11.3 percent abv, R-10 is strong and very complex, layered with rich flavors of chocolate and bananas, making this a fantastic beer to pair with dessert (though it's a dessert in itself!).

Rochefort 8 comes in less strong at 9.2 percent, but it packs similar complexity along with more of a wine-like fruity flavor layered in.

Rochefort 6 will not disappoint at 7.5 percent, it is a simpler beer with bready notes of toasted raisin bread and is great with pungent cheese or grilled meats.

Abbey Westmalle offers only two beers: Dubbel and Tripel. Westmalle serves as the standard of the style for both its Dubbel and Tripel.

Westmalle Dubbel contains 7 percent abv, and it magically balances rich malty and even sweet flavors with a clean, tart finish. This is an ideal beer to go up against bold red wines like zins or even softer pinot noirs.

Westmalle Tripel is a big, blond beer delivering a spicy, phenolic (clove) kick and weighs in at 9.5 percent. This is an awesome beer to pair with creamy or cheesy dishes. The beer finishes with a palate-cleansing dryness.

These beers should be served at cellar temperature (between 55 and 65 degrees) and ideally served in a chalice-shaped glass big enough to contain the large foamy head. Be gentle with the bottles before serving as these beers are all "bottle-conditioned," meaning there is a slug of yeast on the bottom. You may not want to stir it up by rough handling.

The last "shot" of yeasty beer should not be wasted, though. It contains a large, healthy dose of B-complex vitamins to help your liver metabolize the alcohol. Divine providence? I am sure of it.

For more on the craft of beer, see Rich Ireland's "Beers to You" blog at thegazz.com.