"By this we will recognize that they are truly monks, if they live by the work of their hands, like our fathers and the apostles" (rule of Saint Benedict, 48.8)

The monks generally respect the Rule of Saint Benedict, and the creation of breweries within the very first Benedictine and then Cistercian abbeys was carried out in accordance with this Rule.

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In addition to the emphasis on manual work, the Rule recommends in its article 66 (LXVI): "If possible, the monastery will be built in such a way that everything necessary, namely water, the mill, the garden, is inside the monastery and that the various trades are practiced there, so that the monks are not forced to spread outside, which does not suit their soul.". Beer must therefore be brewed "En Les Murs."

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Even today, some religious orders recall this rule: "Beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey or nearby," per the International Trappist Association. "Ora et Labora," we pray AND we work, to honor God.