Favourite Belgian-brewed American beer

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by patto1ro, Jan 23, 2013.

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  1. WhatANicePub

    WhatANicePub Zealot (598) Jul 1, 2009 Scotland

    Cream Ale
    Steam Beer
    "Classic American Pilsner"
    American IPA
    Double IPA
    Multicolored IPA
    Scottish Ale
     
  2. Dennoman

    Dennoman Initiate (0) Aug 20, 2011 Belgium

    The Struise/Molen Black Damnation series is a perfect blend of Belgian/Dutch skill and knowhow and big American balls in terms of flavor. Somehow people seem to think it's a rule that every 13%+ beer has to be flat and dead. If so, they've never had a Black Albert or any of its glorious BD variants. These are the beers that got me into craft and despite all of America's best efforts, they haven't been beaten yet.

    [​IMG]

    13% with a head and carbonation as gorgeous as you like. Technical perfection in pitch black form.

    Too bad they strayed from the path and can't stop doing these whacky-ass barrel aged beers that make zero sense. Like Black Jack: take a nearly flavorless porter, age it on wine barrels with blueberries (the world's most useless fruit, except for sours), notice it still hasn't got any flavor and then age it on bourbon just to salvage the batch. Come on now.

    BRING BACK THE BLACK!

    I have spoken.
     
  3. Cascade77

    Cascade77 Initiate (0) May 14, 2009 Vermont

    So what about all of these American brewed IPA's coming out using exclusively (or predominantly) Galaxy, Jade, Riwaka etc. hops? Not American?
     
  4. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    I didn't say anything brewed with New Zealand (or even non-American) hops is not American. De Ranke XX Bitter is brewed with Continental / Noble hops, the same kinds used in all classic Belgian styles, there's just more of them.

    It's kinda off topic if an IPA with a clean American yeast/malt profile brewed with Australian or New Zealand hops qualifies as an American IPA, but I'd say "yes."
     
  5. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    Does Flanders Fred count?
     
  6. Longstaff

    Longstaff Initiate (0) May 23, 2002 Massachusetts

    Why do you people feed this troll?
     
  7. acevenom

    acevenom Initiate (0) Oct 7, 2011 Louisiana

    Rice is still used in some European and Asian beers, so it's not a uniquely American thing. Reinheitsgebot was mostly effective in the post-1871 Germany in wiping out centuries of tradition in addition to competition by Bavarian breweries. But that's for another discussion entirely.

    As far as steam beer goes, it was developed independently in America and Germany, so it's not a unique American invention. There's a style of beer in Germany called dampfbier (literally steam beer) that is an all-barley ale utilizing hefeweizen yeast, so it's essentially a "hefe-barley." Obviously, this is quite different from Anchor Steam Beer and you can certainly read up on the process of making these beer styles and realize they're quite different.

    The Classic American Pilsner that utilizes either rice or corn as an adjunct is also not the same as the German Pilsener or the Czech Pilsner. This was a style that also gave rise to the American Cream Ale and its variants such as the Kentucky Common (a darker American ale that utilizes barley, corn, and rye in the grain bill).
     
  8. ImperialStoat

    ImperialStoat Initiate (0) May 20, 2009 Ireland

    I like Cantillon's take on Jolly Pumpkin beers. They've really taken the American Wild style and made it their own.
     
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  9. patto1ro

    patto1ro Pooh-Bah (1,998) Apr 26, 2004 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Society

    This one just won't die.

    I've been to the brewery in Zwiesel in the Bayerischer Wald where they brew Dampfbier. I spoke to the brewer and specifically asked about the yeast strain. According to him, it is not and never has been a Hefeweizen strain. It's just a neutral top-fermenting strain.

    Dampfbier tastes like a lightly-hopped Altbier. Not a trace of the spiciness from a Weissbier yeast.
     
  10. geocool

    geocool Savant (1,209) Jun 21, 2006 Massachusetts

    I have a hard time figuring out who the trolls are, maybe you could point me to a list?
     
  11. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    There has been some discussion about Belgian IPAs. Below is something I posted previously on this topic:

    I am of the opinion that there are two sub-styles of Belgian IPAs.

    There is an American style Belgian IPA where American hops are used. Examples of this sub-style are Flying Dog Raging Bitch, Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Wild, Stone Cali-Belgique, Green Flash Le Freak, etc.

    The Belgian brewed Belgian IPAs utilize European hops which result in a beer of a different character. Examples of this sub-style are De Ranke XX Bitter, Poperings Hommel Bier, Piraat, etc.

    My personal preference is the American style Belgian IPA with my favorite being Flying Dog Raging Bitch. I also really like the Flying Dog’s new beer: Wildeman Farmhouse IPA.

    Cheers!
     
  12. marquis

    marquis Pooh-Bah (2,301) Nov 20, 2005 England
    Pooh-Bah Society

    What about green beer on St Patrick's Day?
     
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  13. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Wasn't that started in Ireland!?!:wink:
     
  14. patto1ro

    patto1ro Pooh-Bah (1,998) Apr 26, 2004 Netherlands
    Pooh-Bah Society

    New beer? Didn't Wildeman Farmhouse IPA come out two years ago?
     
  15. devlishdamsel

    devlishdamsel Initiate (0) Aug 1, 2009 Washington

    That looks gorgeous. I want one!
     
    VonZipper likes this.
  16. Localdrinklax

    Localdrinklax Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2010 Wisconsin

    Three Floyds Live A Rich Life
    [​IMG]
     
  17. Lutter

    Lutter Initiate (0) Jun 30, 2010 Texas
    Deactivated

    You're doing it backwards, man! :slight_smile:
     
  18. sunkistxsudafed

    sunkistxsudafed Initiate (0) Apr 30, 2010 New Mexico

    the best i can do is Schlitz and Jack In The Box.
     
  19. 77black_ships

    77black_ships Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2012 Belgium

    Too many Struise beers to mention.
    De La Senne IPA’s.
    Troubadour Imperial Stout, Troubadour Westkust, Troubadour Magma.
    Viven Imperial IPA.
    Duvel Triple Hop Citra
    XX Bitter & Embrasse variations sort of count I suppose.
    Probably missing a couple more.
    I hope I am doing this right.
     
  20. Derranged

    Derranged Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2010 New York

    You got that backwards. Thread starter meant American style beers brewed in Belgium, not Belgian style beers brewed in America.

    Rare Vos is fantastic however.
     
    GotWad629 and Errto like this.
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