Best American Belgian-Style Breweries

I have not noticed this on BA. Have I been missing those threads?

Cheers!

 

Maybe it's absence of evidence not evidence of absence? It's hard to prove disinterest! ;-) People aren't chiming in and vocally saying "Quads suck" or "I don't care about Tripels" ... there's just little dialogue in general and a reflection in ratings and such.

Anecdotal, but I think of the many interactions I've had where people specifically say those are styles they don't care for. I look at the amount of discussion happening about Belgian styles like Wits / Quads / Tripels / etc. Trivial compared to stouts / sours / saisons / IPAs. I look at the number of breweries focusing on those styles. I look at the top rated beers and the trade boards; ages ago there would have been a lot more presence of these styles on top beer lists (of course, the craft world was very different then ... but that's intertwined). There are quite a few places doing nice things with barrel aging Quads / Tripels and even those are considered a let down in comparison to yet another porter or stout. I went to the Goose Island release for Dubbel Date, a barrel aged dubbel, and it didn't sell out of it's 300 or so bottles. In a city of millions where 20K bottles of Prop is considered rare. The only thing most people talked about - those that even bothered to come, because many wouldn't for a dubbel - was why wouldn't Goose just release a new batch of Nuthulu or a stout? Why would they waste their time on a dubbel? It's a good beer ... but note it has zero trade value.

Again, anecdote but I like Kane brewing ... and I'd compare the flurry of interest in their breakfast porter, Sunday Brunch (almost surely inflated at a 4.74 rating - with 157 hads) to the 1460 Quad and the BA version (released shortly thereafter) with no rating and 4 hads between them. Even the very old BA 365 only has 5 hads and a 3.93 rating. This seems like disinterest boardering on disdain (i.e. It's only a quad, it can't be that great and ... don't care; omfg, it's a porter with crap in it, it's awesome). I'm pretty sure this pattern will play out almst anywhere these Belgian styles are made. Level of interest in Allagash sour stuff versus their core Belgian styles? And how much interest does the beer geek party have in Ommegang? My perception is they're considered a bit old-school, not keeping up or innovating.

Mostly talking about that geek community. I truly find it a curious phenomenon. Styles that can be incredibly rich, complex, boozy, sweet ... all things people love. As much as I love lagers, I get the geek lack of interest in subtlety, nuance.

 

From my perspective I view Belgian styles like Quad, Tripel, Dubbel,… as beer styles which are not the ‘sexy’ BA beer styles (e.g., IPA/DIPA, Barrel Aged Stouts, Imperial Stouts, etc.). Because they are not part of the ‘sexy’ crowd they do not garner the same attention as the ‘sexy’ styles. There are a ton of other beer styles that are in this same boat. I personally do not view the diminished attention to the non-sexy beer styles as disdain but simply a case of the fact that among the BA crowd there are some bigger and bolder styles that garner more attention.

Take that FWIW.

Cheers!

 

I really love all the saisons and other Belgian ales that Mystic produces.

 

It's probably a mix of both our takes, really. For everyone that just doesn't care about Lagers, there is someone else that will argue they are boring and there's a limit to how good a lager can be (see average ratings - it's VERY rare to see a lager rated higher than 4). Similarly, for Quads there will always be someone that argues they're too malty / yeasty / sweet.

And perhaps for both the fact is that it's just really, really hard to make a great one. Most American dubbels / tripels / etc do fall pretty far short. I don't brew but seems like it's pretty easy to make a good IPA; they're everywhere. So maybe it's that people are getting inferior American examples and then never bothering to explore how Amazing the styles can be. I know when I was just getting into beer, Rochefort / Westmalle / even Westvleteren were the most exotic / exciting stuff you could find. Perhaps it's just that this stylistic palate training doesn't happen anymore.

 

How is that Belgian?

 

Black Abbey, Nashville, TN

 

Allagash
Spencer
Boulevard

I LOVE Belgian style beer. Sure I love the crazy IPAs and barrel aged stouts but it's the Belgians I always turn to for comfort.

 

IMO, most American examples of normal (non-wild) Belgian styles aren't the same as the Belgian originals. Very few have that yeast depth that you get with even the most basic ones like Leffe and Grimbergen, let alone the Trappists. It doesn't mean they aren't good (I actually prefer some), but they're different. I can see liking one and not the other.
For spontaneously fermented beers, obviously that's another can o worms altogether.

 

Allagash and Ommegang stand out for me.

 

I also came here to mention Mystic Brewery in Boston, their saisons are excellent and they have started to put out some nice lambic styles such as Flor Ventus and Flor Sauvage, they really do not get enough recognition here.

 

not sure if they would fit perfectly into the category, but transmitter is a good up and comer

 

I do homebrew. I have an Equinox IPA that should be carbonated right about now and I will try it for the first time later this week.

I have a Dubbel in my fermenter which I will bottle next week. Brewing a Dubbel is not difficult either; basically the Belgian yeast strain does the majority of the 'work'. I like Wyeast 3787 (the Westmalle strain) and the effort that I have to make is ensure that the fermentation occurs warm (e.g., 72 degrees F) so that the yeast produces a wonderful combination of esters (fruity flavors) and phenols (spicy flavors). There is also some flavors from the specialty grains (Special B, Caravienne).

FWIW, I prefer my homebrewed Dubble over the Trappist versions (Westmalle, LaTrappe, Chimay,...). That is because via ingredient selection and brewing process I 'fine tune' the flavors for my palate.

Cheers!

 

Three Taverns

 

ISO Homebrew dubbels. ;-)

 

Troeg's is really stepping up to the plate with their cork and cage series. The double is really coming along well and I would like to have it with some age on it.

 

First thought: Ommegang and Allagash.

Two more seconds of thought: Prairie, Funkwerks, and Une Anee, Boulevard, Green Bench, and Goose Island's Belgian series.

Each one is doing some wonderful Belgian-inspired/farmhouse beers.

 

I'll add Block15 in Corvalis Oregon and of course Anchorage (Bitter Monk and Love Buzz)

 

I'd go with the Bruery, Lost Abbey, Ommegang, and Allagash and maybe give a lesser nod to River North Brewery in Denver

 

Figured I'd revive this thread being we are doing our Belgian Beer Fest this September in Portland, ME ...

Lots breweries I've never heard of doing some pretty damn exciting Belgian style brewers both authentic and inspired.

Feel free to let us know who else is out there.

Cheers!!