Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread (2023)

You da man!

Cheers!

 

Duchesse Petite. I saw this for the first time recently at my local beer store so decided to pick up a 4-pack, since I'm a fan of the original. As expected it's got a similar flavor to the original, but thinner bodied.

 

Below is a video interview on the topic of "Belgian Craft Beers Future?". The interview is with Jason Peters, the head brewer of Allagash. I enjoyed watching it and I thought some of y’all would like it to.

Cheers!

 

Belgian Essence - Ommegang

This is a good choice if one needs to decompress after a long, stressful day. Lots of watercress and floral hops, mixed with tangerine pith, coriander, clove, and a hint of oak. I wish I had saved that creamy blue cheese one more night, as it would have been amazing.

 

Possibly the first Belgian* beer I ever had, and one I overlook often. Delirium Tremens, served in the insanely awesome proper glassware.

There's a slight bubblegum note I don't love here, but it's often a lifesaving choice in restaurants with otherwise poor berr lists. Plus...I acknowledge & respect the classics, even when they aren't for me.

*I mean literally from Belgium

 

Others have already chimed in, but I'll add something to the conversation too.

Monks and nuns tend to brew beer (or supervise the brewing of beer ) for their audience. If the monks are located in Germany and their consumers are primarily German, then they'll probably brew beers within the framework of German beer styles. Since the most internationally famous case of brewing monks in the post-Michael Jackson beer world are Belgian Trappist monks, people tend to associate the beers from these monks with the category as a whole (even though doing so is too narrow a point of view). Trappist breweries outside of Belgium might decide to brew beers within a Belgian framework because modern audiences might expect this approach.

When the Trappist monks of St Bernard Abbey in England decided to start brewing beer recently, they naturally looked to Belgium for their model (and understandably couldn't brand their beer as St Bernard ). The English monks had no knowledge of brewing beer (but beer was brewed at the abbey in the 1800s) and brewing a beer in the style of the Belgian Trappist breweries was obviously one of their first instincts. Fortunately, they abandoned their idea of brewing beer within the framework of these styles and decided to brew a beer that better reflected their own land. They also learned from monks in countries like Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Tynt Meadow uses English yeast, hops, malt, sugar, and water. The monks claim it has English character. The label states it is an English Trappist Ale and strong ale. "English Trappist" indicates origin, "strong" indicates style. The beer seems to maintain a small nod towards Belgian Trappist beer though. Perhaps the processes used for secondary fermentation in the bottle resemble Belgian practices more than English ones. I don't know.

In the end, beer people tend to de-emphasize place of origin in some ways. I think I tend to do the opposite. What makes a beer a Belgian beer? (One) Answer: It's brewed in Belgium. (Russian stout and India ale are the two obvious outliers.) If there is any doubt about the style of Tynt Meadow, just remember that it is an English beer first and foremost - which isn't to suggest that I see an issue with you including it here. But having said that, I keep wondering why there are so many off-topic posts in this thread - featuring New York beers in a "Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread" (yeah, I know such beers are within the intended spirit of the thread).

 

Hare's a great tripel..tastes a little malty...must be the Red

 

Ce n’est pas La Fin Du Monde from Unibroue, a hoppy tripel.

Preliminary review:

4.1/5 rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle (best by date obscured) into a tulip. Pours a somewhat murky dirty pale amber with a soft fluffy head that lingers.

Aroma is fruity and full of esters: peach, mango, overripe banana, clove, bready Belgian yeast, candi sugar. Tons of sweet malt.

Taste is likewise fruity and sweet with a solid hop presence in the finish. The sugars round out the hop bitterness but it’s there in the background. There’s a nice boozy warmth here too.

Mouthfeel is in the fuller side of medium, almost chewy. Satisfying.

Overall I think this was intended to be a hoppy twist on LFDM, and they more or less succeeded. Can’t say I prefer this over the original but it answers the question, what if they made a hoppy version of one of my favorite tripels.

 

Decided to open this new-to-me beer, À Tout Le Monde, apparently inspired by the friendship between Unibroue’s head brewer and the lead singer of Megadeth. OK.

If I’m being totally honest, I’m not enjoying this as much as I wanted to.

Preliminary review:

3.64/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle (best by 3-10-2024, so I guess either March 10 or October 3 of next year) into a tulip. Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a soft white head that settles to a thin film on the surface, good carbonation.

Aroma is grainy, funky and fruity, with notes of peach, pear and apple. Some floral Old World hops in there too.

Taste is subtle and delicate, like the aroma. Pale biscuity malt and light Belgian yeast mostly. Hints of lemon zest. Moderate bitterness. Picking up a vague crushed-aspirin quality too.

Mouthfeel is (not surprisingly for a 4.5% beer) light, bordering on watery. Prickly carbonation. Drinkable but perhaps not entirely satisfying.

Overall this was an interesting beer to try but I won’t be going out to buy a six-pack.

 

According to the label, I should have opened this no less than 4 years ago. Oh well. At least it still contains alcohol.

Preliminary review below:

3.68/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
750mL bottle (packaged November 2012) into a tulip. Label says “suitable for aging up to seven years,” so I’ve missed that window. Pours a clear golden amber with a minimal head, looks almost flat but there is some amount of carbonation.

Aroma is a blend of bready malt and fruity/floral Belgian yeast. Some candi sugar. Pretty subtle.

Taste is likewise sweet and fruity with note of Rainier cherries, apricots, plums. Subtle nutmeg and cinnamon but it’s probably faded somewhat. More of a feeling in the back of the throat than a flavor.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, a tad sticky but not syrupy. Low carbonation doesn’t help.

Overall an OK Belgian-style golden/pale ale. Maybe I should have opened it sooner.

 

^ I’ve posted the last three beers in this thread. What’s up people?

 

Here's a great Quad from Roadhouse in Jackson Hole Wy... Nice and malty and a little sweet. A little dangerous @ 14% cause you'd never know it

 

St. Bernardus Prior 8. Raisin, fresh cream & dry leather notes.

World class.

 

I'll follow @Beersnake1 with probably my favorite Unbroue brew...They have so many great belgian style beers its amazing

 

Finally tracked down McChouffe, which has somehow eluded me for years. A Belgian take on a Scotch ale? Sign me up.

Perhaps due to my excitement for this, it wasn't QUITE as magical as I hoped. A bit too clove forward, I think, but still very enjoyable, especially during the early days of autumn.

 

Finally got to this lovely brew and am wondering why i waited so long! This is world-class IMHO as the yeast gives a lovely pear and apple estery theme. The mouthfeel is perfection. Will have to get my hands on more the next time there is a beer run! Rated 4.43.
Cheers!
Tom

 

Enjoying a BA Straffe Quad from 2021 purchased last holiday season. This is quite nice as the barrels give this a dark fruit driven flavor profile but not overwhelmingly so. Glad i have two bottles left, rated a 4.32.
Cheers!
Tom