Belgians and their spices

1. I would think it's because of the yeast, but don't quote me on that.

2. I've been trying to find the same thing (cheap great tasting Belgian style beer), but have discovered few contenders besides NB Abbey Ale. I saw you mentioned it and didn't really like it, so that's out of the question for you at least.

 

As for the yeast Belgian yeast is very estery. Definitely has those elements you'd pick up as spices. But Belgian breweries also frequently add spices or coriander and frequently candi sugar.

 

1. It is pretty much both thing. It is the yeast combined with high fermenting temperatures, many Belgian brewers seek out very ester-heavy profiles often going excessively & sometimes into phenolic territory. There is more that comes into play but I am not very brewer savvy. It is very easy to go overboard here. Many Belgian brewers love to use spices, coriander being a notorious one.

2. Not sure about USA availability. I think that the following might suit you: Abbaye des Rocs Brune, St-Feuillien Brune, Moinette Brune, La Caracole Nostradamus, Malheur 12, De Ranke Noir De Dottignies, De Dochter van de Korenaar Embrasse, Duysters Loterbol Bruin, Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw, Achel 8 Bruin, Troubadour Obscura,…

 

Yeah I'm big fan of Belgian beers but I can't get used to those "Spicy accentuated belgian styles". IMO, Saison Dupont is just a masterpiece with full of fruity flavor. Duvel is everywhere(I think...?) but still great. If you are into some more darker ones, try De Struise Pannepot. It's just a masterpiece without a doubt.

 

Sure, the coriander is actual coriander and usually found in pale styles and Trippels. Other notes such as clove and banana are yeast and production technique driven. A lot is mentioned about candi sugar being added but that is changed into alcohol for the most and the resulting beer is actually dryer rather than sweeter.

Belgians are where you find them. Brewers around the Country have one or more in their line up from time to time, the efforts meeting with varying levels of success. Recently I reviewed Brother Joseph's Belgian Style Dubbel Ale from the Straight to Ale Brewery in Huntsville, AL, which showed up locally in the last few days. I like it. Oh, it's not Chimay Red but I can get twelve cans of 12 oz BrotherJ for about the same price as four 11.2 oz bottles of Red so there's that.

 

1. The spicy flavors you are perceiving in beers like Chimay are phenols which were produced by the Belgian yeast strain. Some brewers will also add spices as well but they spice flavors in Trappist Ales is solely from the yeast strains used.

2. There are North American brewers that produce Trappist-style Ales. For example Unibroue, Allagash, Ommegang, New Belgium, etc. and those beers are a bit cheaper but they are still on the expensive side.

If you really like Trappist/Abbey style beers and are looking for a more economical solution the 'answer' is homebrewing. I have a batch of Belgian Pale Ale fermenting right now with Westmalle yeast. That beer will have TONS of delicious phenols (spicy flavors) and esters (fruity flavors).

Cheers!

 

http://www.whitelabs.com/files/belgianchart_0.pdf

Cheers!

 

Boulevard Sixth Glass is your local Belgian Quad that is not exactly cheap but is a well made American version and not too spicy imo.

 

I would also love to find great Belgian beers that are economically feasible. Chimay and Rochefort usually sell for about $6 a bottle around my area, 11.2 ounce bottles.

 

Ommegang Abbey Ale is $7.99 for a 25.4 oz bottle (8.2% ABV as well). It comes is 12 oz bottles as well and I assume at even cheaper price per ounce. Three Philosophers is $9.99 and 9.7%. Heck, the BA Three Philosophers came out to like $12 a bottle and 11.4%. To me, Ommegang is very good and very affordable.

 

Ommegang is great. Their Abbey Ale is one of the first beers that truly wowed me, and I still very much enjoy it. The only thing I would note is that while Three Philosophers is great, it's much different than the traditional examples of the style. If one is looking for beers similar to the Belgian examples, I would not recommend that beer.

 

Which belgians have bananas and cloves? I think I've had every belgian beer style and have yet to see that. That's a Bavarian hefeweizen thing.

Are people just bad at describing what they're tasting?

 

Belgian yeasts are certainly known to produce clove flavors. Certainly not every Belgian beer has clove, but a good number do. Not sure what to tell you if you are unable to taste the clove in Belgian styles.

 

Saison is one of my favorite styles but I absolutely hate saisons with a bunch of spice character.. Bring on the funk! ffs.

 

I was referring to the combo of both, there's some clove in some yes, but not banana and clove.

 

Whether a given Belgian Ale has an expression of spicy (clove) flavors is yeast strain and fermentation conditions specific.

Cheers!