Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread (2023)

Just wing-it! (I'll show myself out)

 

I agree with you here.

As I discussed in an article:

“But wait, there are other breweries besides Trappist breweries

I must confess that I personally have a reverence for the Trappist brewed beers. Not because of the religious connotations but because it has been my experience that the Trappist breweries produce excellent beers….

For completeness I should state that I have had a number of high-quality US craft brewed beers in the Trappist/Abbey style. More often than not they are available as a draft product but sometimes they are packaged as well. I will often purchase a six-pack of Victory Golden Monkey which is a Tripel. The fact that it is much less expensive than the Trappist brewed beers is a definite plus for me (and my wallet).”

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Belgian_Quad

If I ever win the Mega Millions lottery it will be nothing but Trappist brewed Tripels for me.

Until that day comes…

Cheers!

 

Chouffe Soleil - d’Achouffe



Once the chill haze wore off, it becomes gem clear. The. I added the last oz with yeast sediment and haze fell like a curtain, and darkens the glass about 1°.

The aroma is very distinct, mild, yet filled with earthy cloves orange and herbal notes. Over ripe pear and green apple are subtle with warmth. There is a floral perfume that smells old fashioned. The added yeast transforms the perfume to a lush floral scent and adds a mild funky fruit.

Surprisingly bitter and astringent. A bit unpleasant. The orange and apple is here, as is ginger and celery. The finish is long and bitter. However, once the yeast enters, the whole flavor profile morphs. The bitterness is completely tame, with no astringency and mild sweetness. Clove and herbs start to present. And the dryness becomes evident.

A medium body and the stiff/hard texture of course nylon. Alcohol is about as expected, maybe a little higher thanks labeled. Nice strong effervescence scrubs on entry with each sip. The the yeast really softens the feel.

This beer completely transforms, in each aspect, once the yeast is added. I’m so glad I decided to add it earlier than planned, and was able to enjoy most of the beer in its superior state. It is a pleasant addition to the afternoon, and likely would be an excellent addition to a Summer picnic with charcuterie, as suggested on the label.

 

Great thread @Beersnake1

I just happened to open a bottle of Private Press Barrel #237 on New Year’s Day; is a quad aged in bourbon barrels. It’s a doozy at 16.9% , comes in a cute little 8 oz bottle.

It’s very barrel forward on the nose with a heavy waft of char , vanilla, booze. There is some brown sugar, dark pulm that is probably from the quad than the barrel.
The notes of raisin , dark fruit, mild spiciness that I would expect from a quad comes through on the palate. The bourbon barrel really dominates the flavor though, with a heavy notes of wood , vanilla, Mike red hots. It’s a little thin than I would expect for the abv. There is a nice warming booziness in the finish.



Also , a shout out to @Artizen for the trade of this and other Private Press beers and @4DAloveofSTOUT for hooking me up with the awesome bcs glencairn glass

 

Duvel ~ Tripel Hop Citra Belgian IPA




Cheers BA

 

I haven't seen anything from De Struise in my area for a long time. While vacationing in Maine this summer I found a small grocery store that had a nice selection. I brought quite a few home including several Pannepots and some Reservas. This lone bottle is all my wife left me.



As amazing as ever, lots of spice and fruit with no trace of the 10% ABV. I get grape, apple, and cherry with hints baking spices and plenty of brown sugar.

Great thread @Beersnake1 , I've altered the list for my next shopping trip accordingly!

 

Have you ever tried a Grand Reserva? Some recently dropped near me, but it's a bit spendy ($48/bottle!).

 

Like many of their beers, it's a rotating release, I think there were two times they released cans in 2022. They do some traditional saisons and barrel-aged sour beers including a great Flanders Red, but summer of 2021 their entire "sour cellar" flooded during a record breaking rain storm and they lost all of the barrels. So they haven't released any new sour beers since. They used to release a beer called Ella at the same time each year as Ralphius (both named after the owner's dogs) which was an apple brandy barrel aged Quad. But the last few years they haven't (I assume to focus more on variants of Ralphius)

 

I just use my cell phone camera, but lighting makes all the difference in the world. My wife has a light box that she occasionally uses for her business, so I use it for some of my beer pics.

 

This was packaged 15/02/2022
Brewed 12/09/2021

I was planning on aging some of these, but my wife had other ideas!

 

I have this review from 2016, though I have no memory of it. I would NOT have spent anywhere near $48 on a beer back then. Gave it a 3.68

2010 vintage.

For the most part this was the decadently boozy fruitcake of a Quad I was hoping for. It does mostly harken back to the other versions of Pannepot that I've tried and loved. I'm just having a hard time getting past the green apple at the finish. I understood going in that the Calavados barrel would impart some apple, but I can't help but perceive it as a defect. Aside from the apple, I can't discern much influence from the barrel.

This one is a miss for me and an expensive one at that.

 

Closing out a long holiday break by splitting this 750ml bottle with my wife. Visions of Sugar Plums from Sierra Nevada. I added this to my E.H. Taylor Bigfoot order to qualify for free shipping. Belgian-inspired blend of Dubbel, Quad, and a splash of Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale— aged in spent red wine, brandy and bourbon casks—this showcase of barrel character and malt depth deserves more fridge space than pudding. A late addition of plums accents the fruity esters, while rich flavors of caramel, toasted sugar and dark fruit precede a lasting delicious finish.

No date on the bottle. This is an interesting mix and it works pretty well. As far the 3 barrel types go, I definitely get bourbon up front and brandy towards the back end, not so sure about the red wine. The plum addition is evident along with other stone fruits and plenty of brown sugar. The finish gets drier, ending with a lightly bitter tingle. The Bigfoot I guess? That part doesn't quite jibe, seems like they've been trying to find ways to use that up. Overall I'm glad I got to try this, it's a deliciously unique mix. My isn't quite as enamored but is finishing her glass.

 

Wow! That is indeed quite a mix!!

• Three different beer types (Dubbel, Quad and Barleywine)
• Three different types of barrels (Red Wine, Brandy and Bourbon)
• And throw some fruit into the mix: late addition of plums

Kudos for creativity here I suppose.

Cheers!

 

I was recently blessed with a work trip to southern Netherlands, being based in Breda, for a month late in '22. I had the opportunity to travel a bit around the Flanders area and man, are there some wonderful beers... Such a refreshing change of pace from the big, sweet, hoppy, lactose filled, everything and the kitchen sink beers that seem to be so popular in New England...

Some honorable mentions for me include fresh Triple Karmeliet and Straffe Hendrik Triple and Quad.

I also have to give some big shout outs to some Breda beers: Frontaal Triple and Black Sabbath and Winter Sabbath (Absinth Barreled) from Bliksem!

Too many great beers to count, not to mention the haul of beers I brought home with me including some Westvleteren and a 2007 vintage Pannepot!

All my recent homebrewing has been Belgian inspired too! I will be entering a few brews into local contests in hopes of getting a few local breweries to start including some Belgians in their line ups...

 

I've been on a Belgian abbey-style kick for the last year. I think I've begun to crave them more since they're no longer the staple styles they once were. They're an unusual sight at most American craft breweries and the local multi-tap bars and restaurants almost never carry Belgian imports anymore.

Either way, the beers I've really been digging on are Chimay Red, Gulden Draak (the classic one), and Westmalle Tripel. Even normal 'ol Duvel has become a staple in my house. The heavy carbonation in all of 'em has become something I really like, even though I used to hate it. I've just had to get used to drinking them especially slow.

 

I totally agree JackHorzempa! Tripel is my favorite beer style and Victory Golden Monkey is my go-to US brewed Tripel. New Belgium makes a good US brewed Tripel as well. Also, am a big fan of Allagash Tripel but can't get iit n Michigan.

 

Westmalle Extra has been an absolute pleasure for me lately. It's been so long since I last had it.