Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread (2024)

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by Beersnake, Jan 1, 2024.

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  1. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    8 - Trappistes Rochefort

    Can you tell I have been jonesing for the classics?

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    #161 SLeffler27, May 14, 2024
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  2. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Dubbel - Westmalle

    Hmmm, this isn’t the beer I remember. The alcohol is through the roof and a solvent flavor. The date code is bottled July 2023, best by July 2025, so maybe it was abused along the way. Not enough to prevent consumption, yet hinders the enjoyment. Very happy to know how good it usually is.

    Review posted July 2015. https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/208/674/?ba=SLeffler27#review

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    #162 SLeffler27, May 16, 2024
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  3. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    #163 SLeffler27, May 17, 2024
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  4. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    #164 SLeffler27, May 18, 2024
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  5. BJB13

    BJB13 Pooh-Bah (2,788) Feb 18, 2017 Maryland
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Was just catching up on the last few pages and thought I’d share a couple that I had recently but didn’t post.

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    Both were enjoyable but I especially liked the Boulevard Quad.
    Cheers!
     
    #165 BJB13, May 18, 2024
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  6. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Does the review from 14 years ago still hold up? BTW, since you are heading towards upstate SC, the Yard House in Greenville, SC usually has Chimay Blue on tap. I have had it 3 or 4 times and only once did YH not have the tap lines cleaned properly...it is sublime if conditions are optimal. Hope to hit YH on the 30th this month to celebrate Da Boss' birthday and enjoy this wonderful beer!
    Cheers!
    Tom
     
    #166 CarolinaCardinals, May 24, 2024
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  7. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Firstly: Happy Birthday to Da Boss!.

    We, however, spent the entire weekend buried in paperwork. Very productive, successful, interesting, and mind exhausting. I got about a half hour to myself each night, and will report back on the beer pre-flight. YH and Greenville will probably factor into Thanksgiving, at least that’s my hope/plan.

    None of the recent Belgian classics measured up to my past experiences, to varying degrees. I am convinced these were mishandled, which is a shame, as they are usually sublime. All of the European imports have suffered in some manner over the recent past six-9 months. And local stock is dramatically sparse as well.

    Thanks for checking-up on me.
     
    #167 SLeffler27, May 27, 2024
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  8. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Enjoying the 2nd of 3 SNBC 2024 AH Society breakfast beers. This one is a Quad aged in blackberry barrels with vanilla added in. After multiple sips it really comes across as a waffle! This is definitely on the sweeter side but not cloying. I find that fruit-based barrels tend to be a tad hot and with this was definitely getting a warming with each sip. Fun to try for sure!
    Cheers!
    Tom
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    #168 CarolinaCardinals, Jun 8, 2024
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  9. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    It's been too long since I posted on this thread. Enjoying this amazing tripel from Bruges. Cheers!

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    #169 Beersnake, Jun 17, 2024
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  10. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    2021 Stille Nacht from De Dolle. What an amazing beer. I think this is the sweet spot for aging. Tastes like a wonderful tripel, although not categorized as one. Super malty with notes of orange, caramel, wheat, spice, and a bit of leather.

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    #170 Beersnake, Jun 24, 2024
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  11. BJB13

    BJB13 Pooh-Bah (2,788) Feb 18, 2017 Maryland
    Society Pooh-Bah

    First go at this one.

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    The speed at which this it goes from sweet to bone dry impresses me, also fond of the delicate carbonation and overall smooth feel.
     
    #171 BJB13, Jul 6, 2024
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  12. Beersnake

    Beersnake Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,884) Aug 17, 2013 California
    Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Blegian Golden Strong from Blindman in Canada. 11.3% ABV.

    2021 vintage poured at fridge temp. Pours a golden orange (opaque) with a solid 2 inches of fluffy white head. Retention is off the charts. The nose is bloody delightful. Lemon meringue pie, wheat, biscuits, malts, apricot and honey.

    The taste is an explosion of lovely flavors. A perfect sweetness to it. Caramel candy, more lemon, slight leather, oak, grass, ever-so-slight citrus peel, honey, apricot, sourdough bread, and a nice spice. What a wonderful beer.

    The mouthfeel is medium bodied and the aftertaste is a caramel sweetness mixed with oak. An absolute stunner and rivals some of the best strong pale ales coming out of Belgium.

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    #172 Beersnake, Jul 8, 2024
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  13. mactrail

    mactrail Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,999) Mar 24, 2009 Washington
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Another new one to me-- a Brett beer from Brasserie de la Senne called Zennegash.

    The 330 ml bottle says "Dry-hopped wheat beer with Brett." Aroma is light straw, herbal hops, and a whiff of the barnyard. Malty cereal taste to start. Mouthfeel is thickish with some faint prickles. The brettanomyces is not very strong, but certainly give this a different and distinctive flavor. Tastes of green grapes and tangy pear soda. Bitter herbal hop aftertaste.

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    #173 mactrail, Jul 12, 2024
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  14. Resistance88

    Resistance88 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,462) Apr 9, 2015 California
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    720 Line type shit
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    #174 Resistance88, Jul 21, 2024
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  15. SLeffler27

    SLeffler27 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,906) Feb 24, 2008 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The fella in front of you is enjoying an invisible beer.
     
    #175 SLeffler27, Jul 21, 2024
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  16. jmdrpi

    jmdrpi Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,989) Dec 11, 2008 Pennsylvania
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    New Belgium - Trippel
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    #176 jmdrpi, Jul 23, 2024
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  17. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Enjoying a DDC beer acquired last August while in Vermont. This is solid but a notch below the Belgian masters.
    Cheers!
    Tom
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    #177 CarolinaCardinals, Jul 24, 2024
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  18. CarolinaCardinals

    CarolinaCardinals Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,231) Jun 11, 2003 North Carolina
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Definitely one of my all-time favorites!
    Cheers!
    Tom
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    #178 CarolinaCardinals, Jul 24, 2024
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  19. mactrail

    mactrail Grand High Pooh-Bah (8,999) Mar 24, 2009 Washington
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    This is Arabier Belgian Strong Pale Ale from Brouwerij De Dolle

    Interesting yeasty aroma with flowery hops, straw, and alfalfa. Pleasant sudsy mouthfeel. Tastes of green herbs, green apricot. There is a touch of welcome sweetness and a Belgian yeasty dry finish. No sense of alcohol. This would be so good if they didn't over-hop it-- nice hop flavor but just relentless and then the bitterness sets in. Cap says "Bottled Feb 2023."

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    #179 mactrail, Aug 2, 2024
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  20. sulldaddy

    sulldaddy Grand Pooh-Bah (5,716) Apr 6, 2003 Connecticut
    Mod Team BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I dont often do a lot of Belgian style beers, but was in Geneva NY and hit up Brewery Ardennes. really enjoyed the belgian stout I had at the brewery and bought quite a few bottles. This is 3rd Anniversary Tripel that was aged in apple brandy barrels. Beer registers 7.4%.

    onto my review:
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    I picked up a 500 ml corked and caged bottle at the brewery last week. Pouring a cellar temp into my chalice.
    the beer pours golden color and rests in my glass a slightly darker copper color.
    A fluffy soft eggshell white head of about 1 cm. This foam fades to a sturdy surface covering that remains through the sampling.
    Aroma on this beer is some fruity apple and a bit of honey and general candied fruit. No hop character that I note and the ABV is well hidden on this beer. Seems pretty appropriate for the style to my nose.
    First sip reveals a medium body with velvety soft texture and very fine tingly carbonation. Beer drinks pretty easy and I fine my glass emptying quickly.
    Flavor is some fruity sugar with apples and maybe some peaches. I also get vanilla and a little bit of toffee. There isnt any hop character and the ABV is well hidden on the flavor profile too.
    Im enjoying this tripel and believe the apple brandy barrels did add some flavor to the profile.
    Well done.
    4.25 in the BA DB
     
    #180 sulldaddy, Aug 7, 2024
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