Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread (2024)

A fine beer, I think it’s a 2021 bottle , shows L21 on the label. I think this one is better fresh but still a very good beer. White was my favorite but I revisited Blue, Red, White and tried Doree the past 6 months. I really enjoyed red and blue. I do t use this glass often but it’s by far my favorite. It walked out of the Khyber Pass with me one night in 1985/6 and always reminds me of great times at that bar.

Enjoy

 

Not seen this beer in years. I used to buy them for under $9 large format bottle.

Enjoy

 

That's unfortunate (and fortunate $ wise). It's the only Gueuze I've ever seen around here and it never disappoints. Would love to see more of this style. Thought Prairie was going that way, but they've chosen another path. Sure miss those early '00 prices though.

 

I did see the ginger version late in the fall but the price was over $20.

Enjoy

 

That's dear! But I'd probably try it once. Hopefully, ginger doesn't inhibit post bottling alcohol growth!

 

It’s one of those that I’ve overlooked for quite a while. I picked one up on the suggestion of a co-worker. Now that I’ve finally tried it I will definitely be picking up more.
Cheers!

 

I think that's correct for Chimay.

 

I've only had 3 beers from St. Feuillien, but they've all been world-class. The Quadrupel us the best one yet!

 

Rozenlambiek from Brouwerij Oud Beersel, enjoyed on draft in proper glassware. Floral, fruity & pleasantly tart. Delightful!

 

I'm moderately blown away by how simple and delicious this Triple is. One of the best I've had! I did a slow gentle pour. St. Feuillien Triple 8.5% ABV

 

Triple Fruited Tripel Ommegang

ok, Fair notice… The first pour was almost clear, the second, let’s just call it “chunky”. Made no difference to the aroma, however, the flavor took a hit. What was earthy yeast with funky orange, mango, and coriander, went dull. Definitely better without the sediment.

Either way, it’s a pleasant Tripel, however it is much nicer when clean. Ommegang probably won’t produce it again, so it is a moot point.

I just LOVE this style with a funky soft cheese, like say Teleggio.

 

Grand Cru, a Quadrupel from Val-Dieu. Perhaps a bit more fruity (jammy, even) than I'm used to in the style, but on the finish that caramel / leather vibe I so enjoy shines through.

 

In 2024 I've decided I need to try more imports. Right now enjoying this Duvel 6,66%. Very flavorful and full of clove, white pepper, and some fruity esters underneath. A little thin, but very enjoyable.

 

I could've sworn I had this before, but I can't find a record of it. It's tremendous. I really like the play between the spice from the yeast and the hop character. For 9.5% it's easy to drink as well.

 

I don’t recall if I posted this in the 2023 thread—but I’m enjoying one of these now and I credit Saison Dupont, more than any other single beer, for getting me seriously interested in better beer almost 15 years ago. I only drank so-called “craft” beer after moving to Seattle from the Midwest in the early ‘90s, but I ordered a glass of this beer during dinner ca. 2010 at a very upscale restaurant (the kind that serves multiple courses, wine pairings, prix fixe menus etc.) and it changed my life. I started getting into other Belgian beers, saisons, tripels, quads—but this is where it started. So simple and so good. Nothing pretentious about it.

 

I posted the below earlier today in the NBW thread:

Shouldn’t this beer have been branded the Fourth Glass?

I suppose there is a backstory for why Boulevard branded this beer as The Sixth Glass Quadrupel, but the beer style of Quad has me thinking Fourth.

Below is how this beer is described on the Boulevard website:

“The Sixth Glass

Quadrupel Ale

”Do you know what dwells in a glass?” asks Ole, in Hans Christian Andersen's The Watchman of the Tower. Better known for stories such as The Little Mermaid, Andersen wrote this short, cautionary tale for a somewhat older audience. Our quadrupel ale, also meant for the mature connoisseur, is a deep and mysterious libation, dark auburn and full-bodied, its sweetness deceptive. As Ole describes the glasses in turn, their contents become more ominous until, in the sixth glass...

ABV: 10.2%

Bitterness: 22 IBUs”

Hmm, I suppose I will have to read The Watchman of the Tower to understand the significance of “the sixth glass”?

Anyway, lets drink!

Served in a tulip glass:

Appearance

Mahogany colored with a two finger khaki colored head.

Aroma

The dominant aroma is of dried dark fruits (e.g., figs, raisins,…) but in the background there is some caramel maltiness.

Taste

The flavor follows the nose with flavors of dried dark fruits and as with the nose a hint of malty caramel flavor. The is a low bitterness/

Mouthfeel

Medium bodied with an off-dry finish.

Overall

I think this beer is very good! I really enjoyed drinking it.

An enjoyable beer for winter (cold) weather drinking.

Cheers!

 

This is a dynamite beer. Stille Nacht. It really softens up over time. Cheers!

 

Had a chance to try this one for the first time this past week. I have found the two dark styles I’ve had from St. Bernardus, Pater 6 and Abt 12, to be very attenuated and less sweet than expected. I imagine this is probably due to my limited experience with the Dubbel and Quad styles but may also be my sweet tooth is getting out of control.

 

The last “12 beers of Christmas” beer I was able to acquire before the Bruery reduced/stopped distribution here. Preliminary review below. Cheers!

3.9/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
750mL (original 2017 vintage) into a tulip. Pours a dark coffee brown with a tan head, good carbonation.

Aroma is a blend of stone fruits, black cherries, chocolate and spice. Dark bready malt, brown sugar, Belgian yeast.

Taste has some of the same fruit-forward qualities as the aroma. Cherry dominant. Some sweet cola or root beer flavors too. A lot going on here. Looking at the description (cheating) I see a long list of spices used—I detect a vaguely “spicy” quality (not spicy-hot, but spice-laden) but I can’t say I can pick out specific flavors, they all blend together. Interesting but maybe also not great, which is still OK.

Mouthfeel is about right—heavy side of medium, lingering finish.

Overall a unique spin on a Belgian strong dark, worth trying.