Belgian Beer Appreciation Thread (2024)

Currently enjoying this classic Oude Lambiek from De Cam. Moderate funk on the nose, pleasant tartness and astringency. Tasting great!

 

Brasserie de Rochefort Trappistes Rochefort 10, 11.3% ABV, 27 IBU. I rated this 4.26 in 2017 and I'm sticking with that. Forgot how much head these have.

 

Delirium Nocturnum
 by Brouwerij Huyghe

Still quite content with my review of this beer from back in 2013...I think that says something in itself BA

 

Tonight's situation.

 

Boulevard- Sixth Glass

 

Started my with this one Friday afternoon but never got around to posting.



Nice Tripel! A perfect glass of beer for a warm afternoon.

 

Extra - Wesrmalle

A great dry table beer. I’m going to pair it with macaroni and cheese.

 

Despite sitting in my beer fridge since July 2022, Houblon Chouffe is still drinking nicely!
Cheers!
Tom

 

I made it to the Lambic chapter of The Beer Bible. Found a mixed 4 pack of these at Wegman's. It had Kriek, Framboise, Peche, and Pomme. Since I've never tried the latter two, it seemed like a good purchase.



There's a story to this glass. In the summer of '07, after I graduated from Penn State, I moved to Boston to live with my then girlfriend who was finishing her master's at Emerson. I got a job at Sunset Bar and Tap in Allston. This was the first time that I really came in contact with a huge tap list and a number of the beers I've come to love. In August of '07 my girlfriend and I prepared to move to Raleigh, NC to start our new careers. The manager at Sunset gave me this glass as a parting gift. The relationship didn't last, but my love of craft beer endures. This glass is a reminder of how the journey began.

 

I've decided that I'm a Trappiste/Abby Tripel kinda guy. Not gonna fight it. Not that I dislike Quads and other Trappiste beers. Triples delight me. This offering is less intense overall than some others IMHO, deliciously fruity, and drinks easy. Trappiste Rochefort Tripel Extra

 

Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Nocturnum Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 8.5% ABV. Gushered upon opening, all over the damn counter. Pours dark brown and had a 1.5 finger head which left nice lacing. Aroma is dark fruit, spice, and malt. Taste follows, faintly sweet, slightly bitter. Decent mouthfeel, overall excellent.

4.02/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

 

Good for you! You know what you like.

A domestically brewed Triple that is more wallet friendly is Victory Golden Monkey. In 2022 there was a Tripel tasting thread and I discussed this beer:

"Overall:

This beer is very good!! A very complex combination of flavors which play together very nicely!"



https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...-thread-march-25-27-2022.665973/#post-7490118

Cheers!

 

Yep. That's a good one. Sept 5, '21 I reviewed & rated that tasty morsel. I'll see if I can dig up some more. Cheers!
4.05/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
12oz bottle with illegible date into a large snifter.
L: Pours a deep lightly hazed bright gold with a tall, rocky, pillowy white head with good retention and solid carbonation. Some spotty lacing.
S: Crusty crackery bread, earthy spices, honey, a hint of alcohol as the beer warms.
T: Yellow sweet bread, banana, candied sugar, yeasty, nutmeg and coriander, earthy hops, orange rind, clove, wild flowers, a lightly bitter finish with a trace of alcohol.
F: A firm medium-bodied wet mouthfeel with a slightly dry med-fast finish. It is vaporous in nature and a little bit sticky.
O: A beautiful tasting Belgian style Tripel Ale that is warming and simultaneously refreshing and quenching. Absolutely brilliant with rich foods, garlic cream sauces, soft cheeses and herbed chicken. Simply great with many foods. It is excellent in its style.

 

I personally have not pulled the trigger (yet) but Golden Monkey is now available in 12-packs:



Cheers!

 

Dama Brun-a - LoverBeer, Italy

I love the Flanders Oud Bruin style for many reasons, including the pronunciation, but mostly for the nuances of earthy-fruit flavors mingling with vinegar tartness. This one has all that, yet falls short of great. The oak is a nice accent in both aroma and flavor, there is some toffee and even some chocolate, so it has the complexity. As for pairing with an intense Brie, well, that amplifies the astringency, which is unfortunate.

Not sure if the bottle age (2012) or the cellaring conditions (recently purchased from a quality bottle shop in East Aurora, NY (South of Buffalo) made a difference, so that is worth noting.

Still an enjoyable beer on a cold and snowy afternoon.

 

I came across this one at my local bottle shop Monday.

Jovial Belgian style Dubbel from Tröegs.



Pouring clear and chestnut brown (lighter than my picture) with a two finger tan head. The foam is fairly persistent but too slick to leave much lace. The strong nose opens with port-like and dried fruit aromas. A less robust milky candi sugar aroma takes over after the head settles. Starting mildly sweet, the dark fruit and dark sugar flavors dry quickly for a tangy finish. I’m getting just a hint of woody bitterness. Belgian yeast phenols add character to both the nose and flavor. Medium-weight and smooth it feels more frothy than creamy and is moderately carbonated, just enough for a weak crisp bite. Sweet and rich, but subtle with enough balancing dryness to drink easily.

I probably should have grabbed a four pack.

 

Enjoying a Wit bier from Munkle in Charleston, SC. Easy quaffer with the wheat malt base, coriander, and a touch of oranges on the back end, nicely done!
Cheers!
Tom

 

Onto round 2 and having a Quad from Sweeten Creek in Asheville. Brewed with honey and oranges, this lends a different spin on the normal dark fruit centric quad. Finishes with a touch of orange peel. Different but not horrible.
Cheers!
Tom

 

Bold Monk Brewing (ATL) Indominous Quad 9.7% ABV. BMB does an excellent job with Belgian style beers.

Excellent quad. Very close to Trappist level but that's a tall order. Has nice malt complexity with toasted and caramel malt flavors. No burnt or roasted malt flavors. Head retention is good but not as thick and mousse-like as most Trappist. Alcohol barely notable. Drinks nicely.

 

Currently enjoying this excellent Tripel from Bold Monk Brewing Co in Atlanta. This is probably their best beer. Has a honey like note with meon and light citrus notes. Never know it's 8.8%. Nice!