Belgian beer/styles without the phenols & esters

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by ojalva, Apr 17, 2016.

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  1. ojalva

    ojalva Initiate (0) Sep 10, 2012 Illinois

    Going to hijack some thoughts/comments from a different thread for this:

    I am very sensitive to the smell and taste of clove and get that smell/taste with all Belgian beers I've tried (I get that with German weisse beers as well). For that reason I have shied away from any and all Belgian beers and styles. I'm sure this is a smell/taste given off by the yeast or a byproduct of higher fermentation temps. A beer like Delirium Tremens is a perfect example of a beer that is overpowering for me in this department. However, as a malthead I always feel I'm missing out when people describe some of these beers as "plum", "fig", "dark fruits", "dark malts", etc...All flavors that are up my alley.

    Can anybody recommend a Belgian beer or style that has the dark fruits, fig flavors but with a cleaner tasting yeast?

    It's worth noting that @Maltytasker recommended a Rodenbach Grand Cru but I have not been able to find it.
     
    #1 ojalva, Apr 17, 2016
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2016
  2. superspak

    superspak Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,927) May 5, 2010 North Carolina
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Old Ale
    English Barleywine
    ESB
    Bock/Doppelbock/Eisbocks
    Scotch ales
    Altbier
     
    #2 superspak, Apr 17, 2016
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  3. ojalva

    ojalva Initiate (0) Sep 10, 2012 Illinois

    Your 1st 5 are literally my favorite styles (don't care for Alts) but looking for Belgians...
     
    #3 ojalva, Apr 17, 2016
  4. elucas730

    elucas730 Initiate (0) Feb 5, 2010 New York

    Certainly "Belgian" emcompasses a wide variety of styles. The Rodenbach is a Flanders Red and shouldn't have the banana or clove flavors. That can also be said of any of the other Belgian sour-style beers like oud bruin, lambic, and gueuze.
     
    #4 elucas730, Apr 17, 2016
  5. superspak

    superspak Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,927) May 5, 2010 North Carolina
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    :flushed: whoops, I would suggest looking at big maltly high ABV quads then. Kasteel Donker comes to mind. They are generally the most restrained on the spicy notes.
     
    #5 superspak, Apr 17, 2016
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  6. Ferb

    Ferb Initiate (0) Mar 21, 2016 Missouri

    For a dubbel, Chimay Red has nearly no clove/phenol tastes, and Rochefort 6 has only a slight coriander taste that balances well. If you like Belgian strong darks, Rochefort 8 is a favorite, again with a slight wisp of coriander. They are all spendy to me at $5.50/$6.00 a 11.2 ounce bottle, but they are favorites of mine, partly because I too don't care for excess clove taste.
     
    #6 Ferb, Apr 17, 2016
  7. PatrickCT

    PatrickCT Grand Pooh-Bah (3,776) Feb 18, 2015 Connecticut

    You can probably find what you are looking for in more commerical belgian ales such as Leffe.
     
    #7 PatrickCT, Apr 18, 2016
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  8. donspublic

    donspublic Grand Pooh-Bah (3,552) Aug 4, 2014 Texas
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    American Saisons usually don't exhibit many of the clove/phenols that you seem to be adverse to. Read some of the reviews and how they are characterized to see if you think you palate would find them offending. These were my gateway beers into belgians. You are not going to pick up the "plum", "fig", "dark fruits", "dark malts" from these, but it is a gateway to that yeast profile. You might want to look at some of the American brewers takes on these styles, as they seem to pick up your desirables, but don't get the yeast profile you dislike. New Belgium, Boulevard, etc.
     
    #8 donspublic, Apr 18, 2016
  9. Justin82

    Justin82 Initiate (0) Jul 12, 2015 Massachusetts

    Belgian strong dark ales might be up your alley
     
    #9 Justin82, Apr 18, 2016
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  10. BeerWizard

    BeerWizard Pundit (889) Dec 22, 2012 Colorado

    The Leffe brun is a nice one - more malt and leather. American version is basically New Belgium Abbey Ale. The other thing I'd suggest is Unibroue's le Terrible. Super-plummy-malt-fig-fruit.
     
    #10 BeerWizard, Apr 18, 2016
  11. ojalva

    ojalva Initiate (0) Sep 10, 2012 Illinois

    Thanks all!
     
    #11 ojalva, Apr 19, 2016
  12. dcotom

    dcotom Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,637) Aug 4, 2014 Iowa
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I found Achel Biere Blonde to be a little less heavy on the phenols and spiciness than some of the other Trappist brews I've had. YMMV.
     
    #12 dcotom, Apr 19, 2016
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