Top three beers in these Belgian styles...

I say, styles are difficult, esp. when applied to beer cultures who work on creativity,taste and tradition and not so much on "style guidelines".
Seeing which radically different beers are within the same style in your listing supports my thesis

 

Sorry, I don't like style guidelines. Maybe I'm wrong here?

 

Interesting position I've heard you express before. It raises what for me is a general question of interest. When someone tries to characterize the similarities and differences between beers and puts them into labeled categories, which is it you don't like--talking about similarities and differences, having a category name, or the combination of both?

 

I have a slightly different approach. I put beers into "equivalence" classes. So I don't really have a top three in each of those categories. Every beer on your lists is for me an outstanding beer but there are other outstanding beers in each category and I can't/don't narrow the list down any further to say "these three are the best of breed."

 

Belgian IPA: Never had one that I liked

Belgian Strong Dark Ale: Gulden Draak, Van De Kaiser Blauw, Abbey Des Rocs Grand Cru

Belgian Strong Pale Ale: La Chouffe, Don De Dieu, De Dolle Arabier

Dubbel: Val Dieu Brune, St Bernardus 8, Rochefort 8

Tripel: La Fin Du Monde, Tripel Karmeliet, De Ranke Guldenberg

Quadrupel: Rochefort 10, St. Bernardus Abt. 12, Val Dieu Grand Cru.

 

That's what I've started doing with just about everything. I tend to just keep a mental list of beers I consider "elite" in different categories. That list might only be 1-2 beers or it could be a dozen or more depending on the style.

 

I did really enjoy Duvel's 2014 triple hop, in regards to a Belgian IPA. However, I'm not in love with the 2015 version.

 

i would have a hard time omitting De Ranke XX Bitter from any list of best Belgian IPA in the world. Don't know which of the OP's I'd drop. Maybe the Hop-It even though it was my introduction to the style.

I have been to Westvleteren/In De Vrede, while coincidentally spending the night at the Brewer's House at St. Bernardus, and, fresh vs. fresh, on-site vs on-site, I really think I prefer St. Bernardus Abt 12 to the Westy. Would take a double blind to be sure--maybe just being an iconoclast with confirmation bias.

But the surprise of the trip was how good the beers from de Struise were, the Pannepot/Pannepeut. Don't know if that qualifies as "readily available."

 

You know, if it's not FROM Belgium, I'd put Allagash Tripel in contention with most anything else in the category. Had it yesterday, a real treat.

 

Agreed. Those guys do great work and both Pannepot/Pannepeut are every bit as good as anything monk-produced. I think they're at least fairly common, too. I know at least 1-2 stores in Denver that have one, the other, or both most of the time.

 

Looks like you left Wits out of the list:

• Allagash White
• St. Bernardus Wit
• nothing else is even close

 

Hoegaarden belongs in any discussion regarding wits (ownership of the brand should not be a consideration)

 

Karmeliet, Rochefort 10 and Duvel are very good Belgian beers.

 

Recently I was pleasantly surprised by Kronenbourg 1664 Blanc on draft, regardless of its ownership [by Carlsberg]. I'm not a fan of 1664 Blanc's blue bottles, but I would buy it again on draft.

 

I'd have trouble not including Unibroue's Trois Pistoles and 17 Grande Reserve in the B.S.D.A. category.

 

I got into some Corsendonk Christmas ale, (Belgium Dubble ale if I had to categorize it). Really nice stuff. If you loike the style I would highly recommend it.

 

Can someone enlighten me as to what the 'abt' in St. Bernardus Abt. 12 stands for? Is it Abbey? Is there a way I'm supposed to be pronouncing that?