Thread: Belgian Beer

Till a decade ago, I owned a pub in Belgium. We carried a selection of over 70 of the finest Belgian Beers. That pub still exists, yet I find myself at the other side of the bar now.
I like all good beers, but have a special fondness for Traditional style Lambic beers. (Not the sweetened commercial versions) Gueuze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers,

Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Gueuze - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I like Gueuze a lot!

Originally Posted by Cornelius

I like Gueuze a lot!

"Weird birds always find each other", as they say in Flemish.

Hanssens, Boon and 3Fonteinen are my favorites. I have a small collection of aged Gueuze in my cellar as well. 20 years old Cantillon, that's hard to stay away from.

Chimay is pretty good, and the Kriek Lambic ales are nice if you are in the right mood.

All the joking about Heineken aside, for about 2 years they made a dark beer with molasses that was really good, so they know HOW to brew good beer, they just don't seem to WANT to.

Originally Posted by jockeys

All the joking about Heineken aside, for about 2 years they made a dark beer with molasses that was really good, so they know HOW to brew good beer, they just don't seem to WANT to.

Probably true. With all the employees and expertise they have, they must have the ability to make a good beer. But, similar to the Porsche 911, when you have something that's bad but sells, keep making it, since it sells, even if it's bad.

I just enjoyed one of two bottles of Trappist Westvleteren that were brought to us by Belgian friends this summer. They told a story of how rare this deliscious beer is. Apparently one must apply in advance to purchase the stuff and then you are limited to a couple bottles.

Stella....not my taste.
I remember buying a really unusual Duvel once. It was really a taste experience and had a nice yeast sediment at the bottom.
Unfortunately Polish beer is as bland as you get(I don't want to complain about American beer but it is similar) It is really hard to get great beer here.
I remeber sitting by the beach in my small seaside town in the UK on a really hot summer night with a litre of Hoegaarden - really you have to try it.

Polish people are not among the heaviest beer drinkers of the world. Awhile back "no beer" (piwa brak) signs in cafes were common. However, despite that, Poland produces some very good beers, mostly pilsners and porters (Baltic). The latter being some of the best you can find, some exceptional examples are Okocim and Zywiec. Some of the pils are very clean well brewed examples as well.

I do like Gueuze as well, lambics in general are among my favorite sour beers. Good examples of Gueuze are a little easier to find (and make) than the straight lambics. Those some times require a well educated palate and can be a bit harsh. A good example is the Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella. Fruit lambics can also be good as long as they are fermented with natural fruit and not fruit syrup. Cantillon, Boon, and Hanssens make great kriek lambics. NO Lindemans for me. One thing that is remarkable about these beers is the "odd" (according to current standards) way that they are brewed. Instead of a single yeast and strict sanitary control, lambics are fermented spontaneously. The hops used (surannes), are old and cheesy, are only intended for antibacterial purposes. They are so rich and complex that you would never think that you are drinking a beer. Yummm!

Westmalle is, according to the experts, the original tripel. I also like: Affligem Tripel, St. Bernardus Tripel, Chimay Cinq Cents, Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale and La Trappe Tripel (The only Dutch Trappist brewery). From the new world: New Belgium Trippel, Victory Golden Monkey, Unibroue La Fin du Monde and Allagash Tripel Reserve.

Does anybody like De Koninck? This is a Belgian beer different from the Abey style biers, very refreshing and somewhat hoppy, delicious!!!!

Keep them coming...

Al raz.

|Okocim porter is not too bad but I prefer other beers.

Nicky, just like with straight razors, beer preference is a personal thing. Okocim is a great Baltic porter but I can see why it would not be the choice for an everyday beer. It would not be mine either... ;-) Nevertheless, it is a luscious bold yet smooth brew and hefty too. What type of beers do you like, perhaps I can make a good suggestion based on your style of choice.

Al raz.