Thread: Belgian Beer

Ahh, Rodenbach! It's been many years since I've had a Rodenbach Red.

I used to go to a pub in San Diego that stocked 88 beers from around the world. They would issue a card to you and, when you drank a specific beer, it would be ticked off the card. When you completed the tour, they'd put your name on the wall, engraved on a little brass plaque.

I never finished because I couldn't swallow a Coors Light and a few other "great American beers." But most people's stumbling block was the Rodenbach Red. I absolutely loved it, and still have the label in an album!

But, you're right about finding it in good condition. They had a few that had obviously been mistreated. I may have to make a search for some... right now I'm completely stuck on Deschutes Obsidian Stout, and several of the other, highly-hopped Deschutes brews.

Well, I didn't expect to find a discussion of fine Belgian beer here on the razor site, but it's nice to see that you all appreciate these beers. Indeed, Rodenbach is the accepted standard when it comes to Flanders Reds. There are so many others too. I'm particularly fond of St. Bernardus Tripel which is available, and Westvletern 12, which is not.

KD

Originally Posted by Korndog

Well, I didn't expect to find a discussion of fine Belgian beer here on the razor site, but it's nice to see that you all appreciate these beers. Indeed, Rodenbach is the accepted standard when it comes to Flanders Reds. There are so many others too. I'm particularly fond of St. Bernardus Tripel which is available, and Westvletern 12, which is not.

KD

Those last two are both excellent beers, but neither of them is an "Oudbruin" beer.
Try Liefmans, if you can find it, both the "Guldenband" (Gold Ribbon) and "Odnar" are as good as it gets. Rodenbach was already mentioned. Their "Grand Cru" is about the purest example of the style you can find. Not for the faint of heart when it comes to acidity. Also Brewery Verhaege brews among the best Oudbruin beers: "Vichtenaar" and the sweet and complex "Duchesse de Bourgogne". "Bourgogne de Flanders" by Brewery Timmermans is closely related to that, as the name already suggests.

I was told that Ommegang of New York brewes an excellent Flanders style red ale, but I never tasted it.

Best regards,
Bart.

Originally Posted by Bart

Those last two are both excellent beers, but neither of them is an "Oudbruin" beer.
Try Liefmans, if you can find it, both the "Guldenband" (Gold Ribbon) and "Odnar" are as good as it gets. Rodenbach was already mentioned. Their "Grand Cru" is about the purest example of the style you can find. Not for the faint of heart when it comes to acidity. Also Brewery Verhaege brews among the best Oudbruin beers: "Vichtenaar" and the sweet and complex "Duchesse de Bourgogne". "Bourgogne de Flanders" by Brewery Timmermans is closely related to that, as the name already suggests.

I was told that Ommegang of New York brewes an excellent Flanders style red ale, but I never tasted it.

Best regards,
Bart.

Yes, Ommegang is brewing some fine Belgian style beers, but so are many breweries on the west coast. Goudenband is a fine example of the blending arts. I happen to have an Oud Bruin aging in kegs in my garage. They each have a different yeast/bacteria inoculation, and are now due for a taste after a year of collecting spider webs. Frankly, I am more partial to Lambic's when it comes to sour ales though. There is nothing quite like them in the world, and a quality Geuze rivals the best Champagne in my view. Here are my favorite late night pleasures from Belgium.

I am about 20 miles from the New Glarus brewery. Their "Belgian Red" is based on a Flanderns Red aged in oak barrels and then on Monmorency Cherries (with some top secret bacteria added). I had a chance to try the beer before the cherries were added. It was complex and very reminiscent of Rodenbach.

I'm only 82 minutes away from drinking La Trappe Quadrupel on campus in Eindhoven (Holland). They have more than 100 kinds of beer and the quadrupel from La Trappe is one of the best. It looks a bit red/brown and has a sweet smell.
Afther typing this I only have to wait 79 minutes.

Guus

Originally Posted by Korndog

Yes, Ommegang is brewing some fine Belgian style beers, but so are many breweries on the west coast. Goudenband is a fine example of the blending arts. I happen to have an Oud Bruin aging in kegs in my garage. They each have a different yeast/bacteria inoculation, and are now due for a taste after a year of collecting spider webs. Frankly, I am more partial to Lambic's when it comes to sour ales though. There is nothing quite like them in the world, and a quality Geuze rivals the best Champagne in my view. Here are my favorite late night pleasures from Belgium.

WOW, West-Vleteren 12 is even hard to come by in Belgium these days. Cheers. (Take it slow).
Geuze is just my thing. My cellar is full of it: 15 year old Cantillon, 12 year old Boon Mariage Parfait, Various years of Hanssens Gueze (my personal favorite), Old Beersel, A few special bottles of 3 Fonteinen... Hmm, I'm getting thirsty already

Best regards,
Bart.

Picking up on an older topic here but I love Duvel.

Nothing better than sitting outside in the summer with a nice Duvel and some cheese and peanuts.

For the winter a nice Dark Leffe

No one favorite, too much that's too good to choose:
Blue moon
Shocktop
Chimay w/ the white label
UFO white
probably my tops, but i am sure there are some that may replace those eventually; so little time, so little liver cells

I'm a Devil for Duvel

And I love a Leffe Brun!