Anyone who has been to Belgium can tell you that it is easily one of Europe ’s most overlooked country . It ’s a place load with account and custom that ’s as fascinating as it is charming . But on an everyday scale of measurement , outside all of the culinary and historical facet , it may be strong to top the share it ’s made to the world of beer .
Especially before the enceinte craftiness beer boom , Belgian beer has been a gateway for hoi polloi looking for beer beyond the lawnmower variety . The one downside to this ? read Belgian beer as an outsider can be confusing . And with more and more brewers popping out Belgian - style beers , now more than ever , it pays to know more about Belgium than simpleBloodsportquotes .
With that in creative thinker ( and a saison in hand ) , we ’re here to lay it all out in one spot , from what each style is to premier deterrent example you may get in a US beer store ( thus , you ’ll see some American breweries in here ) . It may not make you a pro , but it ’s a corking place to get begin ( or excuse to " canvas up " on styles more often ) . You ’ll give thanks us the next time you ’re in the beer gangway wondering exactly what a " framboise " is .
Oren Aks/Thrillist
First things first: what the hell does Trappist mean?
It likely makes the most sense to begin with a definition of a term that most people have heard but few understand . Trappist beer bylegal definitionare produced within the walls of a monastery ( that ’s right : Thelonious Sphere Monk ! ) in a centuries - onetime tradition that prescribe everything from style specifications to how money made from the sale of the beer can be used . As of now , there are 11 designated Trappist breweries in the world , with more than half inBelgium , two in the Netherlands , one each in Italy and Austria … and as of 2013 , even one in the good ol' US of A ! Those Trappists make all the styles below . So , with that and a hallelujah , have ’s wander .
Dubbel
Booze factor:6 - 7.6%How ’s it taste : Malt - repel , rich , and raisinated dried fruit flavors , with much no hoppiness present and a dry finishWhat you should know : According to theOxford Companion to Beer , the name may make out from the medieval exercise of pit beer barrel with " X ’s " to denote alcohol-dependent intensity , since most people were ignorant . The " 20 " mark thus became sleep together as " dubbel , " and we still call it that today even though at least one-half of the beer maker out there can read and write . What you should corrode with it : BBQis the layup pairing option here , especially pulled porc or ribsPrime instance : Chimay Red , Corsendonk Pater , New Belgium Abbey , Sierra Nevada Ovila
Tripel
Booze factor:7.5 - 9.5%How ’s it taste : Spicy , bright yield with a ton of carbonation and a really deceptive lack of an alcoholic tan despite the higher ABVWhat you should screw about it : Even though they are higher in inebriant than dubbels , tripels more or less bewilderingly are lighter in color ( more of a yellow golden color as oppose to dubbels ' darker brown ) . Most would argue that the best versions of this beer are not on draft , as nursing bottle conditioning is seen by many as a critical step in producing a well - poise tripel . What you should eat with it : Any rich , roly-poly , or creamy intellectual nourishment , like New England clam chowder , little ribs , or grilled dear skewer with tzatzikiPrime examples : Westmalle Tripel , Chimay Cinq Cents ( White ) , Unibroue La Fin du Monde , Brooklyn Local 1
Belgian dark strong ale
Booze factor:8 - 12%How ’s it perceptiveness : In most typesetter’s case , these are big , bold , and vivid , with spices ( clove and pepper ) and dried fruit ( like figs , cherries , and plums ) commingle to make a residual of bouquet , malt , and inebriant . What you should sleep with about it : If you were wondering where " Trappist quadruple " was on this list , you ’ve found it ! This is a difficult - to - define family that shoot a line some of the most sought - after beers in the world ( especially the Trappist ones like " Westy " 12 ) . This is sometimes the style you ’re also dealing with if you see a recording label lark " Abbey ale . “What you should feed with it : Think big : biting Stilton blue air or wash - rind cheeses , grilled sum , sizable stews , or productive chocolate desserts all work well here . Perfectfor Philly cheesesteaks with onion plant and mushrooms . choice good example : Westvleteren 12 , AleSmith Grand Cru , Allagash Avance , Boulevard The 6th Glass
Witbier
Booze factor:4.5 - 5.5%How ’s it taste : Citrusy and fruit - forward , balanced fruit and spicery ( usually because of element being used ) with much zero record hop presence ( the spices are what are front and center for aromas here ) . It ’s uniquely refreshing , promising , and live up to beer when done well . What you should know about it : Witbiers are usually the first Belgian - expressive style beer people try without actualize they ’re drinking something of foreign root . Unlike their German cousins , witbiers can be made with yield ingredients like orange skin , or redolent spiciness such as grains of paradise and Chinese parsley . It ’s much synonymous with warm - weather drinking these days , but the style actually almost disappeared in the ' 50s after the last brewery specializing in witbier ceased surgical procedure . The next fourth dimension you ’re sipping a witbier in the Sunday , you’re able to thank Pierre Celis and Hoegaarden for bring the style back from near death . What you should eat with it : Witbier goes well with eclectic meal like brunch , where foods like ballock bag or bagels and ointment Malva sylvestris with lox are big . It also works with lightheaded appetizers like summertime salads with light dressings or baked volaille made using wad of herbs and spice . And oh my God ! Lobster rolls . Lobster rolls!Prime instance : Fantome Blanche , Allagash White , Stillwater Cellar Door , Hitachino Nest White Ale
Flanders red
Booze factor:4.5 - 6.5%How ’s it discernment : A average - bodied beer with fruity flavors ( black-market cherry and currants ) that can be bracingly turned , tannic , and complex … which often draws it comparison to bolshie wineWhat you should know about it : This beer is age in oak barrels for up to two years , which is historically what gave it its distinct moody edge . Microorganisms living in the woods affect fermentation , include lactobacillus and acetobacter , which is the same bacterium that eventually deform wine into acetum . What you should eat with it : This is an admittedly hard beer to pair with food , but you’re able to do just fine with cheese ( veer more towards gamey and barnyardy rather than sharp or too stinking ) . A friend once recommended it alongside fry solid food , and I swear fried clams have never tasted well than during that pairing . Prime examples : Rodenbach Grand Cru , Duchesse de Bourgogne , Bruery Oude Tart
Oud bruin
Booze factor:4 - 8%How ’s it taste : Think of this as a cousin of Flanders scarlet : there are fewer sour notes , darker chocolate or caramel feel with notes of FIG or dates , and a very dry finish . What you should have it off about it : While they ’re comparatively standardised styles , oud bruin are less fruit - forward and acetous than Flanders reds ( even though this did n’t used to be the casing ) . One of the openhanded defining remainder between the two is that oud bruin today use stainless - blade gun barrel for age instead of wood . Also , do n’t palpate weird if you ’ve never taste or even heard of this elan : other than directly lambic , it ’s likely the most unnoticeable style of the Belgian cluster in terms of how widely it ’s represented outside its home body politic . What you should eat with it : alike to Flanders crimson , stick to earthier cheeses like Brie de Meaux or Camembert , fried foods , or meat dish without any grave , overbearing saucesPrime examples : Petrus Oud Bruin , Ichtegem Oud Bruin
Belgian blond ale
Booze factor:6 - 7.5%How ’s it taste : Medium bodied with a much fluent relish favoring slightly sweet fruitiness and maltiness over spice ( although you may still tell it ’s got that Belgian hotness ) . you could tell it was design to be easy - drink : the BJCP rule of thumb describe it as " [ often get ] an almost lager - like character . “What you should know about it : blonde are a younger beer style that developed in reception to light beer like Pilsner expand in popularity through Europe . This is the part where attachment to history and modern foundation make classifying Belgian style pretty frustrating . If you ever find yourself beat up your head against the wall wonder if something is a Belgian blonde or Belgian pale ale , just think back that even some veteran tasters sometimes have difficulty tasting the difference . What you should eat with it : Doing this alongside Indian or Formosan takeout always seems to cultivate well , since blonde will be able to help cut spiciness and abide up to bolder flavors without make too much to lose in the processPrime example : Leffe Blond , Affligem Blond , Green Flash Rayon Vert
Belgian pale ale
Booze factor:4.8 - 5.5%How ’s it sense of taste : A smoother beer with much less spiciness or floral fibre than most other Belgian styles ( although there ’s still spate of fruit on the nose and palate ) . Perceived hoppiness is even a thing here , specially on the dry finishing . What you should know about it : This is Belgium ’s result to school term beer , or lower - alcohol brews that you’re able to toast more than one of without execute the risk of exposure of getting wacky . You could also look at this as Britain ’s not bad influence on a Belgian brewing style , which was developed during the 18th century , and can use British yeast strain or hop varieties . What you should eat with it : mussel , clams ( especially fried ) , peel - and - rust shrimp , and fish & chips all go well with this dash , where the fruitiness works well with the natural fragrance of the seafoodPrime model : Palm Speciale , Ommegang Belgian - Style Pale Ale ( BPA )
Belgian golden strong ale
Booze factor:7.5 - 10.5%How ’s it discernment : What most multitude intend of when they think " Belgian beer " : fruity flavors of apple , oranges , and pears with spicery and a ironic ending . It might facilitate to think of it as a reined - in tripel . What you should sleep with about it : The original commercial instance of this was created by Duvel in response to popularisation of pale beers . If you ’re ever unsure if what you ’re drinking is a golden substantial ale , a devil reference in the name is a utter game show ( as you might ’ve approximate , Duvel is the Flemmish word for " demon " ) , which pokes at how well-situated they are to drink despite their higher alcohol content . What you should run through with it : Hearty fish like Salmon River , or redolent spicy solid food like bánh mì or sottish noodlesPrime exemplar : Duvel , Russian River Damnation , North Coast PranQster
Lambic
Booze factor:5 - 7%How ’s it gustatory modality : directly lambic and geuze will be relatively sour and vulgar / barnyardy / funky with almost no hops rancour . Straight lambics use unwritten fermentation , are practically uncarbonated , and will vary greatly from batch to batch , whereas geuzes offer a number more constancy in that regard . Being yield lambics , krieks and wild raspberry ( as we ’ll talk over below ) will manifestly taste like their namesake ingredient , but the good - quality adaptation will never taste syrupy or confect sweet . What you should eff about it : So much to be said about this style , so niggling prison term ! Historically , lambic is a unsophisticated style that ’s made using spontaneous ferment , which means that the beer expend ambient yeast from the surrounding environs to turn wort into beer . you could break the expressive style down into four class : geuze , Rubus idaeus , kriek , and straight lambic . Geuze ( or " the Champagne of Belgium " ) is a portmanteau word of at least two different ripened lambics to produce a consistent product , which is almost exclusively serve in bottles . Straight lambic is practically uncarbonated and can only really be meet on spigot in the Senne Valley around Brussels , so if you ’re front to check this off your beer pail list , start expect at airfare !
yield lambics are somewhat more known in the US ( most assume lambics all contain fruit ) . Sometimes it ’s even well-to-do to figure out which ingredient is being used if you paid tending in French family in high school ! wild raspberry are made with Bronx cheer and krieks are made with cherries , but there are plenitude of deterrent example where blackberry , apricots , or other local fruits are contrive into the mix . What you should rust with it : Fruit lambics are fantastic for pairing with sweet like Black Forest cake , creme brulee , or cheesecake , especially if they ’re using the same yield as a sauce . Like Champagne , geuze is a layup pairing for everything from pasta to popcorn ( and any mushroom - centric stunner seem to especially love it).Prime examples : Cantillon Grand Cru Bruocsella ( the only bottled straight lambic ) , Oude Gueuze Tilquin à l’Ancienne , Boon Kriek Mariage Parfait , De Cam Framboise Lambiek
Saison
Booze factor:3.5 - 9.5%How ’s the predilection : This will eternally be one of the most difficult beers to categorise , as its colour , ABV , ingredient neb , and overall profile will alter so wildly that calling it " manic " is an understatement . The defining thread is the barm strain used , which gives it the telltale bloodless capsicum distinction on the finish . What you should cognize about it : How do you grind away enough data in a infinite this little on a style you could write an entire book about ? The elan was first developed in the French - speaking region of Belgium for seasonal farmhands ( call " saisoniers " ) who needed something to fuddle in the absence seizure of clear water . Part of the manic nature of the panache come from the earlier versions using pretty much anything that was copious and on mitt at the farm , leading to the Brobdingnagian variation in flavor . If you see one marked as a " table beer , " it imply it ’s on the low ending of the ABV scale leaf ( usually below 5%).What you should feed with it : The beauty of geminate saisons with nutrient is that you ca n’t overthink it because it ’s pretty firmly to screw it up . The rule ordinarily dictate that agrestic beauty go well with it as a countrified style of beer , so fret and roast and the like are fair game . But being such a wide-ranging style , it can work with almost anything from spaghetti to pizza to pad Thai . Whenever all someone knows is that they ’re going to be prescribe takeout for dinner , I always recommend a saison to take home for the meal . select example : Saison Dupont , Boulevard Tank 7 , Great Divide Colette , Stillwater Classique
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Flickr/Jos Dielis (edited)
Flickr/Yumi Kimura
Allagash Brewing Company
Flickr/Tom Webster
Flickr/Ted Thompson
Flickr/quite peculiar
