Belgian Beer

Belgian Beers

As I’m sure you are aware, Belgium is famous around the globe for its world-class beer. In England, I’m not really a big beer drinker, tending to favour the classic gin and tonic or a refreshing white wine to avoid the classic student beer belly and bloat and if I do opt for beer it tends to be a lighter lager rather than a heavy beer. However, as an Erasmus student living in Brussels, I made it my personal mission to try as many of these beers as possible during my time here and I have to say they do not disappoint. On this page, I am going to try to describe to you the beers I have tasted so far and my thoughts on them. I think on the whole I have been fairly successful in my mission although I would not call myself an expert yet however I will attempt to give you my most honest and unbiased opinion on these beers. Truth be told by taste in beer has undergo a rather substantial change. As you may also be aware, Belgian beers are (in some cases A LOT) stronger than the watered-down rubbish that we are used to in England, ranging between 5%-12%, and although they are served in smaller quantities too, for a small girl like me this has led to a few occasions where my memory has become slightly hay. Nevertheless, I will try my best.

Jupiler 5.2%

The most frequently drunk beer in Belgium, Jupiler is light and refreshing and not too dissimilar to beers we are accustomed to drinking in England. Produced in the town of Jupille, from which it gets its name, the most popular variety is a pale lager that comes in at a relatively low 5.2%, is easily drunk and cheap to purchase. A favourite amongst students, Jupiler is the main sponsor for the Belgian Pro League, and if you happen to be in Belgium at the same time as the 2018 World Cup, look out for ‘Belgium’ instead as it changes its name in support of the Red Devils- Belgium’s national football team.

Cara Pils 4.7%

Often described as piss in a bottle, (excuse my language,) Cara Pils is one of Belgium’s cheapest beers and changes brewery depending upon which one can make it cheapest. At 4.7% it’s also one of the least strong in terms of percentage alcohol and flavour. However, despite its reputation as the beer of alcoholics, it’s still fairly decent when compared to most English beers and its low price makes it the perfect beer for a night out. An easy to drink and easily available pale ale.

Pauwel Kwak 8.4%

Thought to be named after the innkeeper and brewer Pauwel Kwak, this is a tasty amber ale that is popular throughout Belgium and is easily recognised as it is served in a distinctive hourglass shaped glass with a wooden handle and stand. It has a smooth head, and malty caramel flavour that perfectly accompanies with the deep amber colouring to create a beautiful drinking experience. My only possible fault with this beer is the bitter aftertaste although my friends seem to think that’s one of its draws!

Westmalle Triple 9.5%

Brewed in a beautiful abbey in Westmalle which I visited only recently, Westmalle Triple is one of my favourite beers and has been since I first tasted it. The brewery is still controlled by the monks who live in this abbey although they no longer make the beer themselves and much of the revenue goes to supporting life within the abbey. This golden- yellow beer is light, refreshing and feels smooth in the mouth and is drunk from a branded chalice that leaves you feeling like a king. I think that this is a beautiful beer and I particularly like how easy it is to drink and its dry elegant finish.

Duvel Tripel Hop 9.5%

Perhaps one of the more accessible Tripel beers on the market, the team behind Duvel Tripel Hop change the third hop every year which results in a unique new flavour being released every spring. In 2016 they went in search of the public's favourite third hop and the firm winner was Duvel Tripel Hop Citra with it's hints of grapefruit and tropical fruits. The special process of dry-hopping that is used to add the third hop means that it is easier to taste than in other processes and the citrus notes mean it's crisp to taste. Ofter served with a large, bubbly head, the Duvel Tripel Hop is many Belgians favourite triple and is served in a tulip shaped glass.

Malheur 12 12%

Recently, whilst visiting my boyfriend’s family in another region of Belgium, I was sat on a terrace in the sun watching a game of tennis with his father and some of his father’s friends. After they had learned about my mission, the friends took it upon themselves to introduce me to what they called some of the better Belgian beers and that is when I tasted Malheur 12 for the first time. This deep, chestnut coloured beer is full of aromas and was to me, everything I would expect a 12% beer to be, but more. Hints of fudge, chocolate, raisins, brown sugar, caramel, brandy and oak explode out of this beer if you allow it to linger in your mouth, and make it lethally easy to drink.

Maes Pils 5.2%

The third best-selling beer in Belgium, Maes Pils was first produced in Antwerp in 1930 and is much like Jupiler. Athough not as flavoursome as most of the other beers on this list, Maes Pils is easily available and one of the cheaper options making it a firm favourite amongst students. It’s easy to drink and refreshing when served cold and so is preferable for a large drinking session when compared to the likes of Malheur 12 and the Tripel beers. Although most Belgians would say this beer has a slightly watery texture and isn’t particularly good, if you were to put it against most English beers it would likely come out on top.

Leffe Blonde 6.6%

One of the better known Belgian beers, Leffe blonde is, you guessed it, a pale abbey beer with hints of banana. It’s a beautiful golden-yellow beer with a white foamy head that is served in a chalice and its smooth feel makes it easy to drink. I would highly recommend this beer for a daytime drinking session as it’s easy to sip on. Many Belgian’s would name Leffe as their second favourite pale beer after the Duvel Tripel Hop and I can certainly see why.

Stella Artois 5.2%

Slightly stronger than the version we are used to in the UK, and despite its slightly sleazy reputation, Stella Artois is one of the world’s best-selling beers. This clear golden beer with a small white head is easy to drink a lot of, however it’s easy to taste that the quality is lower than most other Belgian beers and the flavour is lacking. The head is short-lived and again it’s a more watery and less smooth texture. However, I guess this should be expected with one of the lower price tags.

Orval Trappist Ale 6.2%

A high fermentation beer, Orval is like many of the other beers on this list, brewed in an abbey and the brewery was opened in 1931 to finance enormous building works in Orval at that time. This is a pale amber ale that pours to give a nice large head and tastes fruity and bitter. The fruitiness is zesty, conjuring thoughts of citrus fruits and due to its rather distinctive flavour, it’s often a beer that people use as a benchmark when describing other beers, or at least that’s what I do anyway!

La Chouffe 8.0%

This pleasant golden beer, produced at the Brasserie d’Achouffe in the stunning Ardennes region, is an unfiltered beer that is fresh and fruity and spiced with coriander. Personally however I find this beer harder to drink than some of the others perhaps due to the fact that it is indeed unfiltered and I find the flavour slightly artificial as though some of the sweetness has been added in at a later stage.

Tripel d'Anvers 8.0%

A strong blond beer with a rich white head served in a glass featuring some of the more prominent buildings from the Antwerp skyline, this beer is dedicated to the city in which it is produced, Antwerp, and so it's only right that the first time I tried this beer was sat on a terrace on the main square in that city. This is fruity and light beer that perhaps lacks some of the deeper more subtle undertones, but this makes it extremely drinkable and refreshing on a warm day!

Rochefort  Trappistes 10 11.3%

With its home also set in the Ardennes, but a much stronger flavoured beer than La Chouffe, Rochefort Trappistes 10 intense dark colouring and undertones of dark fruits such as plum and blackcurrant fill the mouth with sensation. And this intensity can also be seen in the dark full colour of the beer. Although this may be a little too strong for some people I love the richness if I’m having just one beer at the end of the day.

Affligem Tripel 9.5%

This is a beer that I would recommend to be drunk around Christmas time. It pours a dark golden colour with amber highlights and to me, it has aromas of sweet fruits and clove and spices hence my Christmas recommendation. It has quite a full flavour and slightly nutty taste. Not my favourite but is definitely worth a try if you’re looking for something a bit different.

Chimay Bleu 9.0%

A dark and intense beer, still made and marketed by the monks that live in the abbey, Chimay Bleu is extremely smooth with chocolate and caramel flavours alongside a slightly more obvious alcohol taste than in some of the other beers. Excellent as an accompaniment to cheese. On the other hand, some people don’t like this beer as the strong flavour can leave a slightly metallic taste in the mouth.

Barbar 8.0%

The official sponsor of the Brussels Jazz Weekend, Barbar is a lovely and extremely drinkable beer. It's a golden/amber colour with a small head that doesn't stick around for long however the flavour of this beer is really something special. Brewed with honey, after the initial flavour comes a sweeter taste thats contrasted by the slightly bitter aftertaste. It's not overly sweet so that its sickening but just enough to make it extremely refreshing on a warm day. The aromas are of toffee and a bit of caramel and I have extremely pleasant memories of sipping this beer whilst listening to the jazz festival!

Floreffe Blonde 6.3%

This light golden abbey beer, is much like many of the other blonde beers available in Belgium. It's got subtle banana and pineapple flavours followed by more earthy what i call beer taste. It's a brilliant go to beer and wont disappoint however I personally wouldn't choose this beer if I was looking for something a bit more special. 

Manneken Pils 5.0%

Much like the other pilsners on this list, Manneken Pils is lacking in flavour compared to the tripel beers and is what i would call a 'normal beer.' It hasn't got any particularly obvious aromas or flavours and it's not got the subtle added extras that they do. It is however extremely drinkable although I would say it's perhaps not as crisp as other pilsners and so is a little less refreshing.

St Bernadus Wit 5.5%

Rodenbach Grand Cru

St Feuillien Blonde 7.5%

Chimay Tripel 8%

Delirium

Tripwl Karmeliet

Leffe Brun

Vedette

Rochefort

Ghentse Tripel

Petrus

Geuze

Keizer Karel Robijn Rood

Keizer Karel Blond

Affligem Tripel

Chimay Bleu

Kasteel Tripel

Kreik

Hoegaarden

La Trappe

Brugge Zot

Anvers Tripel

Ommergang

Gouden Carolus