Belgian beer: varieties, prices, photos

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Do you want to go to beer heaven? In this case, you need to go to Belgium! In this country, a real cult of this foamy drink. It is to the Belgians what wine is to the French. It produces more than 600 types of beer in a variety of styles. At the same time, each Belgian beer, the varieties of which are described in this article, has a unique taste and is unique in its own way.

Germany, in comparison with Belgium, has more breweries, the same Czechs drink more liters per person annually, while the centuries-old love of the inhabitants of Belgium for the art of brewing is multifaceted and deep, like culture and national cuisine, rooted customs, which for another person may seem surprising and strange.

It is difficult to explain why such a festive and diverse culture has developed here. Probably, the reason for this was the dirty water of the Middle Ages, instead of which this drink of church production was often drunk. abbeys contributedthe spread of artisanal methods, purity and locality of the product, which have become fashionable concepts in the food world today.

Little Belgium is a land of regions, each proud of its own identity. The special taste, style and recipes of Belgian beer are valued here. Thoroughly researching all its diversity is the work of a lifetime, but now we will look at the most popular varieties.

Floris Kriek (Belgian cherry beer)

Cherry exotic, refreshing, light, top-fermented beer that has the aroma of freshly picked cherries. It is moderately sweet, with a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. This Belgian cherry beer is made from water, hops, wheat and barley m alt. Fresh cherry juice is added to the finished drink.

This beer has 30% juice. It is consumed slightly chilled, like its fruit counterparts Huyghe Belgian Floris, without the risk of getting drunk due to the low alcohol level (3.6%). The danger lies in the excessive use of this amazing drink, since its taste is actually indescribable and requires frequent repetition. The cost of a glass of drink is about 180 rubles.

Trappiste (Trappist beer)

6 of the 8 Trappist breweries are located in Belgium. Westmalle, a Trappist brewery, produced its first drink in 1836. Trappiste is a constant pursuit of purity, tradition and quality. This Belgian beer is produced in small quantities in monasteries, which giveshim exclusivity.

Interestingly, there are six existing brewing abbeys across the country, each representing a different locality. So, Achel is located on a green, flat area near the border with Holland. Chime is near the French border among the forests; Orval - far to the south; Rochefort - near the hills and forests of the Ardennes; Westmalle - in the east, near the once powerful state of Antwerp; Westvleteren is located near the North Sea.

The cost of a glass of this beer is around 250 rubles.

Lambic (lambic)

Lambik is a traditional beer produced in Pajottenland, near Brussels. This Belgian beer is produced by natural fermentation using wild yeast. This makes it dry, like cider or wine, with a slightly bitter and sour taste. The drink is aged for three years in sherry or port wine barrels.

Lambics are very often sweetened or mixed. They are produced in a variety of styles, some of which have only recently been recognized by an international audience. The cost of a bottle of 0.5 liters is 180 rubles.

Abbey

Belgium owes its brewing culture to the monks, most of whom arrived in the country as refugees during the French Revolution, when violent anti-church uprisings broke out. Belgian Abbey beer can be used as a brand, as well as a connection to this historical event, while makingcertified drink is associated precisely with the monasteries. Some of its varieties still bear the names of famous abbeys today.

Both Abbey and Trappist brands of beer include several types of drinks at once, which differ in composition and strength, for example, the classic types of Dubbel, Tripel and Enkels, which reflected the Holy Trinity, and also presented the real strength of the drink. Some brewers today make Quadrupel, a particularly strong beer. A glass costs about 100 rubles.

Golden Ale (gold or pale ale)

This Belgian beer can be rich and strong, with a golden hue, as well as lighter in strength and hue. Golden ales are not very hoppy, nor are they flavored with spices. Pilsner m alt is often used in their preparation.

It should be noted that Duvel beer is an example of a Belgian golden ale. By the way, diabolical images can be traced in all types of golden ales. They are adored by the Belgians themselves, in Wallonia you will find them everywhere. The cost of a glass is about 300 rubles.

Belgian white beer

This beer nearly disappeared in the 1970s, when a young entrepreneurial farmer began to revive local traditions.

Belgian brewers often add spices to their beer, coriander is the most popular of them. This is a reminder of the time when the drink was brewed without hops at all, seasoning it with a mixture of different spices and herbs. White weak beervery refreshing, especially in summer. The average price of a glass of such a drink is 130 rubles.

Red Ale

This is the true pride of West Flanders. When making it, they use a special dark m alt that gives it a red tint. At the same time, to improve its quality, young beer is mixed with already aged beer.

This ale has a slightly sour taste. It is prepared by natural fermentation, while aging in oak barrels for up to 2 years. Usually tasters in it reveal slightly bitter and rich fruity notes. Interestingly, red ale tastes more like wine. A bottle of this ale will cost you 150 rubles.

Brown Ale

West Flanders, as we have already learned, is famous for its red ale. But her neighbor from the east is brown.

Oud Bruin is a blend of aged and young beers. It is close in taste to lambic. Many varieties of this drink are softened and brightened by the addition of fruit flavors. A bottle of this beer will cost you 280 rubles on average.

Saison (seasonal beer)

During the wet, cold winter months, farmers in distant Wallonia set up their brewing kettles to brew ale that is not too strong and refreshing.

It is sometimes boiled with spices and also with wheat. The strength of such a drink is not less than 5%. Seasonal beer costs an average of 190 rubles.

Stout

Forget plain Guinness! Belgian Stout beer is stronger, more complex and less sweet. Guinness, the beverage giant, even released a version of their Stout to sell to a Belgian beer connoisseur.

Gueuze is a fermented bottled lambic that has been refined and aged for twenty years. Faro ("Faro") - a less strong version with sugar. Belgian beer Kriek ("Scream") in its composition has sour cherries, giving the drink a sour, dry taste. Fruit lambics are very popular today in many countries, although many of them are not authentic lambics.

The price of a glass of such beer is 300 rubles.

And this is just the beginning, just a brief introduction to the most popular local beers. Although there are many more amazing features. For example, each brewer has special glasses made for their own brand of beer. Also interesting is the science and art of serving beer to various national dishes.

The only thing left to do is go to this amazing little country and have a real gastronomic tour while trying all kinds of Belgian beers!