Belgian session ales?

snailsongs · 04-30-2009, 11:37 AM

MODS: I re-posted this in Recipes/ingredients....feel free to delete this 'whoops" posting.Belgian beer is a category I haven't tackled at all, and I think the only proper Belgian beer I've ever had was Chimay Grand Reserve. I liked it and appreciated the flavor profile, but it was quite strong and almost liquour like which precludes it as a regular at my house.
My brewing choices lean more toward the sessionable side most of the time. Maybe what I'm after here would be like a Belgian Single, as opposed to the 'grande reserve' triple.....is there such a thing? What would be some good belgian "session" ales (lets say, anything under 1.060-65) to try and/or try to brew that are characteristically Belgian in flavor and temperment (no Wit's - that I have tried)?

Feel free to link to or post recipe's for me and anyone else interested to ponder......

JesseRC · 04-30-2009, 11:40 AM

I've brewed Abbey of Leffe Bruin clone by Austin Homebrew Supply. I wouldn't call it a session beer, but its not a real high gravity beer. When I think session beer, I think 4-5% . What were you thinking. I really liked the AHS clone. Let it warm up to room temp a bit and its real nice, but I've thought about wanting to do something similiar but maybe a bit less sweet and less alcohol.

**Coastarine** · 04-30-2009, 11:44 AM

The Brewing Network.com - :

The Jamil Show podcast on Belgian Pale Ale^

Here is Jamil's Belgian Pale recipe from Brewing Classic Styles:

OG 1.052
FG 1.012
IBU 26
ABV 5.3%

11.2 lbs continental pilsner (or 8.3lbs pilsner LME)
0.75 lbs caramunich
0.25 lbs biscuit
mash at 152*F

1.3 oz EKG 5% AA 60min
0.3 oz EKG 5% AA 0min

WLP515 Antwerp Ale or Wyeast 3655 Belgian Schelde
Ferment at 66*F

mkling · 04-30-2009, 03:25 PM

This month's Zymurgy (May-June) has a whole section on Belgian session beers -- Blondes, Wits, BPAs, Tafelbier (sort of a Belgian Mild made for kids), and Paterbier -- the original Trappist single. I may be leaving one out, but that's a place to look.

Joos · 04-30-2009, 10:34 PM

you need to work up your alcohol tolerance

If I could afford it I'd drink chimay blue all night.I'm attempting a clone on staurday

Berlbrew · 05-01-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joos

you need to work up your alcohol tolerance

If I could afford it I'd drink chimay blue all night.I'm attempting a clone on staurday

If you're in Taunton, Mass you and you want to drink Chimay Blue all night go to Punjab Palace in Allston on Brighton Ave, it's somehow $3.50 a bottle and when I ate there (and ordered 2 Blues) they never showed up on the bill!

Joos · 05-01-2009, 07:27 PM

REally?!!? It's more than that in the liquor store!Thanks for the tip man.Know of any good hotels in alston?Not making that trip to drive home sober

Last time I was in boston I took the T up and left the bar waaaaaay after it stopped running

Berlbrew · 05-01-2009, 07:30 PM

Haha, yea it's a crazy deal! Punjab is an Indian restaurant and they just added beer to their menu, though seeing as how they're across the street from Sunset (350+ beers) and down the street from Deep Ellum they had to kind of go all out.

As far as hotels, thats tough. The T stops running just before 1am and there really aren't any hotels in Allston. There are some close by though that would be a cheap drunk cab ride from Allston. Check the Best Western on Commonwealth in Brookline or the Double Tree just across the river in Cambridge.

Joos · 05-01-2009, 07:33 PM

Or maybe I could just drive up,then drink enough so I don't mind sleeping in my car

Berlbrew · 05-01-2009, 07:38 PM

There's an idea! Hopefully you don't wake up with your car on the back of a tow truck on its way to the BTD lot!