IrregularPulse

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Wiki describes Belgians as "people originating from the Kingdom of Belgium and its historical predecessor states who share a common Belgian culture and Belgian descent. Belgian is not considered an ethnic group as Belgium is made up of two main linguistic and ethnic groups, the Dutch-speaking Flemish and the French-speaking Walloons.

Most Belgians tend to view their culture as an integral part of European culture or Western culture; nevertheless, both main communities tend to make their thousands of individual and collective cultural choices mainly from within their own community."

Definitely offer up a taste. Only way to describe a belgian.

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Erythro73

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How do you describe not being flavorless?

I like to bring to their attention the caramel-taste. I do think this is prominent in most trappist beers (not Orval, but Orval is different) : Rochefort, La Trappe, etc. Caramel is something everyone love, so they are more willing to taste.

soldstatic

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Hahaha that's pretty funny.

I've described french belgians as wanna be frenchies that are twice as self absorbed and snobby about their culture than the french are about theirs. And flemish belgians as less rambunctious germans. Course that may just fit the people i met when I was over there and certainly doesn't apply to everyone. But se la vie.

Jewrican

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i love many styles of beers, but belgians i just cannot do. I dont know what about it i dislike so much, but they are not for me

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JewRican Brew Works

Primary:
Secondary: Graff Cider
Kegged 1: - Terrapin Rye Pale Ale Clone (AG) 2: - Apple Bee (Woodchuck Cider Clone) 3: -
Consumed: Jamil's Sweet Stout (extract), Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (extract, keg), Biermuncher's Black Pearl Porter (extract), Brown Ale (extract), Longhammer IPA clone (Extract), Chocolate Espresso Russian Imperial Stout (Extract),Caramel Vanilla Creme Ale (Extract,bottles), Centennial Blonde (AG), Reindeer Fuel (AG), Banana Cream Ale (extract)

SumnerH

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IMO, the caramel note has nothing to do with whether a beer is Trappist or not. It's pretty common in Belgian strong darks, dubbels, and quads and pretty uncommon in Tripels, Belgian pales, witbiers, and most other Belgian styles, regardless of whether the brewery is Trappist or not. I wouldn't say that Westvleteren Blonde, Chimay Cinq Cents, Westmalle Extra, Orval, Achel Blonde, or La Trappe Witte have any predominant caramel notes.

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On deck: Little Bo Pils, Bretta Off Dead (Brett pale)
Secondary: Oude Bruin, Red Sky at Morning (Sour brown ale)
On tap: Saison Duphunk (sour), Amarillo Slim (IPA), Earl White (ginger/bergamot wit)
Bottled: Number 8 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale), Eternale (Barleywine), Ancho Villa (Ancho/pasilla/chocolate/cinnamon RIS), Oak smoked porter (1/2 maple bourbon oaked, 1/2 apple brandy oaked)

Erythro73

Recipes 

Yah, I'm sorry for the inaccuracies. Thanks for correcting me and I don't know why I wrote it like that. I guess I forgot many styles and had only belgian quadrupel/dubbel in mind.

But when I initiate newbies to these beers, I prefer to use trappist beers, in the lines of a quadrupel or a dubbel. Why? Well, they think a monk brewed the beer they are drinking (even though the majority of the 7 trappist breweries aren't operated by monks, nowadays), which add to the mysticism of the experience (which is a plus), and well, people always love caramel and these beers are full of caramel. The convert is easier this way, and it's by this way that I converted the father-in-law to the world of great beers! Everyone loves a good Rochefort 10!

I think Saisons or Tripels are more difficult to like, for BMC drinkers, than a belgian quad/dubbel. Easier converting. Because, well, the taste is caramel and very different.

And it's also this way a friend of mine introduced me to the world of craft beers. With a Rochefort 10.

MacGruber

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Just tell them it gets you F'd quickly. That's what they mostly care about. It's how I converted one of my good buddy from a BMC to an almost exclusive Tripel or IPA drinker.

Teromous

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Unless the person is versed in beers I don't try to explain it to them, because if they're past their early twenties and haven't discovered craft beers, 90% of the time they either don't care or they will unknowingly use a quote from the movie Idiocracy, like "Ah, you talk like a f**, and your s***'s all retarded."

I find it easier to break it down into terms people will understand like "Enjoy that p***y beer with that salad, and I'll have a man's beer." It doesn't matter if you're not really stuck up or crass, it's just easier for most people to understand.

If a person really wants to get involved in trying different beers, they will seek it out themselves. Just drink something interesting in front of them and wait for them to ask. Give them a brief background and if they don't walk away confused, you've probably struck a chord.

ericd

Recipes 

This. Most people drink just to get drunk.

bradneal

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Ahhhhh, my very favorite beer on the planet!!

I just ordered a Carmelite Triple-Grain Tripel Partial Mash from Northern Brewer... Can't wait!

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