two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Hefe = Bavarian, not Belgian.
What is the big deal about Belgian Beers?
- Thread starter BertusBrew
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Hefe = Bavarian, not Belgian.
Nateo
Well-Known Member
I'm sure he knew that. From the context, he was describing a similar relationship to a different type of beer, one that he appreciates sometimes, but does not desire all of the time.
-TPM-
Well-Known Member
One thing no one has mentioned is ABV, Belgian beers tend to be on the stronger side. Lets be honest one of the reasons people drink beer is for the alcohol.
SumnerH
Well-Known Member
The strong ales and quads certainly are, but pales, lambics, wits, Flanders reds, and lots of others are easily found in sub-5.5% or lower ABVs.
-TPM-
Well-Known Member
I guess that depends on your view point. In the UK 5.5% is fairly high. (I got a pack of 4 different beers for Christmas and not 1 was above 4%). But I think as far as the hype goes it is the big Belgians people tent to rave about.
Bernie Brewer
Grouchy Old Fart
+1. I can't stand IPAs either, and don't really care for sours for that matter. But a good Trappist like Rochefort? Liquid heaven, IMHO.
gr8shandini
Well-Known Member
Hmmm. You must either live next to a State Farm agent or get really confused by the commercials. Seriously though, I was just comparing Belgians to another type of beer that I seldom order, but do have the occasional craving for.
As for the ABV, I tend to shy away from the monsters. I'm not going to say I don't enjoy alcohol, but since they normally come in 750ml bottles, I don't want to feel like I have to drink that much of a 10%er in one sitting. There's plenty of good saisons and abbey styles at 6% or below.
Homebrewtastic
Well-Known Member
I dig Belgian Ales and Belgian styles for the complexity. I'm tired of getting hit over the head with hops. IPAs are great and all but they're kind of like @$$holes... everybody's got one.
Maybe you just haven't tried enough to find one that you like.
La Fin Du Monde = Awesome and a half.
Maybe you just haven't tried enough to find one that you like.
La Fin Du Monde = Awesome and a half.
Right. Most saisons, some Bieres de Garge, all witbiers, and most sours have pretty low to moderate alcohol content. There are a few Belgian lagers, most of which are pretty small. Hell, there are even small Trappist beers. No, they don't usually make their way to the US, but they are brewed.
As to why the big ones seem to get the hype - that's only partly true. The big beer lovers of the Belgian style are no different than ones of any other style of big beer. Count the number of times we have threads with people waxing poetic about barleywines, RISs, IIPAs, and the like. Now compare that to people doing the same about small beers (light lagers, cream ales, milds, etc.). The small beers may be what we drink the most of, but when we're in the mood for something huge, those big beers deliver in such a marvelous way, it's tough not to get stoked about it.
As to why the big ones seem to get the hype - that's only partly true. The big beer lovers of the Belgian style are no different than ones of any other style of big beer. Count the number of times we have threads with people waxing poetic about barleywines, RISs, IIPAs, and the like. Now compare that to people doing the same about small beers (light lagers, cream ales, milds, etc.). The small beers may be what we drink the most of, but when we're in the mood for something huge, those big beers deliver in such a marvelous way, it's tough not to get stoked about it.
Doesn't the UK do alcohol by weight vs. ABV? I really have no clue though.
As for beer, I'm starting to find that even though I claim to love beer, I think I don't like more styles than find enjoyable. Weats, Belgians, Sours, Pumpkin, Christmas, Wild brews, most lagers, etc. So what's that mean?!?
TheSeether
Well-Known Member
The important thing to keep in mind is that Belgian beer, like most any style of beer represents a long and colorful history and culture. Without it the beer world is less rich and diverse and wonderful. Beerlanthropists I should hope we all are. Even if we turn up our nose at a beer we have to respect that our brethren may take delight in it and that some culture is communicated through it. The fact that some cross section of society enjoys a style lends credence to its' existence.
Have you tried Saison Dupont?
ArcaneXor
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2007
- Messages
- 4,502
- Reaction score
- 128
The only beer that can give me a multi-day hangover.
two_hearted
Well-Known Member
Gotcha. Though, I don't get your state farm reference...
Anyways, a lot of people interchange hefe, wit, weiss, white and wheat without understanding the style differences. Just sayin. Should have read more into what you were trying to say.
gr8shandini
Well-Known Member
Just an attempt at humor. You misread my sentence that started with "like a good hefe" and the first thing I thought of when I re-read it was the "like a good neighbor" jingle.
I think what attracts people to Belgians is a bit of adventure. It is Novel (although less so than it was). It is different than what many are used to so they want to try it. There are a bunch of Belgian beers, of all styles, that I like, and then there are a bunch of Belgian beers, of all styles, that I hate. Just like examples for every other style. There are IPA's I love, and some I hate.
I think what happens is that as soon as hints of a fad develop, every Tom, Dick and Harry craft brewer (and homebrewer) has to jump on the band wagon and brew that style. This results in a bunch of bad examples out there (strictly a numbers game, not everyone can brew every style well). Add on top of that a bit of an arms race, where every brewer tries to "out flavor" the others resulting in things like wheat beers that taste like yeast bombs (thankfully that trend seems to have subsided a bit). There are still plenty of good examples out there, you just have to search for them. I'm very fussy about the wheat beers I like. Maybe only 1/3 or less of the ones I try do I really like, and there are only a couple that I love.
I think what happens is that as soon as hints of a fad develop, every Tom, Dick and Harry craft brewer (and homebrewer) has to jump on the band wagon and brew that style. This results in a bunch of bad examples out there (strictly a numbers game, not everyone can brew every style well). Add on top of that a bit of an arms race, where every brewer tries to "out flavor" the others resulting in things like wheat beers that taste like yeast bombs (thankfully that trend seems to have subsided a bit). There are still plenty of good examples out there, you just have to search for them. I'm very fussy about the wheat beers I like. Maybe only 1/3 or less of the ones I try do I really like, and there are only a couple that I love.
I have tried many Belgian ales and I continue to brew several; I love them. But yes, as a style they tend to be distinct, and due to the broad spectrum of beer drinkers out there, they aren't for everybody. I personally think that they are not over-hyped and they deserve much praise. But to each his own.
Similar threads
