Proper belgian bottle opening

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Budzu

Budzu

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I just bought a beer from Saint Somewhere brewing. It was called Lectio something or other, an amber abbey style ale. I've had the brewery's Saison and was blown away by the uniqueness of it.

Anyway I attempted opening the Lectio and it went Kablooie on me and shot across the room. These beers are under SERIOUS pressure!!

Well I sat there trying to think seriously of the technique of opening these. I don't know anything about champagne or I might've been more prepared. Seems to me that it takes 3 hands.. one to twist the bale, one to hold the cork in place (so it doesn't shoot out like a friggin howitzer), and one to hold the bottle. I had the bottle on the table which is what caused the disaster.. the bottle shot out sideways while I was holding the cork down.

Well the beer did smell excellent all over my kitchen anywho.

Someone help me with how to safely open these, I'm a Belgian NOOB.

Thanks and cheers!
 
I've never had one (yet) blow when I took the cage off. I've always had to pull the cork out (with some twisting and forcing). One hand on bottle, one hand pulling cork.
 
All of the beers I've had from this brewery are like this. Insanely carbonated as well. This was just the first time I've attempted opening one myself. I've also had some other belgians that were as you describe Hammy.

The Saison was so carbed that the moment it hits your mouth it just seemed to turn to vapor. It tasted like eating an invisible delicious pie :)
 
I open belgians just like I open champagne bottles.

1.
Step 1

Get a kitchen towel and a bottle of champagne. If the bottle is wet, dry it off with the towel.
2.
Step 2

Take the foil off of the top of the bottle, uncovering the wire cage.
3.
Step 3

Loosen the wire cage from the top of the bottle while keeping your thumb over the cork. The cage will usually have a part which twists. You twist it and the cage will loosen. Leave the cage on the cork.
4.
Step 4

Cover the top of the bottle with the towel.
5.
Step 5

Hold the bottle in one hand and the towel covering the cork in the other hand.
6.
Step 6

Point the bottle upwards at a 45-degree angle away from you, your guests and anything that could break.
7.
Step 7

Twist the bottle gently while you hold onto the cork with the towel. Pull the bottle slightly down as you twist the bottle. Don't twist the cork.
8.
Step 8

Listen for the satisfying pop. You should get a quiet pop or woosh sound as the cork comes off. It shouldn't really spill much unless it's been shaken, but the towel with catch any drips while keeping the cork from flying off.
9.
Step 9

Remove the towel, the cork and cage and drink up.
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PeRl7rN5Vo&feature=player_embedded#
 
I use the towel trick. Untwist the cage, place towel over cork, slightly twist cork until the pressure pops it out. I try to keep the bottle flat on the counter so I don't disturb the sediment.
 
Thanks Revvy

I bought another bottle of the same, Saint Somewhere's Lectio Divina, and tried that technique. I held the bottle against my waist and used the towel, bottle at 45 degrees. Twisted the cork out ever so slowly, and BOOM it still made quite a pop but none was wasted. Damn that stuff is something else, really violent. Tasty! but very alcoholic and yeasty.

And yeah! The saber trick I learned about for the first time watching "Three Sheets" New's year's eve pub crawl. Pretty awesome. Great show too, check it out on Hulu.. I'm hooked on Three Sheets.

Cheers guys! Sante!
 
I've got a bottle of Lectio on my desk at work. It makes a great rubber band holder. :ban:

I've heard that on bottling days, they will allow anybody to volunteer to help in exchange for some beer. If they weren't across the state from me I'd love to find out if that was true. Tasty stuffs.
 

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