Belgium beers - help me!

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stevedasleeve

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I have not had a Belgium beer I liked - too fruity or too carbonated or too sweet... So far anyway. Tomorrow I'm going here <http://www.granvillemoores.com/index.html> for dinner so I figure I'd try to find a Belgium style I like. I wonder if there is one?!

I like dry, hoppy and, since I originate from the UK , not too carbonated. What should I have? I'm actually much more open than I sound, I'm just not sure what the fuss is all about Belgium beers...yet...!

TIA!

Steve da sleeve
 
Might just no be your cup of tea. High carbonation and fruity phenolics are staples in many examples of the Belgian styles.

You might try a Saison. They are generally higly carbonated, but dry. Some to the extent they resemble slighly funky champagnes. Boulevard with Brett is a very tasty example, and the Brett assures not much in the way of fruitiness.

Also some of the Dubbels have much milder phenolics than their lighter colored cousins like Belgian Pales, Tripels, or goldens. The Dubbel is a dark colored beer, but not most of the fruity esters in the lighter styles.
 
Maybe just a matter of training your palate. I mean, if you're accustomed to dry and hoppy beers, then it might be hard to go to sweet beers. Personally, I'm a big fan of Belgium beers, because it's them that make me love beers, I mean, how not to love beers with an Orval, a Chimay, or better yet, a Rochefort 10? Did you try trappist beers?

However I still have some trouble with England's "hoppy" beers (I have in mind Fuller's London Pride and Fuller's ESB). I might need some others to accustome myself.
 
About a month ago, I was in the exact same boat as you. Like a kid to cauliflour, I couldn't touch a Belgain beer. I've tried a few since I started brewing to see if my tastes had changed and I would automatically start enjoying them. Just didn't happen.

In the beginning of April, a friend bought me a Belgian sampler pack that had multiple types of Belgian beers. It had an Amber, a Blonde, a dubbel, a tripel, and some others that I haven't tried. So far, I've actually really enjoyed the Amber and the Blonde. They didn't have that super-high carb level that was urking me in the other Belgians I had tried. It also didn't have the high level of spiciness that the others had either. So the door was open. I could start exploring Belgian Blondes and Ambers.

Fast forward to this weekend. I was in upstate New York, and we went to Brewery Ommegang. I took their tour, which was fantastic. I learned in the tour that they use a lot of spices in their brew, things like anise, corriander, orange peel, etc. For me, simply gaining the understanding that they're not just using grains, hops, water and yeast, was enough to help me appreciate the Belgian beers a little more.

After the tour, they took us into a very nicely done sampling room, where we were able to sample all of their beers. We had their Witte (Belgian White/Witbier), Ommegang(Abbey Ale), Hennepin (Saison), Rare Vos (Amber), Three Philosophers (blended ale/kriek) and Ommegeddon (dry hopped Belgian ale w/ Brett yeast). Aside from the Witte, which had a little too much carbonation for my tastes, I enjoyed every one of them.

If you wanted to venture into Belgians, and have an opportunity to try the Rare Vos, do it. It was my favorite from their offerings. The Ommegang Abbey and the Hennepin were close seconds.
 
It's all about which Belgium beers you're tasting, too. The OP didn't mention any beers he tasted. I mean, not all Belgium beers are good.
 
Common mistake, but one that bothers me: it's Belgian beers, not 'Belgium' beers.

Also, I agree that it would help to know what you have tried. If you've tried Tripel's from three different breweries, it's unlikely (though not impossible) that you'll like one from a fourth. So if you list some Belgian styles you've tried but haven't liked and then some non-Belgian styles that you do like, it would be easier to make useful suggestions.

My suggestion from the information I have is to try a style you've never tried before.
 
Common mistake, but one that bothers me: it's Belgian beers, not 'Belgium' beers.
Thanks, I was getting confused. I always used "Belgian beers", but since the OP is originating from the UK, well, I thought I was wrong (since english isn't my first language).
 
Common mistake, but one that bothers me: it's Belgian beers, not 'Belgium' beers.QUOTE]

Thanks! My wife is Belgian, and living in an American community in Belgium, I often here about "Belgium beers", my wife being "Belgium", etc. It really drives me crazy! Just thought I'd vent.:rockin:
 
Well maybe Belgium beers are just not for me. I suspect the people who love Belgium beers are all from Belgian. Me I'm from Scrotland & I like Scottish beers, Scotch beers though - don't know who came up with that, probably an America.

Actually when I first came to American I was quite sure all America beers were awful - and I was wright, but then came craft brewers and now I truly believe American has the best beers. Do you remember the joke about making love in a canoe? I can't tell it anymore!

FWIW and YMMV and WTF!

Steve da sleeve

PS I'm going for some sour beers tonight & I'll try a Rare Vos if they have it - thanks for the advice & entertainment!
 
Characterizing Belgian beers as singular whole would be a maddening experience. The range of styles and flavors is so wide that one could say the only the only thing they all have in common is "Made in Belgium" printed somewhere on the label.

Perhaps the closest example of a Belgian beer to the criteria you state would be Stella Artois.

But...since you are open to trying new flavors and styles, get a bottle each of Duvel, Delerium Tremens, Silly Saison, DuPont, and De Koninck and give them a shot. That's just barely scratching the surface.
 
One of the most popular beers the Belgians drink is Juplier, but don't expect to find it in the US though.

While I was living in Belgium this was the most popular beer and it fits the profile of a lager. Can't recall the specifics of it... wonder why?

After Juplier my favorite is St. Feuillien. I went on a double dinner date over to my French/Belgian girlfriend's house and we brought (me and my buddy) a bottle of champagne. My girlfriend made us take it home and she served St. Feuillien instead.

Oh how I miss my time in Belgium.

m.
 
Thanks! My wife is Belgian, and living in an American community in Belgium, I often here about "Belgium beers", my wife being "Belgium", etc. It really drives me crazy! Just thought I'd vent.:rockin:[/QUOTE]

Does she cook belgium waffles for you?:cross:

but, seriously, it irks me too.
 
I went. I had a pale ale, and then I had a dark ale on draft. Both tasted fruity, slightly sweet and very carbonated. Then I had a Blackcurrent lambic which tasted fruity, slightly sweet and very carbonated. All were quite strong. None appealed in the slightest.

The beer dinner was cancelled due to a "family emergency" so I gave up and went to have Ethiopian food with my beloved.
 
Common mistake, but one that bothers me: it's Belgian beers, not 'Belgium' beers.

Thanks! My wife is Belgian, and living in an American community in Belgium, I often here about "Belgium beers", my wife being "Belgium", etc. It really drives me crazy! Just thought I'd vent.:rockin:

Hmm, well in Germany I always see people calling them Belgium beers, not Belgian. I correct them all the time, but they don't listen to me. They must not know the correct way of saying things since they are 15 minutes away, and I'm used to being 6000 miles away.
 
Hmm, well in Germany I always see people calling them Belgium beers, not Belgian. I correct them all the time, but they don't listen to me. They must not know the correct way of saying things since they are 15 minutes away, and I'm used to being 6000 miles away.

That could just be regional, too. Dialects and such are so different in many places. In the States, Belgian is the preferred terminology. If you're agreeing with this, then cool. If not, then cool.

I like your screen name, regardless. One of my top 5 favorite bands ever.
 
I am with the OP here. I have tried a few things tripels, chimay, a some stuff from ommegang and i don't care for any of it. it doesn't mean i don't respect the style, just not for me. the yeast dominates the whole flavor and just gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach just thinking about it. i do feel like i'm missing out though.

i do however enjoy witbier! It is the style that got me into craft brews and brewing. Actually its going to be the next thing i brew. Maybe i'll revisit some of the styles again down the road.

+1 for the OP to try a saison
 
La Chouffe Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel.

You can read about it here: http://beeradvocate.com/articles/663.

I really don't like this beer, and if the OP doesn't like em too hoppy I think he should stay away.

If you like Scottish Ales then the maltier Belgian styles should appeal to you. Try some Dubbels or Quads. Corsendonk Abbey Brown is great. St. Feullien might be too sweet, but Delirium Nocturne is a nice widely appealing beer. Westmalle makes a nice one too.

Also if you haven't tried Orval its nice and dry.
 
I really don't like this beer, and if the OP doesn't like em too hoppy I think he should stay away.

If you like Scottish Ales then the maltier Belgian styles should appeal to you. Try some Dubbels or Quads. Corsendonk Abbey Brown is great. St. Feullien might be too sweet, but Delirium Nocturne is a nice widely appealing beer. Westmalle makes a nice one too.

Also if you haven't tried Orval its nice and dry.

Elaborating on what I recommended. I agree, and you also seem to be a big fan of Abbey ales, specifically Trappist Abbey ales. Have you ever been able to get your hands on Westvleteren?
 
Elaborating on what I recommended. I agree, and you also seem to be a big fan of Abbey ales, specifically Trappist Abbey ales. Have you ever been able to get your hands on Westvleteren?

I'm a big fan of a lot of beers :mug:

Unfortunately I have not gotten my hands on a Westy, but I will one day. I was in Brussels only for 1 day because the rest of my group were pansies and wanted to see Paris. Only got to have a couple pints in a cafe near the train station, but nothing I couldn't get over here anyway. I'll go back and spend some time touring around with some beer geeks eventually.

P.S. Paris was a waste of time and money (the trip started in Amsterdam)
 
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