I don't like belgian beer

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kunstler

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So, I'm not a belgian fan - I don't mind spices and fruits and other things that can give you a different flavor and I see them as widening the possibilities, but belgian yeast just gives beer a nasty taste in my book.


I have spent time in Antwerpen (antwerp in english) and I still found myself drinking dutch and german beer there - couldn't stomach the oh so specific "belgian" taste that I can never describe.

Is something wrong with me? I am really not a connosoir of fine beer unless I'm in love with Belgians?
 
Dont feel bad that you dont like something. Everyone has different tastes.
You should try St Bernardus Abt 12, then see what you think of Belgian beers.
 
kunstler said:
Is something wrong with me? I am really not a connosoir of fine beer unless I'm in love with Belgians?
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with having different tastes. I didn't like Belgians when I started drinking craft beers, but they grew on me after a while and are now one of my favorite categories.
 
BeerCigars said:
Dont feel bad that you dont like something. Everyone has different tastes.
You should try St Bernardus Abt 12, then see what you think of Belgian beers.
Click to expand...

What he said.

I'm guessing you might be trying Belgian beers of one or two specific types. While I love Rochefort and Orval, I'm not a huge Pavel Kwak fan. Very different beers.
 
I have had your general commercial versions as well as homebrew and even before I hear the word "Belgian" I just have this taste that something is "not right" kinda off and "funky" and usually after I think that I hear "its a belgian"

I have NEVER liked BMC or even worse BMC Light. And I've only enjoyed thought out craft beer since I ever started drinking. But for the life of me, its been years now and I still get a funky taste - I can stomach some, others I can't. - it just tastes like the beer went bad. I guess thats the english and irish in my blood - nothing fancy just plain jane tastes
 
For me, Belgians were an acquired taste... Don't give up on them fully, just be particular on what you try using the suggestions above. You will eventually like and appreciate them. Never be afraid to try a new beer, even if you don't like it at least you have a better understanding of that particular beer and its style... For me, things like Duvel & DT were the gateway Belgians... Stella & Jupiler are the BMC of Belgians, another good place to start.
 
i used to hate belgian beers for those exact reasons, but now i can't get enough of them. especially belgian dark strongs...... oh yummy. and flanders red!!!!

i'm thirsty.
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with not liking Belgian beer. That just leaves more for me. :D

edit: man, people type fast.
 
I love the belgian yeast profiles. They are my favorite beers right now. Especially the Trappists. I've not got to try them all but have had Orval, Westmalle, Chimay (red blue and white), Rochefort (6,8,10), but have not seen Westvleteren, Achel or Koningshoeven anywhere.
I also LOVE Delirium Noel, not a fan really though of the Tremens
 
Well you still havnt told us what Belgian style/type of beers your talking about . You might be talkning about Belgina Witbiers for all we know.
 
Read up on the style. Read a few reviews of what you are drinking. Normally I like to drink a beer and then write what I perceive, but sometimes it is helpful to have people say they detect hints of cloves with sweet apple undertones...... You get the idea. And then see if you find the same things. When drinking the beer try to break it down into it's distinct flavors.
 
Forgive me fellow brewers, for I too do not like Belgian beers. I’ve tried and tried and will try again, but at present I leave those ales for you.
 
I did not like hoegaarden - didn't have that funky tinge, but didn't like it.

I had Palm at a beer festival first had a funky taste in the back side...first was like 'oh not too bad', and then had a funky aftertaste
I've had Maredsesous 8 I love dark beer and thought it would be a good gateway - yuck

I've tried a couple belgian blonde homebrews - again had the funky taste

and the worse of them all was Delirium Noel (sorry Irregularpulse) had that at a tasting and I almost threw up. I try, I just don't like. I guess I'm more of a "roasty" kind of guy. I think its the yeast profile that does it for me - that spoiled, sour, infected taste that I can't get over.

I can drink Sam Adams Blackberry Wit, the first sip I'm usually oh man I don't know why I don't drink it more often, and then I get a slight aftertaste that I usually could do without. I like fruit wheats but not wits if the taste is too strong, and there isn't much of a difference there.
 
Flander Red and Oud Bruin FTW!!!!!! My favorite styles of beer, find some good examples of those and I'll bet you reconsider that not liking Belgian beers thing.
 
Mike M said:
Forgive me fellow brewers, for I too do not like Belgian beers. I’ve tried and tried and will try again, but at present I leave those ales for you.
Click to expand...

Glad I'm not the only one, I do try, but I can't just enjoy. I go out looking for them thinking I'll find the one, but alas she's never there.
 
kunstler said:
and the worse of them all was Delirium Noel (sorry Irregularpulse) had that at a tasting and I almost threw up. I try, I just don't like. I guess I'm more of a "roasty" kind of guy. I think its the yeast profile that does it for me - that spoiled, sour, infected taste that I can't get over.
Click to expand...

No apologies needed here. People have different tastes. It's that funk that I like about the belgians. I just wish I had more access to try some more sours. What really opened me to more beers was trying to taste them for what they're suppose to be, not just what I tend to prefer. But, we drink for enjoyment, drink what you enjoy.

The sweaty Horse blanket description of some more funky beers probably gross's some out, but it intrigues me and makes me wish I could find them.
 
Belgians have been an acquired taste for myself, too. When I first starting drinking them I found the sweetness of the blondes very overwhelming, almost stomach turning.

Once I started experiencing different varieties, I found that I really enjoyed the complexities of some of them. They're not always my first choice, but they've definitely become a part of my regular drinking menu.
 
Forgive me for interjecting, but Belgian isn't a really a style, more a really big appellation. There are far too many breweries in Belgium doing very different things to limit it to the country. @OP, have you had Saison DuPont or Fantome Saison? How about true lambic (Girardin, Drie Fonteinen)? What about DeKoninck? All are entirely different and can help you determine what you do like. At any rate, it does just sound like the abbey yeast profile is what you can't stomach. c'est la vie.
 
I like some belgians, and very much dislike others. It's not the yeast for me, it's the sour. I like Wits and several other styles, but none of the tart or sour styles are drinkable. Actually, you got me craving a Belgian right now... A kind of funky flavor, slightly sweet, lightly hoppy...
 
I think nobel nailed it with the abbey style yeast. That's what I think of when I say Belgian. I say Sours for Sours and and wit's for wits.
 
So, don't like Belgians. There's nothing wrong with that. That's one of the reasons folks brew other stuff.

I don't like jarred mayonnaise, sweet tea, ballet, or NBA basketball.


TL
 
+1 to not liking the NBA. A bunch of overpaid yoyos if you ask me. Also, I think there is too much hype surrounding some of these Belgian beers. Especially when you have to pony up 5 or 6 bucks for an 11.2 oz bottle. Kinda gets old after a while IMO.
 
TexLaw said:
So, don't like Belgians. There's nothing wrong with that. That's one of the reasons folks brew other stuff.

I don't like jarred mayonnaise, sweet tea, ballet, or NBA basketball.


TL
Click to expand...

Isn't that the official state drink of Texas? I'm amazed you haven't been booted from the state.
 
Off topic but what is with people calling them "Belgiums"? I've seen a couple threads with it recently though thankfully not this one. Don't these people know Belgium is the country and Belgian is the adjective used to describe items originating in the country? I actually heard a guy keep saying "Belgiums" once and it was driving me crazy.
 
noblesquirrel said:
Forgive me for interjecting, but Belgian isn't a really a style, more a really big appellation. There are far too many breweries in Belgium doing very different things to limit it to the country. @OP, have you had Saison DuPont or Fantome Saison? How about true lambic (Girardin, Drie Fonteinen)? What about DeKoninck? All are entirely different and can help you determine what you do like. At any rate, it does just sound like the abbey yeast profile is what you can't stomach. c'est la vie.
Click to expand...

I came in here to say this. Everyone in this thread would be calling the OP a lunatic if he said he just didn't care for American beer.
I think the OP showed his ignorance when he lumped dozens of dramatically different styles together because of their country of origin.
"Care for a sip of Pliny the Elder?"
"No thanks, I've had Kentucky Breakfast Stout and didn't much care for it."
Replace PTE with Cuvee Renee and KBS with Rochefort, and you see how ludicrous this is.
 
maskednegator said:
I came in here to say this. Everyone in this thread would be calling the OP a lunatic if he said he just didn't care for American beer.
I think the OP showed his ignorance when he lumped dozens of dramatically different styles together because of their country of origin.
"Care for a sip of Pliny the Elder?"
"No thanks, I've had Kentucky Breakfast Stout and didn't much care for it."
Replace PTE with Cuvee Renee and KBS with Rochefort, and you see how ludicrous this is.
Click to expand...

Belgian beers get lumped together because they are so dramatically different from other countries. Most are on the extreme side of beer taste and are unique. It's that uniqueness that that makes them seem Belgian.
 
kunstler said:
Is something wrong with me? I am really not a connosoir of fine beer unless I'm in love with Belgians?
Click to expand...

Absolutely not! Belgian ales can be intriguing, exotic, historic, etc, etc and they are certainly very trendy right now in the US craft beer world but they're not for everybody. I have zero tolerance for the smell and taste of phenols. Since many Belgian yeasts produce phenols making them a signature component of lots of Belgian beers I just can't drink those brews. However, I do like a taste of the occasional Boon Kriek and sour Flanders ale so don't dismiss 100% of the Belgian beers. :mug:
 
Some, like Guldan Draak or Delirium Tremens, I find undrinkable.

Others, like Orval or Rodenbach I could swill all day. Although I doubt I would make it till sundown...
 
Nah, nothing wrong with you.. ebveryones tastes are different. Personally i don't like Pale ale's much.. i just can't stomach the hoppiness.. I prefer the more malty beers, so i like alot of belgians. And pilseners are more my thing.
Just figure out what you like, and enjoy those styles.. And you never know when you grow tired of them, maybe others would have grown on you

Oh, and so that means more belgians for me :)
 
maskednegator said:
I came in here to say this. Everyone in this thread would be calling the OP a lunatic if he said he just didn't care for American beer.
I think the OP showed his ignorance when he lumped dozens of dramatically different styles together because of their country of origin.
"Care for a sip of Pliny the Elder?"
"No thanks, I've had Kentucky Breakfast Stout and didn't much care for it."
Replace PTE with Cuvee Renee and KBS with Rochefort, and you see how ludicrous this is.
Click to expand...
This point has already been covered and their is no reason for calling someone ignorant for maybe not knowing as much as you. Everyone starts somewhere and learn from their. So instead of just commenting on his "ignornace", just offer the education.

arturo7 said:
Some, like Guldan Draak or Delirium Tremens, I find undrinkable.

Others, like Orval or Rodenbach I could swill all day. Although I doubt I would make it till sundown...
Click to expand...

Agreed, I'm not a fan of Golden Strongs, and most trippels. I love the darker, maltier dubbels.
 
I did not mean to offend an Belgian citizens or those who enjoy any beer from Belgium.

"Belgian" though not a STYLE it is a lumping or generalization of similar beers I guess that was "wrong" of me, however we all do it - maybe not with beer but in some aspect of our life. Sorry I used what I consider a term that is used (not just by me but quite a few others in the beer world) to describe beer that tends to have a similar characteristics.

I guess it was wrong, but thats not the point.

So let me say this, I am wrong for not liking beer that utilizes trappist yeast - Every one happy now? Jeezz-
 

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