Trappist Ale --- The proper serving

[KevinJoe]

I've always been intrigued by Trappist Ales. A few weeks ago I finally found a local wine store that had a pretty decent variety.

I picked up a Rochefort 6 and was pretty impressed. The next time I go to that store I plan on picking up the Rochefort 10 (I hear it is pretty amazing).

Do you guys have any tips for properly serving this beer? The last beer I had, I think I may have drank it a little too cold because it was hard to taste all the flavors.

Cheers!

 

[smizak]

I like mine cellar temp, cool but not cold. Definitely need a tulip or goblet glass, a pint glass is designed to basically fire liquid straight down your throat. A good beer glass captures aromas and the angle of the edge forces the beer over your tongue before you swallow it.

 

[MeatyPortion]

What smizak said plus when I pour the beer I save about a 1/2 " in the bottom of the bottle and then spin it which mixes the sediment with the remaining beer. Pour it into the goblet and you get more aroma and flavor.

 

[BuonAnno]

I use either my Dogfish Head Signature Glass or my Chimay Chalice. I think both of these really capture the aroma and lend themselves to sipping.

Where in Jersey did you find these?

 

[McGarnigle]

If the question is, with what food would you drink it? I'd say none. I know people recommend all sorts of combinations with trappists, but when I spend that kind of money on a beer, I want to taste it alone.

 

[CreekBrewery]

What smizak said plus when I pour the beer I save about a 1/2 " in the bottom of the bottle and then spin it which mixes the sediment with the remaining beer. Pour it into the goblet and you get more aroma and flavor.

I thought this wasn't done with trappist ales? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just thought it was a hefeweizen thing. What I have done is poured the leftovers into a shot-glass to drink separately... I'm not wasting anything

 

[jja]

Do you guys have any tips for properly serving this beer?
Cheers!

1. remove beer from shelf, note at room temp (60s F, certainly not below 50F)

2. pour beer into proper glass, stopping short to avoid sediment (this one may have gotten stirred up a bit, oops)

3. present

4. try all 3 together (with friends)

HTH

 

[ZWood15]

Where is that?!? Looks like heaven...

 

[jwatkins56550]

A lot of belgian beers will have their recommended serving temps, and pouring instructions, along with the proper glass ( which is usually their own breweries glass) listed somewhere on the bottle.

 

[musick]

Where is that?!? Looks like heaven...

That face...a total blast from the past!!!!

Hmmm....its been a number of years since I was last there, but I swear that is Leen....

If it is her, that is the Kulminator in Antwerp. For beer geeks, it is THE bar in the entire world, if you are into some serious Belgian brews.

The beer menu is the size of a phonebook!

I talked Dirk and Leen into giving me a bunch of random Belgian paraphernalia...some LaChouffe items, a Kwak and Chimay metal sign...some other items too. Did some lateral tasting - a '73, '83 and '93 Chimay.

Seriously though, it is THE bar!

 

[DizzyPants]

I used to work on Cruise Ships and Antwerp was one of our first Euro stops. I fell in love with the bartender named Imca. She had the beer knife thing for the foam. I was ready to propose right there.

A hot girl, with a beer knife. Priceless.

~Diz

 

[MeatyPortion]

I thought this wasn't done with trappist ales? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just thought it was a hefeweizen thing. What I have done is poured the leftovers into a shot-glass to drink separately... I'm not wasting anything

No idea if it's right or not but when I was in Belgium that's how they poured it for me. I like it and it really does seem to add to the beer rather than not.

 

[Edcculus]

Never been to Belgium, but I think its pretty much a matter of preference on whether to add the yeast or not. In a Belgian, its really not going to hurt anything, unless you just don't like yeast.

 

[KevinJoe]

In northern Jersey i go to a place called Gary's Wine and Marketplace. (www.garyswine.com).

They have a pretty great selection and usually have pretty good prices.

I paid like $5 for a bottle.

 

[Houblon]

97 Westvleteren served at room temp- 58f

Dirk says Hi!

Never been to Belgium, but I think its pretty much a matter of preference on whether to add the yeast or not. In a Belgian, its really not going to hurt anything, unless you just don't like yeast.

No they don't do the swirl & add yeast, thats very much a hefeweizen serving habit.

Now some brands do come with a shot glass to be served along with the `neat glass.

 

[smizak]

97 Westvleteren served at room temp- 58f

U suck.

 

[Houblon]

U suck.

LOL, should I tell ya we drank every beer on that list

 

[MeatyPortion]

Interesting. I could swear they did the swirl thing with the yeast at the place I was at but that was only one bar out of thousands so it is apparently the exception.

 

[jja]

musick got it: the Kulminator in Antwerp. Well worth a visit (or two or...)

 

[carnevoodoo]

Yeah, I would never swirl the yeast on a Belgian beer.