What is the big deal about Belgian Beers?

[BertusBrew]

I have yet to have a Belgian that I really enjoyed. It seems like everybody on here and most of my beer drinking friends rave about Belgian ales. I know everybody has their own personal tastes and opinions, but it seems like I am totally in the minority among real beer drinkers with my opinion of Belgians.

 

[Walker]

I have yet to have a Belgian that I really enjoyed. It seems like everybody on here and most of my beer drinking friends rave about Belgian ales. I know everybody has their own personal tastes and opinions, but it seems like I am totally in the minority among real beer drinkers with my opinion of Belgians.

You are not alone.

I can count the number of belgian beers I have tried and liked on one hand, and I don't even need most of my fingers.

 

[Nateo]

"Belgian beers" is such a huge and diverse category. That's like saying "What's the deal with American beers?" If you haven't had any you liked, you haven't tried enough of them.

 

[gomb]

Its kinda the same thing as all the ipa hype. I absolutely hate ipas, but alot of people like them so I chalk it up to alot of people have different tastes. That and there are many different flavors of Belgian beers, allowing for a broader fan base.

 

[BertusBrew]

I don't claim to know all that much about Belgian beers, but people keep talking about Dubbels, Tripels, Belgian Golden Strong Ales, and others. I have tried a bunch of them and just don't like them.

 

[TheMan]

"Belgian beers" is such a huge and diverse category. That's like saying "What's the deal with American beers?" If you haven't had any you liked, you haven't tried enough of them.

I completely agree with this. Great way to put it. I am sure if you found your niche in each category you would find some you like. I'm not a huge fan of Belgians, but I do know there are some fantastic ones out there.

 

[chapa]

I generally don't enjoy that "belgian twang" that a lot of the ones I've tried seem to have, but I have had a few decent ones. I tried a Tripel IPA a few weeks ago that was incredible. For those that like them, what are some commercial ones commonly available that you would suggest, for people like me and the OP?

 

[BertusBrew]

I am sure there are some out there that I would like, because I obviously have not tried them all, but what I really am wondering is why it seems people put these beers up on a pedestal.

 

[Walker]

"Belgian beers" is such a huge and diverse category. That's like saying "What's the deal with American beers?" If you haven't had any you liked, you haven't tried enough of them.

I've tried quite a wide range of Belgian beers.

I do not like the flavors of brett, lacto, or wild yeast for sure.

And I've yet to have a Trappist/Abbey ale or a Wit or a Golden Ale or a Saison that I liked.

 

[electrichead]

As you said, personal taste is what its all about. People develop tastes for certain styles and those tastes will tend to change and evolve.

For instance, my SWMBO was a huge fan of Belgians and hated overly hoppy beer styles. However in this past year, she has moved away from her beloved Belgians and is gravitating to IPAs. In fact, the other day she had her first pint of my recently brewed Tripel. After a few sips she looked at me and said "I think it's missing something". I replied "Hops?". A look of surprise came across her face and she replied back "Oh my god, I'm a hop head".

She wants me to brew a Stone Ruination IPA clone for my next batch.

What Belgians have you tasted?

 

[chapa]

what I really am wondering is why it seems people put these beers up on a pedestal.

I could say the same thing about sours! I don't know if these beers are just something you develop a taste for along the line or what. I mean I've been able to drink the samples of them that I've had, but it just isn't a taste I'm into right now. Everybodys tastes and pallets are different, and ever changing it seems like.

 

[BertusBrew]

I don't know if I can name all of them, but Chimay (red and blue), Delerium Tremens, Duvel, La Trappe Dubbel, and I have a homebrewing friend that is really into a lot of different Belgians so I have tried all of his. I'm sure there are others that I can't remember. I'm not necessarily pouring these down the drain, I just don't really enjoy them all that much.

 

[McGarnigle]

"Belgian beers" is such a huge and diverse category. That's like saying "What's the deal with American beers?" If you haven't had any you liked, you haven't tried enough of them.

I think Belgian is a more clearly defined category than American, in that most American beers are derivative of other countries' styles (nothing wrong with that). Belgian beers do generally have certain characteristics (most notably, yeast flavor).

The OP isn't wrong to make a sweeping statement about Belgian beer, he's wrong for making an incorrect sweeping statement. Belgian beer is awesome

 

[HoyaSaxa]

A lot of history and craftsmanship goes into Belgian ales. There is a certain mystique to it, that probably creates more "hype" than appropriate. That said, everyone has different tastes.


Don't fret, you probably like a lot of things others don't...

 

[weirdboy]

You know that thing you like? It sucks!

 

[coypoo]

I don't know if I can name all of them, but Chimay (red and blue), Delerium Tremens, Duvel, La Trappe Dubbel, and I have a homebrewing friend that is really into a lot of different Belgians so I have tried all of his. I'm sure there are others that I can't remember. I'm not necessarily pouring these down the drain, I just don't really enjoy them all that much.

I mean, that is a pretty good lineup of styles/breweries. If you dont like those you probably wont find too many that you do like. Who cares though? Thats why you brew the beer you like and not the beer that "everyone else" wants. (another good reason why opening a brewpub would suck sometimes )

 

[BertusBrew]

I like YOU weirdboy.

Again, I'm not sad or anything that I don't like them, I am not wondering why I don't like them, I just want to know why there is such a big deal made about them. It seems like serious beer people hold Belgian brews in such high esteem.

 

[Rev2010]

For those that like them, what are some commercial ones commonly available that you would suggest, for people like me and the OP?

La Fin Du Monde
Maudite (both these two and pretty much all beers from Unibroue)
Hoegaarden
Hoegaarden Verboden Vrucht
Ommegang - pretty much any of their beers
Quintine Blonde - I've only had it in England so far, never seen it here yet
Lindeman's Framboise (raspberry lambic)
Leffe Blonde
Allagash - pretty much like all their beers


Rev.

 

[Special Hops]

"Belgian beers" is such a huge and diverse category. That's like saying "What's the deal with American beers?" If you haven't had any you liked, you haven't tried enough of them.

I have yet to find one I like. Last year we had a big beer festival in town. I made a point to try as many many belgian beers thinking maybe I just haven't tried the right one. Nope. Didn't like any of them.

I generally don't enjoy that "belgian twang" that a lot of the ones I've tried seem to have,

Yep

I like YOU weirdboy.

Again, I'm not sad or anything that I don't like them, I am not wondering why I don't like them, I just want to know why there is such a big deal made about them. It seems like serious beer people hold Belgian brews in such high esteem.

It's a the new "fad". For a while it has been super hoppy IPAs, now it's belgians

 

[dstar26t]

I didn't like Belgian beer either, until I tried a whole mess of them and found which ones I liked.
Victory Golden Monkey
Tripel Karmeliet
Try all the Trappists (Westmalle, Wesvleteren, Rochefort, Achel, Orval, Chimay)
St. Bernardus
Saison Dupont Vieille Provision
Hop Ruiter
Duvel
Pranqster
Russian River
Lost Abbey
Ithaca Brute

 

[cinderbike]

I would say sours more specifically. Btw, I love Trappist beers.

 

[two_hearted]

I don't claim to know all that much about Belgian beers, but people keep talking about Dubbels, Tripels, Belgian Golden Strong Ales, and others. I have tried a bunch of them and just don't like them.

+1 I only drink them if a friend brings one over and is all jazzed about how awesome it is. I'll drink it, appreciate it, but not reach for another.

Same with lagers. I've tried a lot and really only like very few (mostly the hoppy variety that taste more like an ale). Especially German lagers, don't care for them (/paints target on chest).

 

[jsb]

Call me faddish. I really enjoy the super hoppy IPAs, and even more so the Belgians. I gave up brewing many years ago due to being unexcited about most beers that I could reasonably produce as an extract brewer. Recently though, I started drinking Belgians, specifically Duvel, and most of the Trappist, and it re-ignited my desire to drink and brew beer, so here I am.

For me, the question is "What is the big deal with any beer finished with fruit or vegetable?" Specifically cherry, or pumpkin, or any number of flavorings that I don't think belong in a beer (particularly licorice). But hey, we are all entitled to our opinions. Imagine how boring this board would be if we all agreed that Sam Adam's was beer perfection.

 

[Babachewy]

It's the yeast fruitiness! There's nothing I like better in a beer. I could go on, but that's the main thing.

 

[ACbrewer]

Well I admit to being one who prefers Belgians to say IPA's, but then I prefer sweet to bitters

Which is what I find funny about this thread is everyone talks aobut "this great beer" or "that great beer" and all I taste is the bitter of hops.

With that said, I remember hearing a wine expert talk about wine and when ask "red for red meat, white for white meat" he said "screw that, drink what you like and ignore everyone else"

 

[ChshreCat]

I love Belgian beers, but I'm pretty lukewarm over most lagers and wheat beers. Don't dislike them, but don't think they're great either. To each their own.

 

[Nateo]

I think there are a lot of "Belgian" beers being brewed well in the states. Boulevard has a few of them, like their Double Wit and 6th Glass, Avery's Salvation is pretty great, as are some of the New Belgium offerings in their Lips of Faith series. Someone else mentioned La Fin du Monde, which is a great Belgian-inspired beer from Canada. Brooklyn Brewery's Local One is great too.

I think a lot of the classic "Belgian" beers are more correctly called "Trappist," which refers to the monastic breweries which popularized the dubbel, tripel type beers. I'm honestly not a big fan of Chimay, or the other Trappist breweries. IMO secular breweries have surpassed the Trappist breweries.

From reading Brew Like a Monk, the true Trappist philosophy is to make good beer with simple recipes and local ingredients. I can't argue with that.

 

[weirdboy]

It's a the new "fad". For a while it has been super hoppy IPAs, now it's belgians

Belgians were the fad before super hoppy IPAs. We've moved on to sours now. Keep up with the times!

 

[ArcaneXor]

Belgians were the fad before super hoppy IPAs. We've moved on to sours now. Keep up with the times!

"Belgian" IPAs (yuck), Black IPAs and barrel-aged beers are to be added to that list.

 

[weirdboy]

I like some Belgian IPAs but it really depends. That yeast doesn't work with every hop profile, even though some craft brewers seem to think it does (I won't name any names). I kinda feel like black IPAs are a been-there-done-that thing already. Barrel aged is definitely all the rage, though.

It's ironic that so many brewers are now aging their stuff in bourbon and wine barrels, but now many wineries are aging stuff in stainless as opposed to wood. I really like the crisp, clean flavors of a good wine aged in stainless.