What's your favorite Belgian

[sieglere]

I love Belgian beers having been to Belgium, brewing a green tea Belgian witbier, and a grand cru as a holiday beer. I was thinking of brewing a Belgian double this weekend and was wondering which recipe to start from.

I was wondering what your favorite Belgian recipes, commercial brews/breweries in Belgium, perhaps even Belgian people for good measure. I do partial mash brewing and have lagering capabilities

 

[ColoHox]

I am also a huge fan of Belgians. My favorite commercial variety is probably Straffe Hendrik from De Halve Mann in Bruges. I have been fortunate enough to travel to Belgium and try some of the hyped varieties like Westy. But for Belgians you can actually find and drink Straffe Hendrik and St. Berny 12 are great.

As far as recipes go, check out CSI. Those guys have some great and tested recipes. I have tried a few myself, namely the Westy clone and Westmalle dubbel, both came out great. You will have to do some partial mash conversions though.

 

[sieglere]

I am also a huge fan of Belgians. My favorite commercial variety is probably Straffe Hendrik from De Halve Mann in Bruges. I have been fortunate enough to travel to Belgium and try some of the hyped varieties like Westy. But for Belgians you can actually find and drink Straffe Hendrik and St. Berny 12 are great.

How did you feel about brooje zot?

 

[ColoHox]

How did you feel about brooje zot?

Kind of boring, but definitely drinkable. Better at the brewery than from the bottle I brought home. I prefer their stronger triple and quad.

 

[Oceantendency]

hhmm Quad's are good ! Dubbels are actually easy to make, but it's the waiting for aging properly that will drive you mad, however a couple green Belgians after 3-4 months ain't bad. I just love the balance of Trappist and Dubbels are. Quads are great when they're done right.

 

[sieglere]

Kind of boring, but definitely drinkable. Better at the brewery than from the bottle I brought home. I prefer their stronger triple and quad.

I only had it at the brewery. Also the link you sent looks really promising.

 

[bleme]

I have very limited experience with Belgian beers, despite trying every one I can get my hands on. There just aren't that many offered out here. With all the IPA's, there just isn't room.

My favorite so far would have to be New Belgium's Grand Cru Abbey though.

 

[Bob]

Hercule Poirot.



Seriously, I enjoy the heck out of fresh Witbier, but only if it's fresh.

Cheers,

Bob

 

[psubrewer]

Orval and Rochefort 10 would get my vote. Orval is such an interesting beer and 10 is my favorite quad.

I also had bruge zot at the brewery and very much enjoyed it. Outside the brewery not so much.

 

[peterj]

Definitely this one!

 

[ColoHox]

What about this guy?

 

[TheZymurgist]

St. Bernardus Apt. 12, Gulden Draak, and Delerium Nocturnum are my favorite Belgians. I've been debating on whether to try a clone I found of GD. I love that beer so much, I would hate to be disappointed.

 

[bethebrew]

My favorite Belgian has to be IMF Red.

That stuff rules!

 

[danielofthedale]

Rochefort 10 and Duchesse De Bourgogne are my top two.

 

[The Soft Underbelly]

My favorite Belgian is my brother in law. Mainly because he introduced me to my second favorite Belgian Duvel.

I suppose i could switch that ranking pretty easily though....

 

[SevenFields]

St Bernadus Abt 12 can not be beat. I call it my Prozac beer. It makes everything all better!

 

[ostey]

I just got back from the Brussels Belgian Beer festival. During my 5 days in Brussels, I tasted 178 different beers. Two really stood out as absolutely fantastic

1) Westvleteren 12 (also St Bernardus 12 is the same recipe): Also the 8 is great too.
2) Gulden Draak 9000

I love Belgium!

 

[TheZymurgist]

I just got back from the Brussels Belgian Beer festival. During my 5 days in Brussels, I tasted 178 different beers. Two really stood out as absolutely fantastic

1) Westvleteren 12 (also St Bernardus 12 is the same recipe): Also the 8 is great too.
2) Gulden Draak 9000

I love Belgium!

Holy crap! 178 beers in 5 days? That's more than 35 beers a day! Even if you're taking sips, how did you keep your pallet from getting wrecked?

 

[ColoHox]

Holy crap! 178 beers in 5 days? That's more than 35 beers a day! Even if you're taking sips, how did you keep your pallet from getting wrecked?

Your Pallet!? How did YOU keep from getting wrecked?

 

[tonyp063]

What's your favorite Belgian?

The one that happens to be in my hand at the moment

 

[smccarter]

Duvel... New Belgian Trippel....

Any Trippel. Dubbels are a bit sweet for me. Trippels are fantastic.

 

[jhoneycutt]

Blue Moon. Oh come on someone had to say it lol.

 

[Oceantendency]

2) Gulden Draak 9000

I love Belgium!

One of my Fav's too, a liquer store down the street sells it. Not a True Belgian, cause it's brewed here, but The Lost Abbey- meditation is another great one, along with Chimay Red Label over the Premier reserve, just buy a bottle when Trader Joe has their sale for $7.99 and let it age for a few more months. Chambly is another great label, wasn't impressed with Duvel.

 

[sieglere]

Chimay Red Label over the Premier reserve, just buy a bottle when Trader Joe has their sale for $7.99 and let it age for a few more months.

It's not live is it? Did aging it make a difference?

 

[bleme]

It's not live is it? Did aging it make a difference?

Potato salad doesn't have live yeast but aging still helps. Flavors meld and mellow without yeast.

 

[sieglere]

Potato salad doesn't have live yeast but aging still helps. Flavors meld and mellow without yeast.

Can you please age your potato salad for a few months please

 

[elimn8u]

Tripel Karmeliet
Delirium Tremens

My favorites!

Get the tripel in the 750ml bottle. You will not be disappointed.

 

[syd138]

Pretty much anything that Unibroue does is amazing imo. The one beer that really got me started on drinking real beer was Noire de Chambly.. I don't think they even sell it any more. Great Belgian Dark.. only around 6%. The only beer that I have found that somewhat resembles it is Grimbergen Dubbel. That is a great beer too.

As far as official trappist beers.. Westmalle Dubbel is great.

Making a Dubbel is super easy, the only thing is you have to wait about 6 months to drink it.

I found a few bombers of a dubbel I did 5 years ago.. turns out they are still good (it was close to 8% ABV) and honestly are better than anything I have bought commercially. Just wish I'd held onto more.

Long aging does wonders.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Tripel Karmeliet
Delirium Tremens

My favorites!

Get the tripel in the 750ml bottle. You will not be disappointed.

How could I forget Tripel Karmeliet? My wife's favorite too.

 

[fixitoscar]

my favorite style is the tripel. My favorite tripel is maredsous. its amazing

 

[ICWiener]

Cantillon and Drie Fonteinen are far and away my favorite Belgians.

I agree with the last two posts, Tripel Karmeliet is delicious. I also enjoy Brasserie Dupont and Fantome quite a bit.

 

[ostey]

Holy crap! 178 beers in 5 days? That's more than 35 beers a day! Even if you're taking sips, how did you keep your pallet from getting wrecked?

I'm a professional

 

[Oceantendency]

It's not live is it? Did aging it make a difference?

always does, even if it's a couple more months. But I had one I forgot about 6 months, cause I stuck it in a closet; very very nice. Chimay ages for 9 months before they send out, but I have friends that'll buy a case and wait another year before starting to consume; I just need more space if I'm gonna start doing that route.