Belgian beer - the drink of the gods

[LitNetIsGreat]

Propter, all this is great stuff, glad to speak to people from Bruges, I long to visit. Unfortunately I don't think I can get hold of the Brugse Zot or the Brugse Zotten (though they look and sound fantastic). Family get togethers and quality Belgian brews - you have it made!

Don't get me wrong I used to love Hoegaarden and I do like wheat beers (the Germans are good for that too) but I just felt that the quality of Hoegaarden has gone downhilll of late. I wonder if it is brewed under license elsewhere, perhaps in the UK? I don't know, it might be like its old self back in Belgium? I haven't tried the Hoegaarden Grand Cru, though I thought I saw it on the menu, I'll have a look next saturday and maybe give it a go if so.

Do you like the lambics? Have you had the Rodenbach Grand Cru? Are they (the lambics) popular in Belgium?

Also, do you play chess and sit sipping those fabulous brews - what a great thing? Is chess popular in Belgium?

So many questions, so many great beers, so little time...

[Propter W.]

Propter, all this is great stuff, glad to speak to people from Bruges, I long to visit. Unfortunately I don't think I can get hold of the Brugse Zot or the Brugse Zotten (though they look and sound fantastic). Family get togethers and quality Belgian brews - you have it made!

Don't get me wrong I used to love Hoegaarden and I do like wheat beers (the Germans are good for that too) but I just felt that the quality of Hoegaarden has gone downhilll of late. I wonder if it is brewed under license elsewhere, perhaps in the UK? I don't know, it might be like its old self back in Belgium? I haven't tried the Hoegaarden Grand Cru, though I thought I saw it on the menu, I'll have a look next saturday and maybe give it a go if so.

Do you like the lambics? Have you had the Rodenbach Grand Cru? Are they (the lambics) popular in Belgium?

Also, do you play chess and sit sipping those fabulous brews - what a great thing? Is chess popular in Belgium?

So many questions, so many great beers, so little time...

You should definitely visit Bruges! It's a beautiful, beautiful city! I might be a bit biased, though.

Hoegaarden used to be my favourite beer (to drink at a party when I was 16). Several years ago InBev decided to close the Hoegaarden brewery. The beer would be brewed in Jupille (where Jupiler is brewed), but they were unable to get the same taste. Eventually they reopened the brewery in Hoegaarden. Either way, I do think its taste has deteriorated a little. I blame InBev. I still like it, though. It can be quite refreshing.

I'm not too fond of Lambiek. I do occasionally drink Geuze beer or Kriek. When I was 17, my class went on a chemistry field trip to the Palm brewery. We took the tour and at the end we got to taste all the beers brewed there. They don't brew Rodenbachs there, if I remember correctly, but they did have them (since Rodenbach is owned by Palm) and we tasted those too. I can't say whether I liked it or not. I probably didn't. I can say we all went home drunk, teachers included.

They aren't popular, although a lot of women drink Krieklambiek. I'd say they certainly have a solid fanbase, which might be increasing slowly. But that's just my opinion. Maybe it's popular around Brussels.

Yep, chess and Belgian brews is a wonderful combination. Chess is slowly gaining popularity. But it isn't very popular.

You know this thread has actually inspired me to try our different beers more often and not just stick to my favourites.

[LitNetIsGreat]

You should definitely visit Bruges! It's a beautiful, beautiful city! I might be a bit biased, though.

Oh yes it looks stunning. I've penciled in Bruges and Brussels when the money fairy comes along. I certainly long to go there (I even dream about it, really) along with other European countries. What's your impression of Brussels and what other Belgian towns/areas would you recommend to visit?

Hoegaarden used to be my favourite beer (to drink at a party when I was 16). Several years ago InBev decided to close the Hoegaarden brewery. The beer would be brewed in Jupille (where Jupiler is brewed), but they were unable to get the same taste. Eventually they reopened the brewery in Hoegaarden. Either way, I do think its taste has deteriorated a little. I blame InBev. I still like it, though. It can be quite refreshing.

Yes I'd heard that they had changed breweries, I couldn't remember the details off-hand, though it does seem to lack a certain something that I remember. If you like the wheat beers I can certainly reccommend the German beers, Erdinger is an old favourite.

I'm not too fond of Lambiek. I do occasionally drink Geuze beer or Kriek. When I was 17, my class went on a chemistry field trip to the Palm brewery. We took the tour and at the end we got to taste all the beers brewed there. They don't brew Rodenbachs there, if I remember correctly, but they did have them (since Rodenbach is owned by Palm) and we tasted those too. I can't say whether I liked it or not. I probably didn't. I can say we all went home drunk, teachers included.

That sounds like one hell of great school trip. Great stuff.

They aren't popular, although a lot of women drink Krieklambiek. I'd say they certainly have a solid fanbase, which might be increasing slowly. But that's just my opinion. Maybe it's popular around Brussels

Yes the krieks seem to go down with the ladies, though I've enjoyed a few of them myself - the strawberry one is nice, though I prefer the original, unsweetened Gueuzes - the lambics. I can also get the Cantillons' which are supposed to be the best examples. I'm in love with the Rodenbach Grand Cru at the moment however.

Yep, chess and Belgian brews is a wonderful combination. Chess is slowly gaining popularity. But it isn't very popular.

Oh OK. I just love the idea of sitting playing a quiet, steady game of chess and sipping on a couple of brews - they seem to go together. (Though I am only average at chess, probably less so.)

You know this thread has actually inspired me to try our different beers more often and not just stick to my favourites.

Hey, hey that's great. I think a good idea is to try and incorporate a new drink into every session (or every other one) so that you can still enjoy your favourite comfort drinks, but at the same time you are branching out and trying new things.

[kiki1982]

Do not take Kriek of Belle-Vue as the example of Krieklambiek, though. It is popular amongst ladies because they mainly do not know what a real one tastes like. As are Framboise and all the rest of those fruit beers. They put sirup of those fruits in there, not the real fruit, which gives a sugary taste.
Real Kriek is a lot less sweet and sourer as the base is Geuze, but also as 'krieken' are not sweet cherries, but sour cherries you can actually not eat like that from the tree... You put them in pies, make jame of them and so on because then you can put sugar with them. They get the Geuze and then drop real cherris into the beer and let it ferment (no sugar, no nothing), thus allowing the taste to penetrate into the beer, not get more sugary. Compare it to apple tea. If you put apples in boiling water and leave them and then drink it, you will not end up with very sweet apple juice will you?
Real Krieklambiek is much tastier than the sweet stuff.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes good point, well noted.

How do you rate the Timmerman brews? I take it that they are of a lower class, than for example, the Cantillon or the Rodenbachs brews. At least I had a Timmerman lambic last week and it certainly felt little compared to the rodenbach Grand Cru.

The place where I go for Belgian beers have a lot of the Timmerman stuff on tap, but I strongly suspect it is of the first type you mentioned.

[kiki1982]

I am not sure. I thought I had actually drunk that, but I don't think it was that one...
It isn't very very popular in bars, so I would imagine that it is one that is fairly good. How is their geuze? Is it 'sour' in beer terms, or just normal beer like Belle-Vue's alleged geuze? It is possible however that it is fairly ordinary, but on the good side.

Lindemans is quite popular amongst the real Kriek lovers and Belle-Vue mehs.

If you really want a treat, Boon is a brewery which brews Geuze and asociated beers like Kriek as well, which are very highly considered in the world. Their website is here. You can probably get what it says there with 'Google translation'. Otherwise, we are here to translate .

[LitNetIsGreat]

Thanks for the link, (and the offer of help) I'll check that out after tea.

Yes the Timmerman's lambic is sour; it is like you suspect, I suspect, that it is probably on the normal side. As I say, it is little much compared to the Rodenbach and the Cantillon (which costs about twice as much) but better than the fake lambics, or brews that are "in the style of"...I don't touch none of that, what's the point?

At the moment though, I have to stick with my Rodenbach Grand Cru, despite it's red colour it is not flavoured, and maintains a lovely long sour tang on the palate, delicious stuff. It does however sort of spoil many other beers after because it is impossible to go from a really sour drink, to a really bitter one - the sudden jump is too much - I get around this by ordering another Grand Cru!!!

Roll on Saturday!

[Emil Miller]

I would be the very last person to enquire about a chap's bibulous propensities but what does Mrs N. think about all this imbibing of alcoholic beverages?

[LitNetIsGreat]

I would be the very last person to enquire about a chap's bibulous propensities but what does Mrs N. think about all this imbibing of alcoholic beverages?

Oh Mrs N is glad to be rid of me for the night! Apparently, when I am in, I have a tendency to offer one or two minor observations regarding the quality of the TV programmes she insists on watching. I think I am just being helpful, obviously, but I've come to the conclusion that she doesn't seem to see it that way?

I've gotten into the healthy habit of waking up on a 'golden' Saturday around 9.30ish, drinking good coffee in the morning, then working on my damn dissertation for a few hours. I then take off to town around 4ish and sip Belgian beer for a few hours, before eating out with family/friends. I return home around 10-11. Sunday I get up at 10.30ish, devote to the kids and we have traditional lunch (with wine) which we drag out for ages. It's all good stuff. Quality and balance.

Of course in the week I have to mostly make do with top quality British beers, which are quite good, but of course my heart is with those Belgian beers - it's the difference between a magazine and good poetry!

Are you fond of those great Belgian beers yourself or do you mostly stick to good wine? Nothing wrong with wine mind, I like good, solid reds with Italian food, but of course quality beer for me rules.

[Emil Miller]

Are you fond of those great Belgian beers yourself or do you mostly stick to good wine? Nothing wrong with wine mind, I like good, solid reds with Italian food, but of course quality beer for me rules.

Sounds as though you have got it all worked out. I certainly agree that Belgium produces the best beers, especially those brewed by the monks. Just imagine, if it hadn't been for that idiot Henry VIII, we might have been producing equally good monastic beers in the UK. As for the vino, I prefer red to white although it depends for some extent on what I am eating. I would always drink Chianti with spaghetti and Burgundy with poultry. The white wines are reserved for seafood. The finest wines are Bordeaux and the reds are best drunk with red meats but I am a bit of a barbarian when it comes to food as I don't much care for eating, so I usually buy wine for drinking only; which means that I am just as satisfied with a bottle of cote du Rhone and a sandwich as a with a Bordeaux which would knock me out if taken without a proper meal. At the end of the day, most people won't be too bothered with the differences and simply drink what's cheapest or nearest to hand.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Unfortunately I don't think I can get hold of the Brugse Zot or the Brugse Zotten (though they look and sound fantastic).

Ha, ha I was wrong - the Brugse Zot is available for ready money! However, I failed to try it out as I got distracted with wheat beer and Grand Cru, next time I'll make that my first drink though (I only noticed it later on anyway).

Onwards and upwards!!

[The Comedian]

Chimay, blue label? My local establishment recently received a few bottles of this Belgian. It's a $14 commitment -- good enough for a 12 pack of something else. Any thoughts? Should I splurge?

[kiki1982]

Personally, I do not like Chimay, haven't done since I was a child and I was allowed to taste - I always thought, 'Sh*t, it's that bad one again' (my father evidently liked it) -, but it is nice if you like a kind of 'burnt' taste in your bear.

Unless I am mistaken about the lable.

...

I looked it up, it is Chimay Blue I don't like I think, there is also a red label one which has no burnt taste, I have figured out. It is said to use some liquorice.

But by all means, if you like liquorice and burnt, go for it, it is brewed with care .

[Emil Miller]

I always imagined Chimay to be a lager type beer but the blue labelled stuff is a dark beer. I have checked it out on Google. It is sold in the UK but in small bottles, probably on account of its strength, but I have never seen the red labelled bottles which contain a blond beer. I think dark beers are an acquired taste and wouldn't pay the asking price of Chimay blue label.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I always imagined Chimay to be a lager type beer but the blue labelled stuff is a dark beer. I have checked it out on Google. It is sold in the UK but in small bottles, probably on account of its strength, but I have never seen the red labelled bottles which contain a blond beer. I think dark beers are an acquired taste and wouldn't pay the asking price of Chimay blue label.

No, no, it's the white label Chimay which is blonde, but the strongest. The red is actually a reddish colour itself. The blue is the darkest.

Chimay, blue label? My local establishment recently received a few bottles of this Belgian. It's a $14 commitment -- good enough for a 12 pack of something else. Any thoughts? Should I splurge?

Hmmm, seems a bit pricey, though many of the Belgian beers have shot up even more over the last year. Most of the beers I go on about at the start of this champion thread would set me back 50-100% more (some more than that) now. It's up to you. Chimay is the real stuff, proper Trappist beer, it may be an acquired taste though.

Currently I'm drinking decent British bottle cask ales mostly, though I've still got Leffe and Duvels knocking around in the fridge.