Styles of Belgian Beer
Belgium is as much known for its beer as France is its wine. Spanning almost two millennia, Belgian beer's rich history has developed and matured into a culture of quality and unique character that is respected as, perhaps, the first leaders in craft and artisanal brewing. Belgium produces over a thousand unique beers and one of the widest variety of brewing styles, many of which are of very limited availability internationally.
Known for their unique flavor, generally high alcohol content, and consistently excellent quality, Trappist beers have grown in international reputation as more breweries have begun to experiment with creative ingredients and methods of brewing.
Trappist beers as they are known today are produced only by a specific order of Roman Catholic monks called Trappists who occupied monasteries in Belgium in the late 18th century following the French Revolution and are protected by the International Trappist Association. Following the Rule of St. Benedict which holds self-reliance as one of its fundamental tenets, stating that monks must "live by the labor of their hands". Trappist monks produce and sell goods ranging from clothing to foodstuffs, including beer, which they are best known for.
There are eighteen Trappist monasteries under the International Trappist Association, ten of which brew beer, and six of which are found in Belgium. They are generally strong and fruity and carry yeast sediment.
Abbey beers are generally beers brewed in the styles popularized by Trappist monasteries in the mid-19th century. These include beers that are brewed by a monastery other than one of the Trappist order, beers produced as a collaboration between a monastery and commercial brewer, or a beer that is brewed in the style of Trappist beers and given monastic branding.
Though abbey beers' recognition grew with Trappist monasteries' beer production, there were many breweries in operation well before the French Revolution that were funded by beer sales.
There are several styles of brewing that fall under abbey style, but the most common are
Belgian amber ales are similar to English pale ales and seem to have been influenced by them. Belgian ambers tend to be fruitier and not quite as malty as English pale ales and can vary in strength of alcohol.
Champagne beers are very distinctive beers that are given a secondary fermentation à la méthode champenoise, which produces much more effervescence than normally found in beers. But the beer is left to condition for a few months, producing very fine bubbles and a soft distinctive character.More »
These beers are traditionally the product of spontaneous fermentation, or fermentation by exposure to wild yeasts rather than cultivated strains of yeast. After undergoing fermentation, the beer is left to condition or age for a period ranging from a few months to a few years, giving the beer a uniquely dry and sour character.
There are three common styles of lambic:
Belgian witbiers are beers typically brewed with a combination of barley and wheat. This style dates back to the Middle Ages in Flanders using a blend of herbs called gruit. This mixture could include mugwort, yarrow, ground ivy, gale, horehound, and heather.
Modern witbiers often are brewed with coriander and orange peel which help to balance the sweetness that the wheat imparts.
1. Trappist beer
Known for their unique flavor, generally high alcohol content, and consistently excellent quality, Trappist beers have grown in international reputation as more breweries have begun to experiment with creative ingredients and methods of brewing.
Trappist beers as they are known today are produced only by a specific order of Roman Catholic monks called Trappists who occupied monasteries in Belgium in the late 18th century following the French Revolution and are protected by the International Trappist Association. Following the Rule of St. Benedict which holds self-reliance as one of its fundamental tenets, stating that monks must "live by the labor of their hands". Trappist monks produce and sell goods ranging from clothing to foodstuffs, including beer, which they are best known for.
There are eighteen Trappist monasteries under the International Trappist Association, ten of which brew beer, and six of which are found in Belgium. They are generally strong and fruity and carry yeast sediment.
2. Abbey beer - Abdijbier
Abbey beers are generally beers brewed in the styles popularized by Trappist monasteries in the mid-19th century. These include beers that are brewed by a monastery other than one of the Trappist order, beers produced as a collaboration between a monastery and commercial brewer, or a beer that is brewed in the style of Trappist beers and given monastic branding.
Though abbey beers' recognition grew with Trappist monasteries' beer production, there were many breweries in operation well before the French Revolution that were funded by beer sales.
There are several styles of brewing that fall under abbey style, but the most common are
- Blonde, a Belgian pale ale
- Dubbels, a typically darker and stronger style between 6% to 8% ABV
- and Tripels, a strong ale between 7% to 10% ABV
3. Amber ales
Belgian amber ales are similar to English pale ales and seem to have been influenced by them. Belgian ambers tend to be fruitier and not quite as malty as English pale ales and can vary in strength of alcohol.
4. Champagne beers
Champagne beers are very distinctive beers that are given a secondary fermentation à la méthode champenoise, which produces much more effervescence than normally found in beers. But the beer is left to condition for a few months, producing very fine bubbles and a soft distinctive character.More »
5. Lambic
These beers are traditionally the product of spontaneous fermentation, or fermentation by exposure to wild yeasts rather than cultivated strains of yeast. After undergoing fermentation, the beer is left to condition or age for a period ranging from a few months to a few years, giving the beer a uniquely dry and sour character.
There are three common styles of lambic:
- Gueuze - this style creates a secondary fermentation by mixing newer beer with aged beer;
- Fruit lambics are created with the addition of fruit or concentrates to lambic beer. Common and popular fruits used in fruit lambics are raspberries, cherries, or blackcurrant;
- and lastly, Faro is the product of added sugar or caramel in lambic beer to aid the beer's fermentation.
6. Saison
Saisons are pale ales that are generally lower alcohol by volume relative to other Belgian styles, ranging from 4% up to 8%. Often described as a Belgian farmhouse style, these beers were generally brewed for farmers during harvest season in Wallonia, a southern region of Belgium.7. Wheat beer, white beer, or witbier
Belgian witbiers are beers typically brewed with a combination of barley and wheat. This style dates back to the Middle Ages in Flanders using a blend of herbs called gruit. This mixture could include mugwort, yarrow, ground ivy, gale, horehound, and heather.
Modern witbiers often are brewed with coriander and orange peel which help to balance the sweetness that the wheat imparts.
