Beer
photo: Richard Harris
This article by David Jensen of Menuism is pretty good considering the complexity of Belgian beers styles.
"“In Belgium, there are no styles,” proclaims Peter Bouckaert, Brewmaster of New Belgium Brewing. This statement exemplifies the individuality, non-conformity and creativity of Belgian brewers. Notwithstanding their individualism, Belgian brewers have strong ties to their history and tradition of brewing. What does all this mean to the Belgian beer drinker? It’s simple: you can have two beers that are technically the same style, and feature some similar attributes, but taste quite different. In this way, Belgian brewers have had a strong influence on brewers around the world, especially on the craft beer movement in America.
Despite the non-conformity of Belgian brewers and American brewers of Belgian-style beers, this style of beer does feature common attributes across different types. These categorizations are important because they create a language that brewers use to communicate with consumers what they’re about to drink. This guide introduces some of the most popular types of Belgian-style beers, and what you can expect from each type..."
Click here for the rest of the article.
This article by David Jensen of Menuism is pretty good considering the complexity of Belgian beers styles.
"“In Belgium, there are no styles,” proclaims Peter Bouckaert, Brewmaster of New Belgium Brewing. This statement exemplifies the individuality, non-conformity and creativity of Belgian brewers. Notwithstanding their individualism, Belgian brewers have strong ties to their history and tradition of brewing. What does all this mean to the Belgian beer drinker? It’s simple: you can have two beers that are technically the same style, and feature some similar attributes, but taste quite different. In this way, Belgian brewers have had a strong influence on brewers around the world, especially on the craft beer movement in America.
Despite the non-conformity of Belgian brewers and American brewers of Belgian-style beers, this style of beer does feature common attributes across different types. These categorizations are important because they create a language that brewers use to communicate with consumers what they’re about to drink. This guide introduces some of the most popular types of Belgian-style beers, and what you can expect from each type..."
Click here for the rest of the article.
Cumbria is bringing its beer roadshow to Brussels:
Click here for the story.
Click here for the story.
photo: Richard Harris
When Van Honsebrouck Brewery released Kasteel Rouge last year I didn't try it. I'm a big fan of the existing Kasteels, the Donker and the Tripel. They are, as beer supermaven Michael Jackson (not the American singer) wrote, "very strong and immensely rich beer(s)." He goes on to say that the Donker "in palate, it has a smooth, toffee-ish start; a deep rounded fruitiness; and winey, Port-like notes in the finish." At 11%, all that taste makes it very drinkable, which is dangerous since before you know it you can be stinkin' drunk. So, in my mind, adding cherry to it and reducing the alcohol to 8% sounded unnecessary and possibly negative. Also, cherry beer, once exclusively made with lambic and very tart, is now made by a number of brewers and many of the new ones, including some lambics, are very sweet.
Recently Beer Man, in his weekly column picked up by USA Today, gave the beer a very enthusiastic review. In particular this sentence "I had no problem wrapping my taste buds around the cherry liqueur content -- there are plenty of excellent cherry lambics and other ales from Belgium, and none of them have the flavor profile of Rouge" sparked my interest. So I bought two and tried the beer.
My verdict? The cherry liqueur they use overpowers everything else. I'd rather sit down to an Oude Kriek from Oud Beersel Brewery, which is "an artisanal product, made from real cherries and Oud Beersel lambic matured in old barrels. They are slowly absorbed into the lambic, which develops a fruity character and a ruby red colour. It is unique of its type in that it contains around 400 grams of cherries per litre. Oud Beersel Oude Kriek has no added sugar and contains no artificial flavourings or preservatives."
When Van Honsebrouck Brewery released Kasteel Rouge last year I didn't try it. I'm a big fan of the existing Kasteels, the Donker and the Tripel. They are, as beer supermaven Michael Jackson (not the American singer) wrote, "very strong and immensely rich beer(s)." He goes on to say that the Donker "in palate, it has a smooth, toffee-ish start; a deep rounded fruitiness; and winey, Port-like notes in the finish." At 11%, all that taste makes it very drinkable, which is dangerous since before you know it you can be stinkin' drunk. So, in my mind, adding cherry to it and reducing the alcohol to 8% sounded unnecessary and possibly negative. Also, cherry beer, once exclusively made with lambic and very tart, is now made by a number of brewers and many of the new ones, including some lambics, are very sweet.
Recently Beer Man, in his weekly column picked up by USA Today, gave the beer a very enthusiastic review. In particular this sentence "I had no problem wrapping my taste buds around the cherry liqueur content -- there are plenty of excellent cherry lambics and other ales from Belgium, and none of them have the flavor profile of Rouge" sparked my interest. So I bought two and tried the beer.
My verdict? The cherry liqueur they use overpowers everything else. I'd rather sit down to an Oude Kriek from Oud Beersel Brewery, which is "an artisanal product, made from real cherries and Oud Beersel lambic matured in old barrels. They are slowly absorbed into the lambic, which develops a fruity character and a ruby red colour. It is unique of its type in that it contains around 400 grams of cherries per litre. Oud Beersel Oude Kriek has no added sugar and contains no artificial flavourings or preservatives."
photo: Richard Harris
Just like almost every town or village in the Pajottenland, Itterbeek has a brewery and not just any brewery but Timmermans - click here for their handsome website - which has been creating lambics and gueuzes since 1702. This is the manor house which is attached to the brewery (see the next post). A lot Belgian breweries are like this; the owner's château or manor is very close to the brewery for easy hands-on activity.
Just like almost every town or village in the Pajottenland, Itterbeek has a brewery and not just any brewery but Timmermans - click here for their handsome website - which has been creating lambics and gueuzes since 1702. This is the manor house which is attached to the brewery (see the next post). A lot Belgian breweries are like this; the owner's château or manor is very close to the brewery for easy hands-on activity.
photo: Richard Harris
Here you can see the brewery buildings with the manor house at the far end.
Here you can see the brewery buildings with the manor house at the far end.