Belgian Strong Beers

Back in the 15^th century, the Monks around Europe thought ”beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”, who then turns water into beer.  Err, that’s mostly right, only it’s the yeast which turns water into beer. Not only does the yeast ferment the brew into alcohol, the by-products of which can impart a huge amount of flavour as exemplified by the Belgian strong ales.

Chimay is the leading brewer of the 8 genuine Trappist Monk Brewers in Belgium and brews the ‘Triple’ 8%.  This brew produces a prodigious foamy white head over a liquid the colour of the label. Its creamy effervescence imparts a spicy heat of nutmegs and pears, with a yeasty bitterness balanced with nutty malts. Swirl the bottle before pouring to get more flavoursome bits floating in your beer other than your liver.

The Chimay ‘Blue’ is same as the Triple only way darker and another level deeper in intriguing complexity. Notes of stewed plums, raisins and cloves complement rich warming caramel malts. With 9% it’s a beer to be sipped savoured and satiated.

Another of these living brews is 2013 world ale winner ‘Gulden Draak’ from Van Steenberge. Fruity on the tongue with strong malt toffee sweetness balanced with hoppy whiskey like bitterness and full body barrel aged woodiness.  Don’t serve chilled as you won’t appreciate its myriad of flavours.  This guy is a head wobbler, either from the 10.5% alcohol or from just shear enjoyment.

One of the few remaining historic Belgium beers is the ‘Kwak’. Beautiful deep bright amber colour with a creamy tan head and a spicy malt aroma. Tastes like caramel rum sauce over bananas with a background yeastiness to keep it mildly bitter. You can feel the liquid trundling all the way down from the 8.4% kicking in. A real Christmas kwacker!

Finally, from the small French town of Vieux Lille is a beer ‘Vieux Lille Triple Blonde’, that’s sure to arouse all an 8.5% triple blonde can arouse.

There is no strong beer, just weak men.

Denis hoppy-hoppy joy-joy Cooper

 

Champion Brewer’s Secret Ingredient

The NZ Beer Guild 2014 Brewer of the year, Martin Townshend, has an uncanny ability to hit the spot. This feral, I mean fella, (he is from Upper Moutere you know!) has won more brewing awards than the All Blacks first five selection.  Could his success be from the fresh access to that green leafy herb with heads that are so popular around that region (I’m talking hops, not weed!)? Or is it from the life blood of beer, water?

Something that is unique to Moutere besides Townshend, is that the water used to produce the beer is drawn through an aquifer. Similar to the low mineral Czech water that produces the famous Pilsners and the rich mineral Burton-on-Trent water that produces the famous Abbey ales, the Moutere aquifer produces the award winning Townshend thirst quenchers.

Here’s some sessionable summer sizzlers suitable for chillaxing.

JCIPA, 5.5%; A sharp, crisp lagerish tasting IPA, whose character has satisfying thirst quenching qualities rather than outlandish hop flavours. In fact it’s quite laid back on hops for an IPA so consequently unveils a subtle sweet malt finish. This easy drinking brew would be a great introduction to any IPA hopaphobics willing to digress from their lager love.

Aotearoa Pale Ale, 5%; Gotta love sticking your beak into the beer glass and inhaling magnificent wafts of tropical hops whilst quaffing this brew.  Tastes of passionfruit hops, from start to finish, then a long dry cloud of peachy aftertaste. Packs the most bang for buck flavour of any sessionable ale.

Tie Break Summer Ale, 5.2%; my first taste of this was of instant relief that this brew wasn’t one of those namby pamby, soapy lemon tasting with a flowery herb note ‘summer brew’. Instead this surprisingly tasted of tart passionfruits and earthy grassy hops with a sharp almost hot lingering bitterness that keeps you pining for more. Loosen off your tie, take a break and enjoy this pearller.

With water making up 90% of beer which is more than PowerAde, I know which I prefer to rehydrate with?

Denis ‘fins up’ Cooper