Belgium Beers Bigger than Marty Banks Boot

Belgium is to beer what McDs is to America.,  The Belgium beers combines French flair, German precision and Dutch sturdiness into a unique range of beers, some very sweet, some dry, some sour and some mixtures of all. One thing for sure is that they are all big beers and all have a lot of history and world famous for their Abbey beers. The Belgium beers are strong beers as a result of a law in 1919 banning the sale of distilled spirits in bars so brewers strengthened their beers to meet the demand for more robust drinks. This law has only been rescinded since 1984; the end result is big beers with big flavour variations. Belgians also like their yeast and bottle conditioning is more common in Belgium than anywhere else in the world and this has had a large influence on modern craft brewing.

One of these living brews is 2013 world ale winner “Gulden Draak” from Van Steenberge with a gulden medal. Pours a creamy tan head with mahogany red juice. Fruity on the tongue with strong malt toffee sweetness balanced with hop whiskey like bitterness and full body barrel aged woodiness.  Don’t serve chilled as you won’t appreciate the myriad of flavours.  This guy is a sure head wobbler, either from the 10.5% alcohol or from just shear enjoyment.

Contrasting the Draak is the “Sloebar” still a big beer but more subtle in body and flavours. This brew has the slightly yeasty taste which the Belgium’s go for, and gives a pleasant bitterness enhancing an orange hoppiness with a creamy effervescence that makes it refreshing and leaving you thirsting for more.

The “Piraat”, also from Van Steenberge and also a gold award winner, but in 2012, is a hazy amber and tastes rich in complex flavours of malt and hops.  Starts sweet on the tongue then ends with a grassy zing with a dry finish.

 

One of the few remaining historic Belgium beers is the Kwak and this brew is a real kwacker. 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 this guy smoothly and warmly going all the way down to your stomach as the 8.4% kicks in.

 

Different yet again is the “Duchesse De Bourgogne” and is the sour sovereign of Belgium beers. This is a lambic style beer which is brewed with wild yeasts and with at least 30% raw wheat, the malt flavours are not balanced by hop bitterness but more by lactic acidity. Once your mouth unpuckers from the sourness, flavours will hit from all directions.  This is one taste phenomenon that all drinkers should try and then realise that it’s not how much you drink, it’s how much you have yet to drink!