Belgium - beer paradise, a country of a thousand flavours
If there is one country in the world that deserves the name of beer paradise, it is Belgium. This small nation has, over the centuries, developed such enormous diversity of styles that no other country can rival it for brewing creativity. From strong monastic ales brewed by monks, through wild, sour lambics, to dry, rustic saisons, Belgium offers the full spectrum of flavours that beer can give. It is worth getting to know this world, because it is the best lesson in how much the word beer can mean once it is freed from the corset of a single style.
Where Belgian distinction comes from
Belgium’s brewing power did not come from nowhere. It is the result of centuries of experiment, in which both monks in monasteries and secular brewers reached for local techniques, wild yeast and unusual ingredients. Where other countries, like Germany, bound themselves with a strict purity law, Belgium took the path of freedom and diversity.
The result is a panorama of flavours and textures that still inspires brewers around the world. Belgium did not invent one model beer but a whole library of styles, each with its own logic and tradition. That is why Belgian beer is sometimes called a liquid cultural heritage. I cover how broad the world of beer can be in beer is more than a cold lager.
Trappist and abbey beers
The most famous Belgian beers are the monastic ones. Here a key distinction between two terms matters. A Trappist beer is one that is physically brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey, under the supervision of monks, with the proceeds going to support the community and charity. It is a strictly protected category that only a handful of breweries in the world may bear.
Abbey ales are very similar in style but brewed by non-Trappist monasteries or by secular breweries using monastic recipes or tradition. Both categories cover the same styles: single, dubbel, tripel and quadrupel. It is these that created the model of the strong, complex, yeasty Belgian ale.
Dubbel, tripel, quadrupel, the ladder of strength
The monastic styles arrange themselves into a clear ladder of strength and colour, worth knowing because it is the fastest way to find your bearings in Belgian beer.
- Dubbel is a darker, malty beer with notes of caramel, dark fruit, raisins and plums, usually between six and eight percent. It is a deep, complex style with roots in Trappist monasteries.
- Tripel is a strong, pale ale of higher alcohol, often eight to ten percent, with a spicy, fruity aroma and a dry finish. It combines a surprisingly light colour with great strength, which can be treacherous.
- Quadrupel is the strongest of the family, a dark red or brown ale with an intense flavour of dark fruit, caramel and spice, able to exceed ten percent. It is a dessert beer, warming, for slow sipping.
This ladder shows how a single monastic lineage can give a range of beers from medium-strong to true giants. I cover how the numbers on the label describe a beer’s strength and bitterness in Belgian tripel, dubbel, quad, saison.
Lambics, the wild side of Belgium
A completely separate, fascinating world is the Belgian lambic. These are spontaneously fermented beers, that is without adding cultured yeast. Instead the wort is exposed to wild yeast and bacteria present in the air and in the wood of the barrels, mainly around Brussels.
The result is a sour, tart, complex beer with a character sometimes closer to wine or cider than to classic beer. From lambics comes gueuze, a blend of young and older lambics refermented in the bottle, and fruit lambics, like kriek with cherries. It is a demanding flavour, but for many connoisseurs the peak of beer complexity. I cover sour beers in general in sour beers.
Saison, the farmhouse beer
Another classic is the saison, that is the seasonal beer. Originally it was brewed in the farmhouses of the Wallonia region to be drunk during the harvest, for the seasonal workers from whom it takes its name. This beer was meant to quench thirst and refresh, so it is traditionally dry, highly carbonated and lightly fruity-spicy.
Modern saisons are pale, crisp beers with a complex, yeasty character, often with a note of pepper, citrus and herbs. It is proof that the Belgian tradition is not only about strong monastic giants but also about light, everyday beers of great finesse. The saison shows how much of a beer’s character the yeast alone can build.
Witbier, fruit beers and the culture of the glass
The Belgian paradise is not only strong monastic ales and wild lambics. There is also a whole world of lighter, more approachable beers. The most famous of them is witbier, the Belgian wheat beer. It is a pale, cloudy, refreshing beer brewed with the addition of wheat and seasoned with coriander and bitter orange peel, which gives it a citrusy-spicy, light character. It is one of the most accessible Belgian beers, ideal for summer and great for starting your journey with this country.
A separate category is fruit beers, led by kriek, that is lambic with the addition of cherries, and versions with raspberries or other fruit. They combine the sourness of wild fermentation with the sweetness and aroma of fruit, giving a flavour sometimes close to a fruit wine. It is also worth mentioning the Belgian culture of the glass. In Belgium almost every beer has its own dedicated shape of glass, chosen to show off its aroma and head best. It is not snobbery but part of the ritual and proof of how seriously this country takes beer, almost the way the French take wine.
The secret of Belgian yeast
The common denominator of most Belgian styles is the yeast, and it is the true secret of this country. Belgian yeast strains ferment at higher temperatures than typical lager yeast, usually around twenty to twenty-nine degrees Celsius. In such conditions the yeast produces an abundance of esters and phenols, that is the compounds responsible for fruity and spicy aromas.
That is why Belgian beers so often smell of banana, cloves, pear, pepper or clove spice, even though no spices or fruit are added. This whole bouquet comes from the work of the yeast. It is one of the most important lessons of Belgian brewing: flavour does not have to come from additives but can be born from the fermentation itself. I cover the role of yeast in beer in beer yeast.
Strong but treacherous
It is worth remembering one practical thing: Belgian beers can be far stronger than they seem. A tripel of pale, light colour can be nine percent alcohol, and a quadrupel more still, even though they drink smoothly and unassumingly. It is a treacherous trait, because the sweetness and density of flavour can mask the high strength, and a glass of such beer matches the power of two or three ordinary lagers.
That is why Belgian beers are treated more like wine: drunk slowly, in smaller measures, often with food, rather than by the litre like a light lager. They pair superbly with the table: strong dubbels and quadrupels with red meat, game and mature cheeses, light witbiers and saisons with fish, seafood and salads, and sour lambics with fatty, salty dishes that their acidity beautifully cuts through. It is further proof that in Belgium beer is a full partner of the kitchen, treated with the seriousness due to good wine.
How to explore it
The best way to understand the Belgian paradise is to set up a small cross-section tasting: a dubbel, a tripel and a sour lambic side by side. You will immediately feel how enormous is the range of what Belgium calls beer, from malty depth, through strong, dry paleness, to wild sourness. In GustoNote you record the style, maltiness, yeast character, bitterness and your impressions of each beer, and after a few entries you will see which Belgian styles draw you most. It turns an intimidating library of styles into a clear, personal map. You will find a full overview of beer families in beer is more than a cold lager.