Hoegaarden - Definitely the best beer in the world!!

jrar

BeerNut wrote: »

I'd put the Westmalle range just above them, but yeah, the blue is particularly good and raisiny.

Westmalle ? - now that's one friggin' seriously good beer (as is Orval).......

phrage

hoegaarden is yummy but the ultimate beer is cantillon

Aidric

I'm a big hoegaarden fan as well, as indeed I am of most Belgian beers and chocolates come to think of it.

the beer revolu

The makers of Duvel have brought out Vetett White.
The Abbott's in Cork had it on draught for a while - rather similar to Hoegaarden to my taste but I'm not a regular Hoe drinker.
They still have it in bottle.

Hoegaarden being the the best beer in the world seems a bit of an excessive statement to me!! I would consider it as an above average pretty mainstream beer. Having said that, I'd drink it before Paulanner any day!!

Just got a few bottles of Hoegaarden grand cru from the abbots ale house a while ago, happy days

oblivious

the beer revolu wrote: »

Hoegaarden being the the best beer in the world seems a bit of an excessive statement to me!!

True

the beer revolu wrote: »

Having said that, I'd drink it before Paulanner any day!!

Ah, you just can't handle your Paulanner:p

anonymous_joe

Deleted User wrote: »

Just got a few bottles of Hoegaarden grand cru from the abbots ale house a while ago, happy days

That stuff rocks!

Love normal Hoegaarden too. It's very expensive here, given I used to spend a lot of time in Holland and it's dirt cheap there.

the beer revolu

oblivious wrote: »

Ah, you just can't handle your Paulanner:p

Tis true - It's like I own shares in the "antiPaulanner Company" but I feel just as strongly about UK Stella and Coors.

Deleted User wrote: »

Just got a few bottles of Hoegaarden grand cru from the abbots ale house a while ago, happy days

Now, that I do like. Word was a few years ago that they'd ceased of that but there seems to be plenty of it about now? Beernut??

BeerNut

the beer revolu wrote: »

Word was a few years ago that they'd ceased of that but there seems to be plenty of it about now? Beernut??

News to me. I'm sure if there's anything not selling, A-B InBev will bin it.

oblivious

the beer revolu wrote: »

Now, that I do like. Word was a few years ago that they'd ceased of that but there seems to be plenty of it about now? Beernut??

Apparently they when but changed there minded

From wilki

In November 2005, InBev announced the forthcoming closure of the brewery in Hoegaarden, among other changes in Belgium. The brewery was to close in late 2006 with production moving to InBev's larger brewery in Jupille. The beer 'Julius' is said to have been an immediate casualty, and worries were that all beers that were bottle conditioned would be changed.

The closure sparked protests from Hoegaarden locals, upset at the loss of the town's most famous symbol (and largest employer).

The move was never completed. The brewers in Jupille remained unsatisfied with local production of the witbier, so on September 10, 2007 Inbev decided to keep the production in Hoegaarden. Inbev also decided to invest part of a 60 million Euro budget in the Hoegaarden site to upgrade the facilities.

the beer revolu

oblivious wrote: »

Apparently they when but changed there minded

From wilki

In November 2005, InBev announced the forthcoming closure of the brewery in Hoegaarden, among other changes in Belgium. The brewery was to close in late 2006 with production moving to InBev's larger brewery in Jupille. The beer 'Julius' is said to have been an immediate casualty, and worries were that all beers that were bottle conditioned would be changed.

The closure sparked protests from Hoegaarden locals, upset at the loss of the town's most famous symbol (and largest employer).

The move was never completed. The brewers in Jupille remained unsatisfied with local production of the witbier, so on September 10, 2007 Inbev decided to keep the production in Hoegaarden. Inbev also decided to invest part of a 60 million Euro budget in the Hoegaarden site to upgrade the facilities.

AFAIK they did move it to the new production but the results were very inconsistent so they moved it back. There was a break in the supply of draught Hoegaarden at that time cause alot of it had a nasty metallic taste. For a few months, Hoegaarden couldn't be got in keg in Ireland!!

rubadub

Hoegaarden & Leffe blonde are both 4x330ml for €5.59 in tesco at the moment.

The leffe is a very good price taking into account that it is ~1.5 times as strong as your normal €1 bottles.

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

Taking into account that it is ~1.5 times as strong as your normal €1 bottles.

Though contains ~2.5 times less flavour than Brooklyn Lager at €1 a bottle.

If it's just alcohol you're after, beer is bad value.

rubadub

BeerNut wrote: »

Though contains ~2.5 times less flavour than Brooklyn Lager at €1 a bottle.

Never had it, where is it €1 a bottle? I think I saw it in tescos too in the same area, but it was not €1 a bottle, think it was over €2 IIRC.

If it's just alcohol you're after, beer is bad value.

But if you like beer and only have €6 to spend I would sooner get the 4x leffes, than 6x coors light, or whatever other stuff is on offer there. My point is many think some beers are expensive e.g. the leffe at 6.6% while their mass produced stuff might have originally been brewed to 6.6% and then diluted down! Others ignore bottle size too, I have a mate who goes mad if I tell him the true cost of his "pint", i.e. his €5.20 bottle of corona is really almost €9 per pint.

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

Never had it, where is it €1 a bottle?

Redmond's of Ranelagh and Deveney's of Dundrum, that I've seen so far. There seems to be a bit of a glut of it on the market right now. But I'm doing my bit to change that...

rubadub wrote: »

But if you like beer and only have €6 to spend I would sooner get the 4x leffes, than 6x coors light, or whatever other stuff is on offer there. My point is many think some beers are expensive e.g. the leffe at 6.6% while their mass produced stuff might have originally been brewed to 6.6% and then diluted down! Others ignore bottle size too, I have a mate who goes mad if I tell him the true cost of his "pint", i.e. his €5.20 bottle of corona is really almost €9 per pint.

It looks like the alcohol content is the single criterion on which you're judging the value of beer.

the beer revolu

Beernut,
The duty on beer is directly related to its alcohol content (as you well know).
Stronger beers attract more duty and are therefore,usually, more expensive.
If one finds a higher alcohol beer at a low price, it can be considered a bargain. This makes no reference to the quality of the beer - good or bad.

BeerNut

the beer revolu wrote: »

it can be considered a bargain. This makes no reference to the quality of the beer

By that rationale, a can of Carlsberg Special Brew for €1 would be a bargain. I'd consider that a rip-off as it tastes awful and I do not buy drinks solely for the alcohol content.

rubadub

the beer revolu wrote: »

The duty on beer is directly related to its alcohol content (as you well know).
Stronger beers attract more duty and are therefore,usually, more expensive.
If one finds a higher alcohol beer at a low price, it can be considered a bargain.

That is what I was getting at. Not only the duty being more but more ingredients went into it in the first place. It would be like getting a tiny jar of curry paste which could go onto make 3 regular sized jars of already watered down curry sauce. It has a stronger taste than most sauces, so I use less.

Or it would be like comparing a bottle of smirnoff blue to red. I have heard people say guinness foreign export is either the draught or stout just watered down, if it was cheaper you could water it down yourself with fizzy water

BeerNut wrote: »

By that rationale, a can of Carlsberg Special Brew for €1 would be a bargain. I'd consider that a rip-off as it tastes awful and I do not buy drinks solely for the alcohol content.

But in this case I like the taste of leffe more than the readily available ones in offies near me. And I would not drink nearly as many as other beers as I would end up too pissed. I have no shame in saying I drink alcohol most of the time with the aim of getting intoxicated to some degree, alcohol is a commonly used recreational drug. I know people who hate the taste of beer and force it down for the drug effect, I like the taste and the psychoactive effects. I like the taste of coke but would not drink 6 pints.

BeerNut wrote: »

If it's just alcohol you're after, beer is bad value.

I mainly drink karpackie at the moment, 4 for €5. 5%x500ml. That is 20ml of pure alcohol for €1.

So what is better value, solely on a alcohol content basis?

A regular bottle of spirits is 700ml x 37.5%=262.5ml

So to get 20ml for €1, the 700ml bottle should cost €13.12. It would be hard to find one that cheap.

Perhaps some ciders cost less, but most are more, and they are full of methanol.

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

It has a stronger taste than most sauces, so I use less.

Yes, but you weren't talking about the value of the Leffe being based on its taste, but based on its alcohol.

rubadub wrote: »

I like the taste of leffe more than the readily available ones in offies near me.

Which is fair enough, but it's the first time you've mentioned the taste, following two posts running numbers on the ABV.

rubadub wrote: »

So what is better value, solely on a alcohol content basis?

Bottle of cheap plonk; 12% ABV; €6. Howzat?

Mind you: Carlsberg Jacobsen Saaz Blonde is 7.1% ABV and costs €1.99 for a 75cl bottle. Care to do the maths on that one for me?

rubadub

BeerNut wrote: »

Yes, but you weren't talking about the value of the Leffe being based on its taste, but based on its alcohol.

I was mentioning it pre-empting people saying they could get cheaper beers. Many ignore % in spirits and beers, they also ignore volumes, i.e. pints being larger than bottles. Like I said

I have a mate who goes mad if I tell him the true cost of his "pint", i.e. his €5.20 bottle of corona is really almost €9 per pint.

I also have mates thinking I am being "ripped off" if I buy 500ml bottles of erdinger, while they drink their €5 bottles of heineken. It is a pet hate of mine.

BeerNut wrote: »

Bottle of cheap plonk; 12% ABV; €6. Howzat?

750x12%=90ml @ €6. So only 15ml per €1. So the beer is cheaper at 20ml/€1. Your bottle needs to be €4.50 to match it. Most students/teenagers/winos get the calculations wrong and get buckfast! thinking it is the best bang per buck.

I used to distil so am well used to all these calculations, they are very basic compared to other ones used.

The carlsberg is surprisingly cheap alright, where can you get it? Is it nice? I can only manage around 3 pints over 6%, but like the odd one to start with.

BeerNut

rubadub wrote: »

where can you get it?

Deveney's Rathmines, and a couple of other places.

rubadub wrote: »

Is it nice?

Must. Resist. Jibe about relevance
It's OK, especially if it's cold. It gets a bit syrupy when it warms. My review of all the Jacobsens sold here is here. Deveney's does all four for €1.99 a pop.

lostinsuperfunk

Franziskaner (sp.?) weissbier 3 x 500 ml for €6 in my local supervalu (Togher, Cork) and maybe in other branches at the moment.

radiospan

One of my favourite beers too.

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the Hoegaarden "pint" glass? I don't know if it's the same other places in Ireland, but there are at least two pubs in Cork which sell it at the same price as a normal pint, and they fill the Hoegaarden glass (this one) to the top (with not much head, unlike that picture).

There's a pint line on the glass, but if you fill it to the top (as they do) there's something like 800ml in there!

(One pub in Cork have all pints €3.50 on a Friday night, including this! )

BeerNut

For Hoegaarden fans in Dublin: Sin É and Dice Bar have just started selling Celis White on draught. The recipe was put together by Pierre Celis, founder of Hoegaarden, after he was bought out by InBev.

pa990

plazzTT wrote: »

One of my favourite beers too.



(One pub in Cork have all pints €3.50 on a Friday night, including this! )

Which pub would that be ?

radiospan

pa990 wrote: »

Which pub would that be ?

Twins O'Brien on Marlborough Street. (up until a few weeks ago anyway)

Bicky

Just finishing my second bottle of Hoegaarden now. Lovely beer.
I was in tesco today and picked up 4 x 330 mil bottles of hoegaarden for 7.99.
After that i was in aldi and bought the czech beer staropramen which is also very nice. Much better value too at only 1.49 for a 500 mil bottle. It was 2.69 up until a couple of months ago but they dropped it to 1.99 and now it is only 1.49. Bargain.

JæKæ

For Hoegaarden fans in Canada, try some Fin du Monde. It's a 9% blonde beer, like jet propelled Leffe.
Made by Unibroue from Quebec, and available in 6x340 for $15 (in BC at least)

oblivious

JæKæ wrote: »

For Hoegaarden fans in Canada, try some Fin du Monde. It's a 9% blonde beer, like jet propelled Leffe.
Made by Unibroue from Quebec, and available in 6x340 for $15 (in BC at least)

Really great beer

Fin du Monde is a triple (strong golden ale) not a wheat (wit) beer in the case of Hoegaarden but its a hell of a lot better then Leffe, it was available over here last year but I have not seen it in a while:(

the beer revolu

oblivious wrote: »

Really great beer

Fin du Monde is a triple (strong golden ale) not a wheat (wit) beer in the case of Hoegaarden but its a hell of a lot better then Leffe, it was available over here last year but I have not seen it in a while:(

It's in The Abbott's in Cork at the moment in large and small bottles.
It's a fine stab at a Belgian style triple.
I like:)