Belgian Beer

DBCyc

Tis my first post on this forum so hello to all

I have been a big fan of german weissbiers for a while and have sampled a good few from my local off licence which has a great selection. My favourite is Schneider's Aventinus which is very tasty.

I have sampled a couple of Belgian beers recently like Duvel and Chimay and I must say, they are lovely. Can anyone recommend similar or better Belgian brews that I should try as I enjoy tasting new ones!

Cheers,

Dan

oblivious

Here are a few that are available in good off licenses in Ireland also some of all of the are availably in portherhouse's and bull and castle Dublin and Abbot's Ale House - Cork/ possibly franciscan well brewery.

Westvleteren and Rochefort are classic and a must, achel is also another good trappist. all ofRochefort range is are very good and if you tride the chimay red or blue the Rochefort 10 is something to look out for

Maredsous is also good, but i prefer St. Feuillien ( some what rare have the Ireland but Redmonds of Ranelagh have the triple in 1 liter bottles)

If you like Duvel then Delirium Tremens is a must. Achouffe is another very good one.

If you ever get into sour beligan that Goudenband is absolutely fantastic and not a bad jumping of point in the sour world!

Thats just a sample of the more common one, but a good jumping of point

DBCyc

Cheers oblivious - I saw some of the Rochefort in the local off licence so ill try these to start. It's a great place with a fine selection of all types of brews. Brilliant, now I have a list of Belgian tasters - thanks again!

mayordenis

If your local has a niceish stock - see about getting a big bottle of McChoffre or La Chouffre, the first one is a brown ale I reckon you might like the second a blond. Both good in my books.

slayerking

+1 for any of the Rocheforts. They are sublime, particularly 8 and 10!

Also Westmalle dubbel is very nice too. Be careful opening that one, every one I open always fizzes out spilling precious beer on the table!!! !

Edit: Welcome to the forum btw!!

kenmc

mayordenis wrote: »

If your local has a niceish stock - see about getting a big bottle of McChoffre or La Chouffre, the first one is a brown ale I reckon you might like the second a blond. Both good in my books.

That'll be Mc Chouffe or La Chouffe, both from the achouffe brewery oblivious mentioned, and both delicious. Especially the McChouffe. Have never seen either here though, would buy a case if I did.

Also as already mentioned, Delerium Tremens is one of my all time favourites. I also like Judas, which i've also never seen here, and Barbar which is a honey-ale. Belgian beers often tend to be around the 8% mark, so take it handy.

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

Here are a few that are available in good off licenses in Ireland also some of all of the are availably in portherhouse's and bull and castle Dublin and Abbot's Ale House ...

Westvleteren

:eek: Do you have a private stash behind the counter, or would I be able to get some too if I asked?

Both La Chouffe and McChouffe are generally available in Redmond's, and I think in DrinkStore too.

OP, if you're in Dublin, a trip to Redmond's of Ranelagh for some random selections is well worth while.

oblivious

BeerNut wrote: »

:eek: Do you have a private stash behind the counter, or would I be able to get some too if I asked?

Sorry that should be Westmalle:o, if only we could get over here and I paid 7 sterling at London drinker last month for one!

BeerNut

oblivious wrote: »

I paid 7 sterling at London drinker last month for one!

That's actually all right, given that the cheapest I've ever seen Westvletern 12 is €7, in Brussels (and it's not worth it). €10 seems to be the going rate most places that sell it.

kenmc

BeerNut wrote: »

That's actually all right, given that the cheapest I've ever seen Westvletern 12 is €7, in Brussels (and it's not worth it). €10 seems to be the going rate most places that sell it.

Yeah I paid €10 in the cracked kettle I think.

kenmc

BeerNut wrote: »

Both La Chouffe and McChouffe are generally available in Redmond's

Ah. Haven't been there in over a year since they wouldn't let me bring my bike into the shop for 3 mins. I mean talk about customer service?!?! :P

BeerNut

Next time bring your unicycle. For the high shelves, dontcherknow.

oblivious

kenmc wrote: »

Ah. Haven't been there in over a year since they wouldn't let me bring my bike into the shop for 3 mins. I mean talk about customer service?!?! :P

An the Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel is a nice addation

kenmc

They have houblon in redmonds? Damn them all I'll have to go back in. Sans Velo.

Cianos

Leffe is one of my favourite Belgian beers. Had the pleasure of drinking some straight from Belgium itself over the weekend. Mmmm

BeerNut

Cianos wrote: »

Had the pleasure of drinking some straight from Belgium itself

I think that's the only place it comes from -- Leuven.

redshoulder

La Chouffe and Chimay Blue are excellent, followed by Duvel & Hoegaarden. Don't like Leffe.

Haven't tried orval or rochefort etc, as there is a poor selection for Belgian beer in Galway off licenses.

djsctt

Big fan of Hoegaarden, it's the business. Fairly pricey here though

mayordenis

Go with hoegaarden Verboden vrucht or there Grand Cru, excellent drinks again.
On the Achouffre I was drink them both on tap in Amsterdam a few months back, and it broke me, I swear I was a broken man.

DBCyc

cheers guys, I am off to the off licence now with your recommendations so lets see what they have!!!

kenmc

well whadaya know, they had houblon and la chouffe in devenys dundrum. (as well as Sierra Nevada torpedo and ESB, which are all sitting in the kitchen chanting my name )

DBCyc

Great - I picked up a big bottle of La Chouffe in the off licence. They have a great selection with many of the ones recommended here (Drink Store in Stoneybatter)

@kenmc...I can also here some chanting!

oblivious

DBCyc wrote: »

Great - I picked up a big bottle of La Chouffe in the off licence. They have a great selection with many of the ones recommended here (Drink Store in Stoneybatter)

Enjoy it and have one too and a Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel but not for another time

For now a bottle of stone's vertical epics 08, with some tasting notes from last September

http://www.stonebrew.com/epic/detail.php?ReleaseYear=2008

jrar

You cannot go wrong with Westmalle Tripel (cracking good beer), Orval, or Rochefort as mentioned previously.

HungarianHippo

Maredsous Triple is a gorgeous beer. Surprisingly drinkable for something so strong. The first time I was given some to try I was expecting it to taste like some sort of brackish swill..... how wrong I was. It's got an intoxicqating aroma of citrus, honey and cloves (however you couldn't call it sweet) and it tastes like.... well it tastes like more.

Quite fond of Duvel too.

oblivious

HungarianHippo wrote: »

Maredsous Triple is a gorgeous beer. Surprisingly drinkable for something so strong.

The Belgians describe that as digestible this is one of the main reason why big Belgian add sugar to ferment. As it will generally leave a beer with a lower final gravity that is less cloying that an all malt one

HungarianHippo wrote: »

The first time I was given some to try I was expecting it to taste like some sort of brackish swill..... how wrong I was. It's got an intoxicqating aroma of citrus, honey and cloves (however you couldn't call it sweet) and it tastes like.... well it tastes like more.

That is mostly from the yeast although some do a a little spices

DBCyc

Thanks again for the advice guys. Since I first posted, I have sampled a few of the beers that were recommended...

La Chouffe
Westmalle Tripel
Rochefort 10
Chimay Blanche

I really enjoyed them, particularly the Westmalle and the Rochefort. I have a bottle of Delerium Tremens and a Mc Chouffe sitting in the fridge for consumption later on this week...Yipee!

Gazing into my crystal ball...I can see a trip to Belgium on the horizon...

Gazza22

Try Leffe 9 if you can get your hands on it. Also Hoegaarden Grand Cru is a really good beer.

slayerking

If you liked the Westmalle Tripel and Rochefort 10 you should try their little sisters out,
Westmalle Dubbel and Rochefort 8, their also devine!:)

dobthe1st

Hoegaarden is an excellent brew, during the one night i spent in belgium i stuck to that and Maes pils, which was Okayish....

HungarianHippo

I wish I was mouching around some of these places in Brussels sippin' on fine beer and being able to have a puff inside.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/apr/29/brussels-best-cafe-bars-belgium

kenmc

HungarianHippo wrote: »

I wish I was mouching around some of these places in Brussels sippin' on fine beer and being able to have a puff inside.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/apr/29/brussels-best-cafe-bars-belgium

There's a couple of places on Georges street if you're that way inclined. Probably can't get decent beer though I'd imagine.

oblivious

HungarianHippo wrote: »

I wish I was mouching around some of these places in Brussels sippin' on fine beer and being able to have a puff inside.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/apr/29/brussels-best-cafe-bars-belgium

kenmc wrote: »

There's a couple of places on Georges street if you're that way inclined. Probably can't get decent beer though I'd imagine.

kenmc

dobthe1st wrote: »

Hoegaarden is an excellent brew, during the one night i spent in belgium i stuck to that and Maes pils, which was Okayish....

Hang on a sec.... You spent one night in Belgium, and only tasted 2 different beers? :eek:
For shame.

HungarianHippo

A puff and a poof aren't quite the same thing.

Beer Werewolf

Bruges is not a **** hole.
.......

They have so many beers in Belgium, I gotta make every effort to get there.

Gazza22

Beer Werewolf wrote: »

Bruges is not a **** hole.

Who said it was?

Beer Werewolf

Gazza22 wrote: »

Who said it was?

Sorry mate, it's a film quote said by Brendan Gleeson from the film 'In Bruges'.

Thank feck for the email I check once in a blue moon; I didn't even remember posting here.

Gazza22

Beer Werewolf wrote: »

Sorry mate, it's a film quote said by Brendan Gleeson from the film 'In Bruges'.

Thank feck for the email I check once in a blue moon; I didn't even remember posting here.

ahhh sorry :P

mayordenis

I was sceptical for a while, but it's really a brilliant film.

fricatus

I was in Belgium last month and fell in love with the beer there, especially the darker ones.

I enjoyed the dark Chimay, Leffe and Waterloo, all very nice. I also had Brugse Zot ...in Bruges! which was a lovely blonde beer. I tried Rodenbach, the normal one, not the grand cru, but it was one of the sour beers, and I just couldn't take to it.

Best of all though was a lovely dark beer called Kasteel. There's a beer from Alsace with the same name, but which is totally different (well, at least the packaging is... I didn't try the Alsace one).

Anyone in the east Waterford/SoKK area who's looking for Belgian beer should probably check out World Wide Wines in Ardkeen. They've a superb selection, including Verboden Vrucht, some of which I tore into a few weeks back!

V1llianous

oblivious wrote: »

If you like Duvel then Delirium Tremens is a must.

I had a couple of bottles of this in the Porterhouse a few weeks ago.

Nice drop but way too drinkable for a 12% ABV beer in my opinion

LittleEve

Hoegaarden and Leffe

redshoulder

Does anyone know what Brendan Gleeson is drinking in this pic in the film, In Bruges?

pic

Sleipnir

Verboden Vrucht for me please! If you can find some

Otherwise, Chimay Blue. In fact, I think I'll pop down to Redmond's now!

oblivious

redshoulder wrote: »

Does anyone know what Brendan Gleeson is drinking in this pic in the film, In Bruges?

pic

Cant seem to access the pic?

redshoulder

Thats odd, works for me.
If you type in 'In Bruge' in Imdb, it is the first pic in the slideshow.

BeerNut

This one?


Don't recognise it, sorry.

redshoulder

yeah, thats the one.

Beer Werewolf

redshoulder wrote: »

yeah, thats the one.

Its fake beer because Colin Farrell quit drinking and it'd be nasty to let Brendan Gleeson have beer. I know I'd throw a psycho, I have trouble quitting myself. :mad:

At least, Im SURE Brendan's is fake. I know Colin's is.

kenmc

V1llianous wrote: »

I had a couple of bottles of this in the Porterhouse a few weeks ago.

Nice drop but way too drinkable for a 12% ABV beer in my opinion

Thats cos it's only 8.5%