| Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Belgian | | | | |
| Beer | | | | Golden Beers are somewhat like a pilsner lager, but |
| | | | | they are obtained from pale hops and malts and ale |
| Belgium is a small country but there is nothing small | | | | yeasts. The original pilsner beer came from Bohemia, |
| about their production of beers and ales. In fact, | | | | which is located in the Czech Republic. It is highly |
| since the Middle Ages Belgium has had a reputation | | | | carbonated and has a thick white head. The taste is |
| for producing quality beers, and they have influenced | | | | somewhat tangy with a bit of bitterness. A pilsner |
| beer and ale production in many other countries, | | | | usually has five-percent alcohol content. |
| including the United States. | | | | |
| | | | | The oldest beer brewers in Belgium are actually the |
| By conservative estimates, there are over | | | | Trappist monks, who use methods and recipes that |
| four-hundred-fifty different types of beer brewed in | | | | have been passed down through the centuries to |
| Belgium. If you take a Belgium beer tour vacation, | | | | make distinctly Trappist beers. There are six different |
| you can visit brewery after brewery and sample just | | | | Trappest monasteries that currently support |
| about every kind of beer. Beer that is brewed in | | | | themselves by brewing beer. These include Orval, |
| Belgium includes white beers or blanche beers. These | | | | Achel, Chimay, Westyleteren, Rochefort and |
| are also called wheat beers and sometimes have a | | | | Westmalle. The beers they make usually bear the |
| bit of a taste of citrus. | | | | name of the monastery. |
| | | | | |
| Lambic beer is a regional beer that can be found in | | | | There also Abbey beers which are produced in |
| and around Brussels. This draft beer is described by | | | | Belgium. In most cases, the beers are not produced |
| the Brussels’ tourism accounts as being a | | | | in monasteries but there may be a business |
| “non-malted wheat beer, fermented by wild, | | | | relationship where an abbey contracts a commercial |
| airborne yeasts.” The Belgians have also taken | | | | brewery to produce a certain beer. Abbey beers |
| this Lambic beer and combined two versions | | | | include Duvel, Leffe, Kwak, Affligem, Corsendonk, |
| together to make Gueuze, which is said to have a | | | | Grimbergen and Karmeliet. |
| sparkle much like champagne. | | | | |
| | | | | Currently, Belgium has around |
| Still other Lambic beers are Faro and Kriek--Faro is | | | | one-hundred-twenty-five different breweries |
| more or less a light Lambic beer, while Kriek is a | | | | producing close to five hundred beers. They are sold |
| Lambic beer that is fermented further with the | | | | in both small cafes that may have only a few brands |
| addition of raspberries and cherries. Belgium is also | | | | to much larger bars that might have a thousand or |
| famous for brown beers, red beers, and golden | | | | more kinds. The Belgians are masters when it comes |
| beers. Brown beers have a unique blend of | | | | to beer brewing and having an appreciation for quality |
| caramel-like sweetness mixed with a sour taste that | | | | pilsners, beers, ales and lagers. You can find just |
| comes from many months of aging. Red beers come | | | | about any flavoring too, from strawberry or |
| from red barley--they too combine sweet and sour | | | | raspberry to chocolate. If you can arrange it, give |
| tastes in a unique blend that is sometimes described | | | | yourself a real treat and try some of these Belgian |
| as fruity. | | | | brews. |
