Beer in Belgium

AChimay tripel beerwith its branded glass

Beer in Belgiumincludespale ales,lambics,Flemish red ales,sourbrown ales,strong alesandstouts.In 2018, there were 304 breweries in Belgium,including international companies, such asAB InBev,and traditional breweries, such asTrappistmonasteries.On average, Belgians drink 68 litres of beer each year,down from around 200 each year in 1900.Most beers are bought or served in bottles, rather than cans, and almost every beer has its own branded, sometimes uniquely shaped, glass.In 2016,UNESCOinscribedBelgian beer cultureon theirlist of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

History

In Belgium, beer was already produced in the Roman era, as evidenced by the excavation of a brewery and malthouse from the 3rd and 4th centuries AD atRonchinne.During the Early and High Middle Ages, beer was produced withgruit,a mix of herbs and spices that was first mentioned in 974 when the bishop ofLiègewas granted the right to sell it atFosses-la-Ville.From the 14th century onwards, gruit was replaced byhops,after the example of imported beers from northernGermanyandHolland.After that, several Belgian towns developed their own types of beer for export to other regions, most notably thewhite beerofLeuvenandHoegaarden,thecavesofLierand theuitzetofGhent.

Monasteries played only a small role in beer production and mostly brewed for their own consumption and that of their guests. Monastic brewing would only receive some renown from the late 19th century onwards, when theTrappistsofChimayproduced a brown beer that was commercially available.

In 1885, a change in legislation made brewing of German-style bottom-fermenting beers viable in Belgium, and it was only from then that large industrial-scale brewing in Belgium took off.During the 20th century the number of breweries in Belgium declined from 3223 breweries in 1900 to only 106 breweries in 1993.Yet, a number of traditional beer styles, such as white beer,lambicandFlemish old brownwere preserved, while new local, top-fermented styles developed, such asspéciale belge,abbey beerandBelgian strong ale.In 1988, the country's two biggest breweries,ArtoisandPiedboeuf,formally merged to becomeInterbrew,then the world's 18th biggest brewer, which was to merge with AmBev in 2004 to become today'sAB InBev,the biggest beer producing company in the world.

Methods

Main article:Brewing

In Belgium, four types offermentation methodsare usedfor thebrewingof beer, which is unique in the world. However, for good understanding of labels of Belgian beer and reference works about Belgian beer often use different terms for the fermentation methods based on archaic or traditional jargon:

1. Spontaneous fermentationwith beers that are unique in Europe: "lambic" and the derived faro, gueuze and kriek beers
2. Warm fermentationis referred to astoporhigh fermentationfor Trappist beers, white beers, ale, most other special beers
3. Mixed fermentationfor "old-brown" type beers
4. Cool fermentationis referred to aslow fermentationfor lager or pilsner, or bottom fermentation

Belgian beer types

Belgian beers have a range of colours, brewing methods, and alcohol levels.

Trappist beers

Main article:Trappist beer

Beers from recognised Trappist breweries:Achel,Chimay,Engelszell,La Trappe,Orval,Spencer,Rochefort,Tre Fontane,Westmalle,Westvleteren,andZundert

Beers brewed inTrappistmonasteries are termed Trappist beers. For a beer to qualify for Trappist certification, the brewery must be in a monastery, the monks must play a role in its production and the policies and the profits from the sale must be used to support the monastery or social programs outside. Only ten monasteries currently meet these qualifications, five of which are in Belgium, two in the Netherlands, one in Austria, one in Italy and one in the United Kingdom.Trappist beer is acontrolled term of origin:it tells where the beers come from, it is not the name of a beer style. Beyond their being mostly warm fermented, Trappist beers have very little in common stylistically.

The current Belgian Trappist producers are:

• Chimaysells Red Label (dark, 7% ABV dubbel), White Label (Blonde, ABV 8%, tripel) and Blue Label (dark, 9% ABV, Christmas), Chimay dorée Gold cap (blonde, 4.8% ABV, enkel).
• Orvalsells a "unique"dry-hopped 6.2% amber beer.
• Rochefortsells three dark beers, "6" (7.5% ABV). "8" (9.2% ABV) and "10" (11.3% ABV) and one blonde beer "Triple Extra" (8.1% ABV)
• Westmallesells Dubbel (7% ABV) and Tripel (9.5% ABV),
• Westvleterensells Green Cap or "Blonde", (5.8% ABV), Blue Cap (dark, 8% ABV) or "8", and Yellow Cap (dark, 10.2% ABV) or "12".

In addition to the above, a lower-strength beer is sometimes brewed for consumption by the brothers (patersbier) or sold on site.

Abbey beers

Augustijnand Augustijn Grand Cru, brewed byBrouwerij Van Steenberge

The designation "abbey beers" (Bières d'AbbayeorAbdijbier) originally applied to any monastic or monastic-style beer. After introduction of an officialTrappist beerdesignation by the International Trappist Association in 1997, it came to mean products similar in style or presentation to monastic beers. In other words, an Abbey beer may be:

• produced by a non-Trappist monastery—e.g.Benedictine;or
• produced by a commercial brewery under commercial arrangement with an extant monastery; or
• branded with the name of a defunct abbey by a commercial brewer;

In 1999, the Union of Belgian Brewers introduced a "Certified Belgian Abbey Beer"(Erkend Belgisch Abdijbier) logo to indicate beers brewed under license to an existing or abandoned abbey, as opposed to other abbey-branded beers which the trade markets using other implied religious connections, such as a local saint.The requirements for registration under the logo include the monastery having control over certain aspects of the commercial operation, and a proportion of profits going to the abbey or to its designated charities. Monastic orders other than the Trappists can be and are included in this arrangement. The "Abbey beer" logo and quality label is no longer used for beers given the name of a fictitious abbey, a vaguely monastic branding or a saint name without mentioning a specific monastery. Some brewers may produce abbey-style beers such as dubbel or tripel, using such names but will refrain from using the term Abbey beer in their branding.

What connoisseurs now recognize asTrappistbreweries began operations in 1838. Several monasteries, however, maintained "working" breweries for 500+ years before theFrench regimedisrupted religious life (1795–1799). Even then, some Abbey beers such asAffligem Abbey,whose name now appears on beers made by theHeineken-ownedAffligem Brewery,resumed brewing from "working" monasteries until the occupation of most of Belgium inWorld War I.Commercial Abbey beers first appeared during Belgium's World War I recovery.

Although Abbey beers do not conform to rigid brewing styles, most tend to include the most recognizable and distinctiveTrappiststyles of brune (Belgianbrown ale,akadubbel),strong pale aleortripel,andblonde aleor blond.Modern abbey breweries range frommicrobreweriesto international giants, but at least one beer writer warns against assuming that closeness of connection with a real monastery confirms a product's quality.

As of 2011,18 certified Abbey beersexisted:

• Achelsells Achel 5 Blonde (5% ABV, draught only), Achel 5 Brune (5% ABV, draught only), Achel 8 Blonde (8% ABV, tripel), Achel 8 Brune (8% ABV, dubbel), Extra Blonde (9.5% ABV.tripel), Extra Brune (9.5% ABV, dubbel).
• Abbaye de Cambron, brewed inSillybyBrasserie de Silly.

1. Abbaye de Bonne Espérance, previously brewed byLefebvre Brewery,since 2015 more locally byLa Binchoise.

• Abdij Dendermonde, brewed inMerchtembyBrouwerij De Block
• Abbaye de Saint-Martin, historically referenced to 1096, is brewed near Tournai byBrasserie Brunehaut.
• Affligem,produced forAffligem Abbeyby a Heineken-owned brewery.
• Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieuis located on the grounds of a former abbey.
• Bornem is brewed in Oost-Vlaanderen byBrouwerij Van Steenberge
• Ename is brewed in Oost-Vlaanderen byBrouwerij Roman.
• Floreffeis brewed to fund a school housed in a former monastery.
• Grimbergen,made by the largeAlken Maesbrewery for an extantNorbertineabbey.
• Keizersberg is brewed in Oost-Vlaanderen by Brouwerij Van Steenberge.
• Leffe,the Abbey brand ofStella Artois,itself part of the multinationalInbevcorporation, is brewed under licence from an extant brewery. It is thought to be the first such arrangement. Leffe has global distribution.
• Maredsous,the Abbey brand of Duvel Moortgat, Belgium's second largest brewer, licensed fromMaredsous Abbey.
• Postel is brewed in Opwijk byBrouwerij De Smedt.
• Ramée is brewed in Purnode byBrasserie du Bocq.
• St. Feuillienis a small independent brewery.
• Steenbrugge is brewed in Brugge byBrouwerij De Gouden Boom.
• Tongerlo is brewed in Boortmeerbeek byBrouwerij Haacht.

Other non-certified Abbey beers include:-

• Abbaye des Rocs, made by a farmers' co-operative and named after a local ruined abbey.
• Corsendonk,abbey beer brewed by a brewery in the name of the Corsendonkpriory(monastery) in Oud-Turnhout
• Kasteelbier, monastic style beers brewed in a castle.
• St. Bernardusbrewery, based onWatouoriginally brewed under contract for the abbey ofSt SixtusatWestvleteren,but continues on an independent basis, in parallel with production at the monastery itself. Their range is considered a close match in recipe and style to the St Sixtus beers, which can be hard to obtain outside the area.
• Tripel Karmeliet,with a three-grain recipe, is produced byBosteels Brewery,who also makePauwel Kwak.Bosteels, and Tripel Karmeliet, are now part of AB InBev after a not-so-popular take-over in 2016.
• Averbode.
• Braxatorium Parcensis.
• Abdij van 't Park, anAldihouse brandabbey beer, made by Brouwerij Haacht Brasserie.Named afterthe abbeyinHeverlee,Leuven.
• Florival, aDelhaizehouse brand abbey beer, made by Brouwerij Affligem. Named after the abandoned abbey of Florival, in the rural municipal ofGrez-Doiceau.

Pils or pale lager

Main article:Pilsner

This style makes up the bulk of beer production and consumption in Belgium. Belgian Pilsnersare not particularly distinctive or renowned by connoisseurs.The top brands include Jupiler (within Belgium) and Stella Artois (both brewed byInbev), Maes pils and Cristal (both brewed by theAlken Maesbranch ofHeineken). Stella Artois, originating in Belgium, is distributed globally.

The Pilsnerbeer is which is popularly called "pintje"(in Flemish, from English" pint "but in volume only 1/2 pint) or"choppe"(in French) in Belgium, was the basis of the"fluitjesbier"distributed during the German occupation in WWII and under rationing. This"fluitjesbier"was watered down to about 0.8° (compared to fruitjuice which can have up to 1.5° due to natural fermentation).

Bock

Main article:Bock

Bock is a strong lager ofGerman origin.Some Belgian brewers have produced bock-style beers what makes it a style applicable to Belgium.

White or wheat beer

Vlaamsche Bandiet ( "Flemish Bandit" ) is a popular Belgian wheat beer.

Main article:Wheat beer

This type of beer, commonly calledwitbierin Dutch,bière blanchein French andwheat beerin English, originated in the Flemish part of Belgium in the Middle Ages. Traditionally, it is made with a mixture of wheat and barley. Beforehopsbecame widely available in Europe, beers were flavoured with a mixture of herbs calledgruit.In the later years of the Middle Ages, hops were added to the gruit. That mixture continues today in most Belgian white beers.

The production of this type of beer in Belgium had nearly ended by the late 1950s. In the town ofHoegaarden,the lastwitbierbrewery, Tomsin, closed its doors in 1955. However, ten years later, a young farmer by the name ofPierre Celisin the same village decided to try reviving the beer. In 1966, Celis began brewing a wit beer in his farm house. Ultimately, his beer took the name of the village and became very successful and famous.

Some notable current examples are Celis White, Blanche de Namur and Watou's Wit. Their alcohol strength is about 5–6 percent ABV, and these beers can be quite refreshing, especially during the warm summer months. The herb mixture traditionally includes coriander and bitter orange peel,among other herbs. White beers also have a moderate light grain sweetness from the wheat used. In recent times, brewers have been making fruit flavoured wheat beers.

Blonde or golden ale

TwoCineybeers: a blonde (left) and brown (right)

Duvel, a typical blond Belgian ale

These are a light variation onpale ale,often made withpilsnermalt.Some beer writers regard blonde and golden ales as distinct styles, while others do not.Duvelis the archetypal Belgian blonde ale, and one of the most popular bottled beers in the countryas well as being well known internationally.Its name means "Devil" and some other blonde beers follow the theme—Satan, Lucifer and Judas for example. The style is popular with Walloon brewers, the slightly hazy Moinette being the best-known example. Chouffe can be considered a spiced version (with coriander).

Hop-accentuated beers and India pale ale

A few Belgian beers are pale and assertively hopped.De Ranke'sXX Bitterhas a British-style name. Arabier from De Dolle Brouwers.Brouwerij Van Eecke'sPoperings Hommelbier,another example, hails from Belgium's hop-growing district.

Lambic beers (including gueuze and fruit lambics)

Main article:Lambic

Spontaneous fermentation atTimmermans Brewery

Lambicis awheat beerbrewed in thePajottenlandregion of Belgium (southwest ofBrussels) by spontaneous fermentation.Most modern beers arefermentedby carefully cultivated strains of brewer'syeasts;Lambic's fermentation, however, is produced by exposure to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to theZennevalley, in which Brussels lies. The beer then undergoes a long aging period ranging from three to six months (considered "young" ) to two or three years for mature. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry,vinous,and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste.

From Lambic four kinds of beer are produced: Lambic,Gueuze,Fruit Lambic,andFaro.

• The first of these, Lambic, is the unblended basic brew (young) or the refermented basic brew (old). Lambic is a draught beer which is rarely bottled, and thus only available in its area of production and a few cafes in and around Brussels.
• The youngest of the Lambic brews, Faro, which is lambic just after the first fermentation is sometimes served with sugar or caramel added to make it palatable for consumption.
• Gueuze blends old and young brews to stimulate a final fermentation, sometimes from three consecutive years (cfr sherry-method). Gueuze is the finished product, the beer that is commercialised. Top quality Geuze is bottled in large bottles (75cl) with a champagne-like cork, that require delicate handling, and controlled environmental conditions much like wine.
• Fruit beers are made by adding fruit or fruit concentrate to Lambic or a mixture of Lambic brews before the final refermenting stage. The most common type is Kriek, made withsour cherries.

Amber ales

These are beers similar to the traditionalpale alesof England, although less bitterly hopped.A notable example is the 5% ABVDe Koninckbrand, with its distinctive half-spherical glasses (called 'bollekes'). It is popular in its native city ofAntwerp.Another isPalm Speciale.Some, such asVieux Temps,were based on British styles to please troops stationed in Belgium during World War I.Others were introduced by the UK-born brewer George Maw Johnson in the late 19th century.A very strongambréeis brewed by "Bush" (Dubuisson), another brewery influenced by British styles.

Walloonamber orambréeale, such aGauloise Ambrée,is considered to be somewhat distinct by some beer writers, and to be influenced by theFrenchversion of theambréestyle.

Tripel

Main article:Tripel

Tripel is a term used originally by brewers in theLow Countriesto describe astrong pale ale,and became associated withWestmalle Tripel.The style of Westmalle'sTripeland the name was widely copied by the breweries of Belgium,then the term spread to the US and other countries.Gulden Draakwas awarded the best-tasting beer in the world in 1998 by theAmerican Tasting Institute(nowChefsBest).

Dubbel

Main article:Dubbel

Dubbel (double) has a characteristic brown colour. It is one of the classic Abbey/Trappist types, having been developed in the 19th century at the Trappist monastery in Westmalle. Today, some commercial brewers using abbey names call their strong brown beers "Dubbel". Typically, a dubbel is between 6 and 8% abv. In addition to the dubbels made by most Trappist breweries, examples includeSt. Bernardus Pater,Adelardus Dubbel,Maredsous 8andWitkap Dubbel.

Dubbels are characteristicallybottle conditioned.

Flemish Red

Main article:Flanders red ale

Typified byRodenbach,the eponymous brand that started this type over a century ago, this beer's distinguishing features from a technical viewpoint are a specially roasted malt, fermentation by a mixture of several 'ordinary' top-fermenting yeasts and a lactobacillus culture (the same type of bacteria yoghurt is made with) and maturation in oak. The result is a mildly strong 'drinking' beer with a deep reddish-brown colour and a distinctly acidic, sour yet fruity and mouthy taste. This style is closely related toOud bruin.

Oud bruin, or Flemish sour brown ale

Main article:Oud bruin

This style, aged in wooden casks, is a cousin to the sour "Flemish Red" style. Examples include Rodenbach, Goudenband and Petrus.

Brown ale

Regular bruin or brune beers such asGrottenbierare darker than amber ales, less sour thanFlemish brown ale,and less strong thandubbel.

Scotch ales

See also:Scotch Ale

A thistle-shaped glass complements Belgian "scotch" beers.

These sweet, heavy-bodied brown ales represent a style which originated in the British Isles. The Caledonian theme is usually heavily emphasized with tartan and thistles appearing on labels. Examples include Gordon's, Scotch de Silly and La Chouffe Mc Chouffe.

Stout

Belgianstoutssubdivide into sweeter and drier, and stronger and weaker versions. Examples include Callewaerts and Ellezelloise Hercule. The sweeter versions resemble the almost-defunct British style "milk stout",while the stronger ones are sometimes described asImperial stouts.

Champagne beers

Champagne style beersare generally ales that are finished "à la méthode originale" for champagne. Examples include Grottenbier,DeuSandMalheur Bière Brut.They receive a second fermentation much likeChampagnedoes and are stored for several months "sûr lie" while the fermentation lasts. This creates the smaller, softer bubbles that we know from Champagne, but maintains the beer flavour and style.

Quadrupel or Grand Cru

Main article:Quadrupel

In Belgium "Grand Cru" is more often used than "Quadrupel", these beers are a mostly a blend of brews, which is often refermented as a blend.

Saison

Main article:Saison

Saison (French for "season" ) is the name originally given to refreshing, low-alcohol beers brewed seasonally inWallonia,the French-speaking region of Belgium. First seen in early 19th centuryLiège,saisons gained notoriety as a luxury beer in 20th centuryHainautbrewed by city and countryside brewers alike. By the 1980s, they were only produced on the countryside. Modern-day saisons are also brewed in other countries, particularly USA, and are generallybottle conditioned,with an average range of 5 to 8% ABV,though saisons at the more traditional 3.5% strength can still be found.

Although saison has been described as an endangered style,there has been a rise in interest in this style in recent years, withSaison Dupontbeing named "the Best Beer in the World" by the magazineMen's Journalin July 2005.

A related style known as agrisettewas brewed with a lower ABV and with wheat added.

Winter or Christmas beers

Many breweries produce special beers during December. Most contain more alcohol than the brewery's other types of beer and may also contain spicing. An annual beer festival inEssennear Antwerp focuses on this type of beer with over 190 beers available for tasting in 2014.

Fruit beers (non-Lambic)

See also:Fruit beer

Some brewers that are not Lambic-brewers make fruit beers in a similar process as the Fruit Lambic beers.

All brewers of this style make fruit lambic. Many brewers of top fermentation beers such as Belgian golden ales, ambers and Flemish old brown beers, that produce beers that usually go through a multiple stage fermentation process, are catching on to the trend to make fruit beers. The process starts after the first fermentation of thewort,when sometimes sugar is added to referment the beer on wooden casks. To make fruit beer the fruit, juice or syrup is added (instead of sugar) to the first brew and refermented, these may be termed fruit lambics or fruit beers, depending on the type of first brew.

Beer that has fruit syrup or fruit lemonade added after (the final stage of) fermentation, in other words as a flavouring, are termed "Radlers" ( "Shandy" in the UK) definitely not fruit beer.

Strong ale

Beers above 7%, such astripelsor strongdubbels,are referred to in some sources as Belgianstrong ale,although this is not a name used by Belgian brewers.

Table beer

Table beer(tafelbier, bière de table) is a low-alcohol (typically not over 1.5%) brew sold in large bottles to be enjoyed with meals. It has gradually lost popularity due to the growing consumption ofsoft drinksand bottledwater.It comes in blonde or brown versions. Table beer used to be served in school refectories until the 1980s; in the early 21st century, several organizations made proposals to reinstate this custom as table beer is considered more healthy than soft drinks. Some bars serve a glass of draft lager with a small amount of table beer added, to take away the fizziness and act as a sweetener, in Limburg it is referred to as a "half om".

Archaic styles

These include

• Arge:A sour beer from Antwerp
• Faro:A beer that was drunk sweetened. Not necessarily the same as the modern Faro.
• Grisette( "little gray" ): A lower-alcohol Saison drunk originally by miners inHainaut.
• Happe:A predecessor of wheat beer, made with wheat and oats.
• Hoppe:An early hopped beer, from the mid-1500s whengruitwas widely used.
• Kuyte:also called Cuyte, a strong beer originating in 16th century France, asQuente,before becoming established in Belgium. Popular with the upper classes.
• Pecce:A cheap beer.
• Roedbier:Literally, red beer. It is not clear if this was a single style.
• Uitzet:A sour beer.
• WalgbaertorWaegebaert:Similar to Happe.
• Zwaartbier:Literally, black beer. It is not clear whether this was a single style.

Glassware

Belgian "special" beers (stronger or bottled beers) are often served in elaborate brandedbeer glassware.Unless the bar is out of the specific glass that goes with that beer it is more often than not served in its own glass. Most bartenders or waitresses will apologize if the beer comes in a different glass.

One of the more common types is the tulip glass. A tulip glass not only helps trap the aroma, but also aids in maintaining large heads, creating a visual and olfactory sensation. The body is bulbous, but the top flares out to form a lip which helps head retention.

A vessel similar to achampagne fluteis the preferred serving vessel for Belgianlambicsandfruit beers.The narrow shape helps maintain carbonation, while providing a strong aromatic front. Flute glasses display the lively carbonation, sparkling colour, and soft lacing of this distinct style.

Chalicesandgobletsare large, stemmed, bowl-shaped glasses mainly associated with Trappist and Abbey ales. The distinction between goblet and chalice is typically in the glass thickness. Goblets tend to be more delicate and thin, while the chalice is heavy and thick walled. Some chalices are even etched on the bottom to nucleate a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head.

In addition to the profusion of glasses provided by brewers, some Belgian beer cafés serve beer in their own "house" glassware. An example isLa LunetteinBrussels.

• 
  Geuzelambic beerin a flute glass
• 
  Orval beerin its "chalice" glass
• 
  Rochefort beerin its "goblet" glass
• 
  Duvel's tulip glass
• 
  Kwakbeer with its unusual glass and stand
• 
  Hoegaarden Brewerywheat beerin its characteristic hexagonal glass
• 
  Gilladeken,aSpéciale belgewith bottle and glass

Distribution

The majority of Belgian beer brands are sold in bottles.Draught beerstend mostly to bepale lagers,wheat beers, regional favourites such askriekin Brussels orDe Koninckin Antwerp; and the occasional one-off.Customers who purchase a bottled beer (often called a "special" beer) can expect the beers to be served ceremoniously, often with a free snack.

These days, Belgian beers are sold in brown- (or sometimes dark green-) tinted glass bottles (to avoid negative effects of light on the beverage) and sealed with acork,a metalcrown cap,or sometimes both. Some beers arebottle conditioned,meaning reseeded withyeastso that an additionalfermentationmay take place. Different bottle sizes exist: 25 cl, 33 cl, 37.5 cl, 75 cl and multiples of 75. (8, 12, 24 or multiples of 24fl. oz.) The 37.5 cl size is usually for lambics. Other beers are generally bottled in 25 or 33 cl format (depending on brands). The bigger bottles (75 cl) are sold almost in every food shop but customers do not always have an extensive choice. Bottles larger than 75 cl are named following the terminology used forchampagneand are limited in quantity. In Belgian cafés, when someone orders ademi(English: "half" ), he receives a 50 cl (half litre) glass (with beer from the tap, or from 2 bottles of 25 cl).

Virtually every Belgian beer has a branded glass imprinted with a logo or name.

Belgium contains thousands of cafés that offer a wide selection of beers, ranging from perhaps 10 (including bottles) in a neighborhood café, to over 1000 in a specialist beer café. Among the most famous are "Beer Circus," "Chez Moeder Lambic," and "Delirium Café" inBrussels;"Billie's Bier Kafétaria", "de Kulminator" and "Oud Arsenaal" inAntwerp,"Barnabeer" inNamur,"De Garre" and "'t Brugs Beertje" inBruges,"Het Botteltje" inOstend,"Het Hemelrijk" inHasselt,"Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant", "De Dulle Griet" and "Trappistenhuis" inGhent,"De Blauwe Kater" inLeuven,the Vaudrées inLiègeand the "Stillen Genieter" inMechelen.Although many major brands of beer are available at most supermarkets, off-licences located throughout the country generally offer a far wider selection, albeit at somewhat higher prices.

International distribution

Belgian Beer at the internationalBierbörseinCologne.

Belgium exports almost 80% of its beer.Some draught-beer brands produced byAB InBev–Stella Artois,HoegaardenandLeffe– are available in several European countries. Aside from these, mostly bottled beer is exported across Europe. Cafés, exclusively or primarily offering Belgian beers, exist beyond Belgium in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, amongst others. Some beer festivals outside Belgium have a Belgian beer bar as an alternative to local products. In North America, a growing number of draught Belgian beer brands have started to become available, often at "Belgian Bars". Such brands includeBrasserie Brunehaut,Karmeliet, Kwak,Maredsous,Mont Saint-Aubert, Delirium,Palm,Rodenbachand St. Feuillien.

Beer festivals

Belgium has a number ofbeer festivalsincluding:

• The BAB-bierfestival, held every year in February inBruges
• Zythos Beer Festival or ZBF. The festival held every spring inLeuven(previously inSint NiklaasandAntwerp) organized by the consumer group Zythos.
• The Belgian Beer Weekend held inGrand-Place,Brussels,organized by the Brewer's association.
• Karakterbieren Festival inPoperinge,Belgium's hop-growing capital.
• The Beer Passion weekend held each July inAntwerp,organized byBeer Passionmagazine,
• The Modeste Bier Festival held the 1st Weekend of Oct inAntwerp,Run by Antwerps Bier College.
• The Christmas beer festivalEssen
• Alvinne Craft Beer Festival, atPicobrouwerij Alvinne,Zwevegem(Moen)
• "La Géroublonnade", beer and gourmet event in a village inGérouville,region of southern Belgium, during second Sunday of July.
• The Weekend of Belgian Beers, held inHasseltin November, organized by the Limburgse Biervrienden
• The Weekend of Special Beer in Sohier in February
• Since 2017 Billie's Bier Kafétaria and Hop is Hop organises Billie's Craft Beer Fest. A unique formula for Belgium (all in formula) with 50 of the very best (Inter)national craft breweries. Annually half of November

Beer cuisine

A number of traditionalBelgian dishesuse beer as an ingredient. One iscarbonade(French) orstoverijorstoofvlees(Dutch),a stew of beef cooked in beer, similar toBoeuf bourguignon.The beer used is typically the regional speciality—lambicin Brussels,De Koninckin Antwerp, and so on—so that the taste of the dish varies. Another is rabbit ingueuze.In't Spinnekopke,Brussels, andDen Dyver,Brugesare famed for their beer cookery. In 1998Anheuser-Busch InBevstarted a worldwide chain of bars/restaurants,Belgian Beer Cafe,serving typical Belgian dishes combined with Belgian Beer.

The varied nature of Belgian beers makes it possible to match them against each course of a meal, for instance:

• Wheat beer with seafood or fish.
• Blond beers or tripel with chicken or white meat
• Dubbel or other dark beers with dark meat
• Fruit lambics with dessert

Appreciation and organizations

Beer Passionis a magazine, which also organizes a beer festival. "Zythos" is the name of the main consumer's organization, successor to the earlier OBP (Objectieve Bierproevers). The Belgian Brewers' Associationrepresents breweries. It organizes beer festivals and an open breweries day. The Knighthood of the Mashstaff honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to brewing, and pays tribute toGambrinusandSaint Arnold.

Beer writers who have written extensively on Belgian beer include BelgiansPeter Crombeq,Gert van Lierde and Erik Verdonck, and BritonsMichael Jacksonand Tim Webb.

On 1 December 2016, in the eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, as an appreciation towards the beer culture in Belgium, it was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Belgian beer brands

See also:Category:Belgian beer brands

The following list contains beers that are brewed in Belgium. Not to be confused with "Belgian style" beers that are produced in other countries, and may or may not resemble a style that is specific to Belgium.

Beer name	Beer style	colour	ABV	Brewery
Chimay Gold: "Doree"	trappistpale ale	gold	4.8%	Chimay Brewery(official trappist)
Chimay Blue: "Grande Reserve"	trappistdark ale	dark	9.0%
Chimay Red: "Premiere"	trappistdubbel	dark	7.0%
Chimay White: "Cinq Cents Tripel"	trappisttripel	dark	8.0%
CineyBlonde	strongpale ale	gold	7.0%	Alken-Maes(part ofHeinekenandCarlsberg)
CineyBrune	strongdark ale	dark	7.0%
Grimbergen	abbey beer		6.7%
Cuvée des Trolls	strongpale ale	gold	7.0%	Dubuisson Brewery
Delirium de Noel (Christmas beer)	strongamber ale	amber	10.0%	Huyghe Brewery
Delirium Nocturnum	strongdark ale	dark	8.5%
Delirium Tremens	Strong Blonde Ale	gold	8.5%
DeuS Brut des Flandres	champagne beer	gold	11.5%	Bosteels Brewery(part ofAB InBev)
Pauwel Kwak	strongpale ale	amber	8.4%
Tripel Karmeliet	abbey beertripel	gold	8.4%
Duchesse de Bourgogne	oud bruin		6.2%	Verhaeghe Brewery
Duvel	stronggolden ale	gold	8.5%	Duvel Moortgat
Duvel Single Fermented	stronggolden ale	gold	6.8%
MaredsousBlonde	abbey beer	gold	6.0%
MaredsousBrune	abbey beerdubbel	dark	8.0%
MaredsousTripel	abbey beertripel	gold	10.0%
Framboise Boon	framboise(raspberrylambic)		5.0%	Boon Brewery
Kriek Boon	kriek(cherrylambic)	red	4.0%
Gulden Draak	strongdark ale	dark	10.5%	Brouwerij Van Steenberge
Hoegaarden	wheat beer	gold	4.9%	Hoegaarden Brewery(part ofAB InBev)
Jupiler	pale lager	gold	5.2%	Brewery Piedbœuf(part ofAB InBev)
LeffeBlonde	abbey beer	blond	6.6%	Interbrew(part ofAB InBev)
LeffeBruin	abbey beer	dark	6.5%
Stella Artois	pale lager	gold	5.2%
Lindemans Framboise	framboise(raspberrylambic)	red	2.5%	Lindemans Brewery
Lindemans Kriek	kriek(cherrylambic)	red	4.0%
Lindemans Pêcheresse	peachlambic	gold	2.5%
Mouten Kop	IPA	amber	6.0%	Brewery De Graal
RodenbachOriginal	sour, non-labic fruit beer	red brown	5.2%	Palm Breweries(part ofRoyal Swinkels)
RodenbachGrand Cru	sour, non-labic fruit beer	red brown	6.2%
RodenbachVintage	sour, non-labic fruit beer	red Brown	7.0%
RodenbachCaractère Rouge	sour, non-labic fruit beer	Red brown	7.0%
St. Bernardus Abt 12	abbey beerquadrupel	brown	10.0%	St. Bernardus Brewery
St. Bernardus Prior 8	abbey beerdubbel	brown	8.0%
St. Bernardus Tripel	abbey beertripel	gold	8.0%
Trappistes Rochefort6	trappistdubbel		7.5%	Rochefort Abbey(official trappist)
Trappistes Rochefort8	trappisttripel		9.2%
Trappistes Rochefort10	trappistquadrupel		11.3%

See also

• Beer and breweries by region
• High Council for Artisanal Lambic Beers
• Méthode Champenoise

References

Bibliography

• Good Beer Guide to Belgium,Tim Webb, CAMRA Books,ISBN1-85249-210-4
• Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition,Phil Marowski, Brewers Publications (2004),ISBN0-937381-84-5
• Great Beers of Belgium,Michael Jackson,ISBN90-5373-012-5
• Lambicland: Lambikland,Tim Webb, Chris Pollard, Joris Pattyn, Cogan and Mater Ltd,ISBN0-9547789-0-1
• Alle Belgische Bieren,Ed. Hilde Deweer, Stichting Kunstboek Oostkamp, 2015ISBN978-90-5856-526-6

External links

• All About Belgian Beer in English Language
• Belgium's Great Beers
• Belgian Beer Map – Distribution of Belgian breweries by provincesArchived1 August 2016 at theWayback Machine
• All About Belgian Beer and Beer Tourism in BelgiumArchived4 May 2013 at theWayback Machine(in English)fromBeerTourism.com
• Brewers in BelgiumatCurlie