I'm plowing through Belgian beers right now (my latest addiction) taking some time off from scotch, rum and wine. I've always loved Belgian beers....since its still hot outside i've been making my way through Saison beers, Saison Dupot being the easiest to find and thankfully its great..but i love heavier brews as well...big fan of trappistes and drink the rochefort 10 almost like a wine...
anyway, no real direction here...if anyone has any good recomendations, i'd love to hear...also interest to hear if anyone is drinking any domestic beers brewed in the Belgian fashion. bottoms up.
Posts: 1540 | Location: Boston | Registered: February 28, 2003
Chimay. Westmalle. Orval. Duvel. Affligem blond, triple or dubble. All made by belgium monks. Some of the best beers in the world (IMHO)...Hoegaarden and leffe, I'll go with as well. Stella, not a fan. Always tastes skunk to me. Lindeman Framboise lambic...kinda girly but a good desert beer....that should give you a good list to keep your eyes open for
ya the hogarden is sweet because they ceep the yeast in the bottle, but its part of the charm. james i totaly forgot about framboise beer. im not sure if the one i had was the same brand but ya its awsome. Sure its a bit girly but exelently crafted so who cares. There is a brewery here in victoria that makes a rasberry wheat ale that is kinda simmilar.
**S.H.U.T.U.P. #4** R.O.C.A #0012
By the way, if you don't like it, start you own magazine and web site... - James Suckling
Posts: 989 | Location: Victoria ,BC. Canada | Registered: December 28, 2004
Hoegaarden has too much wheat for my taste, I have difficulty picking out other flavor in strong wheat beers...and Stella doesn't impress me. chimay is good, but its lacking something for me, don't know what..but its still very good.
definitely like beers with meat on their bones...Westmalle and Duvel are great.
sounds like James has a similar taste profile as me.
I don't know how well distributed this beer is, but there is an amazing domestic brew from Maine that brews in the stict Belgian ways...Allagash....their white, dubbel and tripel are amazing...i wish more domestic micros pursued this style..not to mention the cost is more attractive...i love trappistes rochefort 10 as much as the next guy, but at close to $150/case, i don't keep much. luckily most of these beers are so flavorful (and high and alcohol) that you prefer to drink it slowly and are satisfied after a glass or two.
http://www.allagash.com if anyone is interested. most of you hoegaarden guys will enjoy the white.
Posts: 1540 | Location: Boston | Registered: February 28, 2003
Originally posted by Bombardier: Hoegaarden has too much wheat for my taste, I have difficulty picking out other flavor in strong wheat beers...and Stella doesn't impress me. chimay is good, but its lacking something for me, don't know what..but its still very good.
definitely like beers with meat on their bones...Westmalle and Duvel are great.
sounds like James has a similar taste profile as me.
I don't know how well distributed this beer is, but there is an amazing domestic brew from Maine that brews in the stict Belgian ways...Allagash....their white, dubbel and tripel are amazing...i wish more domestic micros pursued this style..not to mention the cost is more attractive...i love trappistes rochefort 10 as much as the next guy, but at close to $150/case, i don't keep much. luckily most of these beers are so flavorful (and high and alcohol) that you prefer to drink it slowly and are satisfied after a glass or two.
http://www.allagash.com if anyone is interested. most of you hoegaarden guys will enjoy the white.
if you think of that name Doc let a brotha know...
but you are telling me its NOT from teh Cooperstown Brewery, right?
good chit indeed james. eventhough i am only 1.5 hrs from the allagash brewery i still can't find a bar that carries it here in boston...luckily the bottles are easily found in nice liquor stores. i'll have to pick some up today...
my beef with beer gardens is that they have way too much beer, sure the higher alcohol stuff keeps but most of the lower stuff doesn't and might not sell enough to keep fresh.
i wish someone would open a pub focused on a fine collection of quality beers along side of old mass produced favorites (guinness, sam, anchor, sierra etc)...so you'd still get the crowds of people who like good mass produced beer, but you'd still have the chance to drop the cash on a fine belgian import from time to time. just stop say 15 of the world's finest....maybe i'll open it.
Posts: 1540 | Location: Boston | Registered: February 28, 2003
if you think of that name Doc let a brotha know...
but you are telling me its NOT from teh Cooperstown Brewery, right?
good chit indeed james. eventhough i am only 1.5 hrs from the allagash brewery i still can't find a bar that carries it here in boston...luckily the bottles are easily found in nice liquor stores. i'll have to pick some up today...
my beef with beer gardens is that they have way too much beer, sure the higher alcohol stuff keeps but most of the lower stuff doesn't and might not sell enough to keep fresh.
i wish someone would open a pub focused on a fine collection of quality beers along side of old mass produced favorites (guinness, sam, anchor, sierra etc)...so you'd still get the crowds of people who like good mass produced beer, but you'd still have the chance to drop the cash on a fine belgian import from time to time. just stop say 15 of the world's finest....maybe i'll open it, james, you want in?
Posts: 1540 | Location: Boston | Registered: February 28, 2003
Originally posted by Bombardier: if you think of that name Doc let a brotha know...
but you are telling me its NOT from teh Cooperstown Brewery, right?
good chit indeed james. eventhough i am only 1.5 hrs from the allagash brewery i still can't find a bar that carries it here in boston...luckily the bottles are easily found in nice liquor stores. i'll have to pick some up today...
my beef with beer gardens is that they have way too much beer, sure the higher alcohol stuff keeps but most of the lower stuff doesn't and might not sell enough to keep fresh.
i wish someone would open a pub focused on a fine collection of quality beers along side of old mass produced favorites (guinness, sam, anchor, sierra etc)...so you'd still get the crowds of people who like good mass produced beer, but you'd still have the chance to drop the cash on a fine belgian import from time to time. just stop say 15 of the world's finest....maybe i'll open it, james, you want in?
I'm in!! But check this out. These are a couple of my best accounts.
fatheads last year sold 1500 cases less than PNC Park....imagine that, I know the Pirates blow but to be a resturant and sell only that much less. An 80 game season? incredible!!
Originally posted by Docbarry: There is a Belgen Brewary up in Cooperstown NY but for the life of me I can not remember the name.
The beer is heavier than American beers with more bite. Good when cold.
BTW, Cooperstown NY is also the home of Cooperstown Brewery which makes a number of very good brews.
Stumbled upon this thread from '05 and figured I'd weigh in. The Belgian-style brewery I believe you're referring to is Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown. They have a variety of different labels including Ommegang, Hennepin and 3 Philosophers, which I've had and is quite good.
My Belgian beer choices are, in order of preference, LaChouffe, Orval, Duvel, Leffe and Hoegaarden. Have tried Delirium Tremens, which is reported to be one of the finest beers anywhere, and wasn't impressed.
The Duvel website is a great primer on Belgian beers. They cover all the various styles, regions, etc. www.duvel.com
Hmm, think I'll have a Duvel and a Gispert Robusto when I return to my castle this evening after my daily toil!
"Hooray! Now Zoidberg is the popular one!" - Dr. Zoidberg ================== A Vintage V and a bit of Dewars 12, if you please!
The Chimay is a great ale as is the Rochefort 8 and 10. Although they aren't Belguim, try Celebrator Dopplebock and some of the Dogfishhead 90 or 120 IPA's. For some reason, Stella just doesn't turn me on. Too much of a Heineken taste or something. Chimay (blue Label) is great with a cigar. Neither over-powers the other. If you haven't seen this website, its interesting.
