We’ve gone over some basic terms and flavors and talked about the process of tasting beer as a gateway to expand your palate and vocabulary in other “Beginner’s Guides.” Now we’ll go through different beer styles: their history, what makes them unique from other styles, and recommendations on what beers to try to practice your new skills.
We’re going to start the series with Belgian beers, which Garrett Oliver of The Brewmaster’s Table argues are “the most individualistic in the world,” with beers that “defy neat categorizations and stand alone.”
Why is that? Oliver thinks that all of Belgium’s occupations—from the Dutch, Germans, Spanish—have made the Belgians “tougher, prouder, and more prickly.” The theory is that this individualism and multiculturalism ensures that Belgium as a geographic location has the most diverse and unique beers in the world.
You may have also heard about the Belgian Trappist beers, which fall into this category. These beers are brewed by Trappist monks who believe in creating a self-sufficient monastery where they can live, work, and study. There are six Trappist breweries in Belgium now (and only 10 total in the world). Just like other Belgian styles, beers brewed by the monks are unique and specific to each monastery.
Despite this artisanal, individualistic approach, Belgian ales do have common characteristics that can be broken into many different categories. Fruit and malt flavors and aromas play a huge role in Belgian beers from light, zesty citrus to dark fruits like cherry and plum. Many Belgian ales have spice notes from the yeast and hops, usually pepper, sometimes clove and coriander. Belgian brewers are not afraid to use adjuncts—other ingredients beside water, malt, yeast, and hops—in the brewing process, and often use dark sugars like molasses to lighten the body of the beer or actual spices to add complexity.
With those characteristics in mind, let’s break down some of the commonly produced Belgian styles.
Belgian Pale Ales
Photo via BeerTourism.com
Belgian pales have a fine balance between malt, fruit, and spice characteristics, with little to no hop bitterness. The malt should be on the toasty, biscuity, or nutty side, with a light orange or pear aroma and flavor. Some floral and spice come through as well, most often pepper. The beer finishes dry or with a little sweetness, and the drier the beer, the more hops you’ll get in the finish. Belgian pales can be light to medium-bodied but lean towards the medium.
Beers to try: De Koninck, Straffe Hendrik Blonde
Saisons
Also called “farmhouse ales,” modern saisons are brewed with yeast that love high temperatures—perfect for brewing during the summer season—and give the beer its peppery aroma. To add to the spice factor, some brewers add grains of paradise and black pepper to the brew. With or without the added spices, saisons should be fruity with notes of orange or lemon, have low pepper notes, with some light tartness. If hoppy, the hops should be earthy or spicy, and bitterness is acceptable as long as it doesn’t overwhelm the other characteristics.
Beers to try: Saison Dupont, Fantôme Saison D’Erezée – Printemps
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