JUPILER ~ BRASSERIE PIEDBOEUF

5.2% from Jupille-sur-Meuse, Belgium

Julpiler is the Molson Canadian/Budwiser of Belgium. Sampled from a bottle on Konigsdag in Amsterdam, when everyone was walking around with travellers. The beer is a light Euro lager in style. It poured a clear golden colour with a thin white head, which did not stick around. The nose was very light and contained mostly grains. The taste is light with grassy, grainy notes along with some caramel and a bitter hop finish. The body is light and thin and the carbonation was average. There are so many better brews to drink than this in Belgium, though in a pinch it is way better than a Bud light.

MONS ABBEY BLONDE ~ BELGH BRASSE

This is another beautiful brew from Amos, Quebec. It is brewed with esker spring water, using Pilsen and Pale malt, Styrian Gold hops, Saaz hops for aroma, and a classic Belgium yeast. Sampled from a caged and corked bottle, the beer poured a slightly hazy golden-copper with white head. There was some left sediment in the bottom of the bottle. The head lasted several minutes before fading into a cap, leaving impressive lacing in its wake. The nose is quite sweet with notes of florals, European hops, caramel, spice, orange peel, bread, and orchard fruit (especially apple and pear), and possibly some banana bread. The beer is sweet, but not as much as the nose would suggest. Flavours include light orange, banana, orchard fruit, breadiness, spice with hints of pepper and coriander. Grassy herbal hops are present in the finish. Overall, I think this is a very acceptable example of a Belgian style blonde (the brewmaster is apparently originally from Belgium). Worth trying.

7% Amos, Quebec

BODY DUBBEL (TANK TEN) ~ GREAT LAKES BREWERY

Sampled on draught, this Belgian Dubbel Ale poured a hazy orangey copper mahogany colour with a persistent off white head, that left great lacing. The nose contained dark fruits, plums, raisin, Belgian yeast, and brown sugar. The beer is sweet up front with notes of dark fruits (plus, figs, raisins), and spicy grains, molasses and caramel, followed by peppery phenolic yeast. The bitterness of the grassy hops if soft, the carbonation is moderate and the body is in the medium range. There is a nice dialogue between the sweetness and the malts, but the beer lacks complexity. At times it seems a little thin for a dubbel. Quite enjoyable and good, but not outstanding.

6.3% from Etobicoke Toronto, Ontario IBU 18

PATERSBIER ~ BEAU’S

Patersbier is the next instalment of Beau’s Farm table series. This series are brewed true to the original style. Patersbier (Father’s Beer) is Belgian style ale, traditionally brewed by monks. The beer was originally made by monks, and is lower in alcohol that a dubbel or tripel. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a hazy straw colour with a dense white head, which left nice lacing. The nose is light but does contain sweet malts, florals, light grains and fruit and some phenolic spice. The taste has honeyed malts followed by peppery yeasty notes, and subtle floral hop bitterness. The finish is crisp with a little dusty dryness. The beer is quite light bodied and carbonation is soft. Quite drinkable and pleasant, but not spectacular.
Malts: Pilsner, carafoam, acidulated (all organic)
Hops: Organic magnum, organic aramis
Yeast: Abbey Ale Yeast

4.7% from Vankleek Hill, Ontario 22 IBU

ST. BERNARDUS ABT 12 ~ BROUWERJI 

ST. BERNARDUS

St. Bernardus (a quadrupel) is another one of those rich special occasion Abbey Ales. The brewery maintains that it is brewed using the original recipe from the early days of the Trappist Monks of Westleteren licensing their beers to a made by a local brewery. Sampled from a corked bottle, the ale poured a translucent dark brown with a dense ivory coloured head. The head left impressive lacing and eventually settled into a cap. The sweet and complex aroma contained lots of dark fruit, rich malts, peppery yeast, alcohol, and hints of bubble gum and spice. The taste too contains lots of sweet ripe dark fruit along with sugary caramel. There is also a little tartness in the flavour along with beautiful malts, and a touch of spice, but no real hop presence. The flavour is full, robust and warming with a slightly syrupy mouthfeel and moderate carbonation.

10% Watou, Belgium 22 IBU

DE KONINCK PALE ALE ~ BROUWERJI DE KONINCK NV

MACRO BELGIAN ~ Sampled on draught in a De Koninck tulip glass. This beer poured a very clear golden orange colour – much closer to amber in colour. It has a small fizzy cream head, with moderate retention, that left spotty lacing. The aroma was very mild and contained bready grains, mild yeast and berries. A hint of caramel and other fruits and floral hops were subtle but present. Like the nose, I found the taste to be very mild too. It had notes of cracker malts and bread with light caramel and citrus before giving way light floral hops and a dry finish. I found the mouthfeel to be thin and the beer lacked body. The carbonation was moderate and the aftertaste has a faint metallic taste. A simple Belgian brew, not bad, but nothing outstanding either.

5.2% from Antwerp, Belgium

AFFLIGEM BLONDE ~ AFFLIGEM BROUWERIJ

Affligem Blonde is Belgian Abbey ale. Sampled on draught the beer poured a slightly hazy golden yellow colour with a dense head. Sticky lacing was left as the head slowly disappeared. The nose was made up with banana spice, fresh bread, citrus and other tree fruits. The taste was smooth and mild with notes of bread, spice, sweet malts, citrus, and other fruits. A mild slightly drying earthy hop bitterness compliments the sweetness of the malts. The beer had a slightly creamy texture with sparkling carbonation. Easy to drink and refreshing – just be careful the alcohol content is well hidden.
6.8% Opwijk, Vlaams-Brabant Belgium

BELGIAN BLOOD ORANGE PORTER ~ NORTHWINDS  & BRIMSTONE

This brew is collaboration between Northwinds Brewery and Brimstone Brewery, both with fine products of their own. Sampled on draught, the brew poured almost black, and let little light through it. It had a short-lived small off white head. Belgian yeasts, chocolate, orange and grapefruit and pine hops were all on the nose. The flavour was almost liqueur like. It reminded me of a Murphy’s Dark Chocolate orange that I have found in my stocking at Christmas time. The beer started with sweet orange followed by dark chocolate, roasted malts and sweet Belgian yeasts. It finished with a hop combination of bitter grapefruit and resiny pine. Nicely balanced, and very tasty! Bravo!

6% Collingwood, Ontario

CHIMAY ROUGE ~ BIÈRES DE CHIMAY (ABBAUE NOTRE DAME DE SCOURMONT)

Chimay Red (aka Rouge, Première) is an unpasteurized Belgian dubbel that had been fermented and then refermented in the bottle. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured a cloudy red-brown with a large pillowy ivory head. Once it had died down it left some spidery lacing along the glass. The nose is comprised of malts, caramel, hints of chocolate, fruitcake, and spicy Belgian Yeast. Taste has the same flavour profile with dark fruit, caramel, molasses, a nuttiness and hints of chocolate at the end. The sweetness gives way to light hop bitterness at the finish. The beer is medium bodied with a pleasant creamy and smooth feel. The carbonation is refreshing but not aggressive. A delicious treat, thanks to the Monks.
7% from Chimay, Belgium

CHIMAY WHITE ~ BIÈRES DE CHIMAY (ABBAUE NOTRE DAME DE SCOURMONT)

I think of these small Belgian bottles as ‘treats’ not something I would want to drink every day, as they are very rich, and better in small doses. Chimay White (aka White cap, Blanche, Cinq Cents, etc.) is an unpasteurized Belgian tripel that has been fermented and then refermented in the bottle. Sampled from a bottle the beer poured, an opaque coppery orange. The beer had a thick frothy head which, when settled down left a white cap and good lacing. Some sediment was left in the bottle, as this beer is unfiltered. The beer is aromatic and much of what would be expected from a Belgian tripel: fruitiness (tree fruit like apples and apricots and grapes), yeast and bread, spice and alcohol. The flavour follows the profile of the nose: light fruits, sweet malts, citrus notes, Belgian yeasts and with a hint of hoppy bitterness at the end. Complex and masterfully balanced. The beer was fully bodied and crisp, with an almost soda like carbonation. This doesn’t feel like it is 8%, the ABV is well hidden. A once in a while treat!

8% from Chimay Belgium.

CHIMAY BLUE (aka GRANDE RESERVE) ~ CHIMAY

This dark Belgian treat was sampled from a small 330 mL bottle. Once brewed as Christmas Ale, this is the strongest beer that Chimay makes. At 9% this beer is easily cellared. The beer poured an opaque tawny brown colour, with a finger of cream coloured foam. The head lingered for a while before leaving a decent film and some specks of lacing. The aromas were a melange of chocolate, caramel, sweet malts, spice (clove and nutmeg), Belgian Yeast, dark fruits (plum, raisin, and sweet bread. There is tons of taste in this brew: dark fruit, yeasty and bready notes, caramel, big malts, Christmas spices, chocolate, subtle floral hops, and an earthiness. The booziness leaves a pleasant sense of warmth. The rich beer has a lovely complexity to its well-balanced flavours. The body was medium and the carbonation was soft and fine. This one was quite a little treat!
9% from Chimay, Belgium

YEAH ITS BELGIAN ~ INNOCENTE

Sampled on draught, this beer is Belgian style strong pale ale. The beer poured a golden bronze with healthy white foam. As the head died down, it left some nice lacing down the glass. The nose was what you would expect from a Belgian style beer: yeast, banana, spice, straw and malts. The flavour followed the same profile, the beer began with a straw and grassy notes followed by grainy malts – the malts weren’t as sweet as the banana that was coming through. The alcohol level gave it a slight astringency. The finish was dry and had a pepperiness (coriander perhaps?) to it. I enjoyed this but wish the alcohol level was a bit lower.

7.7% from Waterloo, Ontario

COUSIN ABBEY’S DUBBEL ~ OAST HOUSE

Cousin Abbey’s Dubbel is a very drinkable offering from Niagara’s Oast House brewery. Sampled on draught, it poured a clear very dark amber, with an off white head that quickly disappeared. The aroma contained lots of sweet malts, caramel, toffee, with notes of spice and fruit, and a whiff of booze. The taste was similar. The beer was sweet with lots of Demerara sugar and molasses. Sweet malts, plums and other over ripe fruits, spicy and estery Belgian Yeast, and vanilla all contribute to the flavour. The beer also tastes like it may have been stored in rum barrels, which have left an earthy and boozy taste. I find it medium to full-bodied, with moderate to low carbonation. Very warming on a winter’s night.

6.9% from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario IBU 18

FRAMBOISE LAMBIC ~ LINDMANS'

I remember the first time I had this, the bottle came wrapped in paper with cherubs on it. This is a Belgian Framboise Lambic. The bottle was capped and corked. Upon opening it poured an opaque deep garnet red colour with a large intense pink head. The head lasted and left foam cap. The bottled opened with a satisfying pop and filled the room with the smell or tart natural raspberries. The smell was both sweet and tart, with a faint note of yeast. The beer is ALL raspberry (it is made with 30% raspberry juice). It begins quite sweet but finishes with a sour tartness. It does not taste like beer, but rather an intense raspberry soda. Little evidence of alcohol was present. The finish is quick and clean and does not linger on the palette. There was ample carbonation and a medium mouth feel and fuller body than one would expect at 2.5% ABV. Lindemans' has a reputation of being an introduction to more complex Belgian lambics and geuze . This Lambic is not complex with farmhouse funkiness, but is simple and very pleasant. I have to admit this has its charms. I hope to find a few Belgian beauties over the next year.

2.5% Vlezenbeek, Belgium