Belgian beer was made long before Belgium became an independent country; it is believed that it started even before the First Crusade. The French and Flemish brewed beer to raise money. At that time, the people drank beer more often because of the unsanitary condition of the available drinking water. Over the next several centuries, traditional brewing methods slowly evolved into what they are now.
There are many types of Belgian beers, but the two most popular are Trappist beers and Abbey beers. The first Trappist brewery in Belgium Westmalle did not actually start its production of beer until the end of , which was almost 50 years after the French Revolution. Trappist beers are brewed in Trappist monasteries. There are very specific rules for what qualifies as a Trappist beer there is a certain certification for it.
The rules are as follows: the brewery must be a monastery, monks must play a role in its production, and profits from the sale must be used to support the monastery or other social programs outside of it. Right now, there are only ten monasteries that precisely meet these certain qualifications, six of which are in Belgium, two in The Netherlands , one in Austria , and one in the United States. On the other hand, Abbey beers are defined as basically any monastic or monastic-style beer.
In other words, when compared to the Trappist beers, an Abbey beer may be:. The qualifications necessary to be a Trappist beer are much more difficult compared to those of an Abbey beer. But the style was almost completely wiped out. Who was the culprit? Not some crazy Belgian bar crawl, but the rise of Pilsner. Europe fell hard for the crisp, bottom-fermented stuff, but one man, Pierre Celis, brought the style back, opening his own brewery in Hoegaarden just to brew witbier.
Celis eventually had to sell his brewery, though Hoegaarden is still brewed by Ab InBev. Coriander is not a requirement and in fact is absent from many styles of Belgian beers. Just like how some but not all Belgian beers are made with wild fermentation or lactobacillus adding tartness via lactic acid , or how some but not all Belgian beers are unfiltered, resulting in a milky appearance.
Basically, variety is the spice—so to speak—of Belgian beer. Since the yeast can continue to snack on sugars in the beer, this means Belgian beers will carbonate in the bottle itself. The beer cannot be produced as a means of making profit all proceeds must go back into the monastery and to charity nor can it be the main purpose of the monastery which must be religious observance.
Westvleteren has been voted the best beer in the world on several occasions. Howzabout that for a recommendation? And never get caught drinking it out of anything other than a Westvleteren glass. You can only buy it in bottles and you have to order them by calling the monastery.
Fruit beer is very popular in Belgium and the naturally-occuring yeast in the region lends itself to a fruitier rather than hoppy taste. Sour beer is also very popular and although an acquired taste it worth a try. A Flanders Red Ale is probably a good place to start. Lambic beer is brewed in and around Brussels and is fermented using wild native yeasts in the air — these create a slightly sour taste. Kriek cherry beer is probably the best-known Lambic beer in the UK and is typical of the real difference Belgian beer offers.
Another reason Belgian beer is so well-known is that some brands — Stella being a prime example — are really very good at marketing! All rights reserved. Why is Belgian beer so famous?
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