Jamie Goode samples a range of Belgian beers and lagers
Belgium has a long history of beer production, and with its wide diversity of distinctive and delicious beers it is a place of pilgrimage for beer nuts.
I’ve chosen a range of very traditional and also more modern Belgian beers here, ranging from a characterful lager to the rather extreme (but delicious) beers made by adding fruit, namely cherries and raspberries.
Watch out for the alcohol levels on some of these beers, though – you don’t want to be drinking them by the pint. Instead, pour them into a nice beer glass, and don’t over fill it.
Vedett Extra Blond Premium Lager, Belgium
£1.80, Tesco, 5% alcohol
This is a crisp, bright, characterful lager with nice bitter herbal notes as well as a bit of malt and some citrus peel character. There’s a slight honeyed richness which plays with the tangy hoppy character. Very appealing.
Duvel Belgian Golden Ale, Belgium
£2.00, Sainsbury’s, 8.5% alcohol This is powerful and spicy with some lovely depth. It’s rich and yeasty with some honey and malt notes and also a really nice citrus freshness. Lively and enticing, with some warmth.
Duvel Tripel Hop Citra Belgian IPA
£2.50, Morrisons, 9.5% alcohol This is rich, lively and spicy with grapefruit and passion fruit, as well as some toffee and malt notes. It has an exotic character with lots of wild spiciness and some tropical hints too.
St Feuillien Blonde, Belgium £3.65, Marks & Spencer, 7.5% alcohol
This is a top-fermented Abbey beer. It’s spicy and lively with lovely brightness. There’s a warmth, with some sweet malt notes and a yeasty spiciness, with citrus, some coriander and a nice bitter twist to the finish.
La Chouffe Blonde, Belgium £3.50, Master of Malt, 8% alcohol
This is quite wonderful. It’s a strong Blonde beer with amazing spicy, peppery notes and a rich texture, yet it remains fresh and lemony with a slight creaminess in the middle. The alcohol adds richness and a sense of sweetness that works really well in concert with the spice.
Kasteel Brouwerij Bacchus Frambozenbier Raspberry Beer
£2.50, Tesco, 5% alcohol
In a distinctive paper-wrapped bottle, this is a red/brown colour. It has powerful aromas of raspberries, and leaves a nice bright fruity flavour in the mouth with fresh acidity and a savoury twist. It’s not just about the pure fruit, although this is the main focus – there’s also a lovely balance here with everything working together.
Marks & Spencer Belgian Cherry Wheatbeer £3.20, Marks & Spencer, 3.5% alcohol
This is made by the Huyghe brewery, and it has a beautiful fruitiness to it, with lively bright cherry flavours. It’s dry with some bite, and this offsets the sweet fruit really nicely. It offers some sour cherry on the finish.