OT: Belgian Beer

EKIMIKE

It's gotta be up there. I've had to savour it as the place I went to (just outside Bruges) to get my last stash only had three left. Disaster!

Must be popular 'cos this place was a very well stocked beer warehouse.

No_Ta_Doctor

I've got a proper tulip glass.

BelgianBeerGeek

EKIMIKE wrote:

Amen.

My friend, I think you have the holy trinity right there.

Dupont Saison was a gusher and more went on the kitchen floor than in the glass.

A couple of Orvals made up for that, though.

awavey

Im thinking the sunday lunch roast wasnt good prep for any belgian beer drinking today as I had some decent beer in, Westmalle tripel, couple of Bush (oi!) and a Leffe Noel from my last trip to Bruges, but just couldnt face drinking it today

the podium cafes "Ronday" schedule seems like a good plan for next year

ridgerider

Two bottles of La Trappe Tripel on a warm spring evening in a square in Maastricht last night.

Does that get me in the thread?

No_Ta_Doctor

Ridgerider wrote:

Two bottles of La Trappe Tripel on a warm spring evening in a square in Maastricht last night.

Does that get me in the thread?

Yeah, I reckon that buys you an entrance ticket.
It's your round, btw.

ridgerider

Ok, my round...based on the above photo, I am just about to take my first ever sip of Westmalle Tripel that I picked up in a Jumbo supermarket on my way back to the uk this afternoon.

Who would like to have the second bottle?

No_Ta_Doctor

Ridgerider wrote:

Ok, my round...based on the above photo, I am just about to take my first ever sip of Westmalle Tripel that I picked up in a Jumbo supermarket on my way back to the uk this afternoon.

Who would like to have the second bottle?

ME! ME! ME!

Enjoy :-)

FJS

Did my Belgian beer shopping trip just a bit too late for the cobbled classics:
Lindemans Faro Lambic
Boon Oude Geuze
Westmalle tripel and dubbel
Karmeliet tripel
St Bernardus dubbel
Blanche de Namur

They had a crate full of Westvleterens too, but couldn't really justify 16 euro the bottle

Beer for this weekend is obviously Amstel for the purists, or local Limburg lagers like Brand, Alfa or Gulpener. But for something Dutch a bit more refined I can recommend Amsterdam beers from small brewery 't IJ - brewed in Belgian trappist tradition; they do a dubbel and tripel. Not available in the UK though, I think

BelgianBeerGeek

Enjoy the Boon Oude Geuze - a perennial favourite and at any time a superb beer.

Brouwerij T'IJ is indeed ace, and well worth seeking out. I have really enjoyed Gulpener beers before, and Alfa always used to be good. At this time of the year the Dutch Bok beers are quite nice.
But we are not too far from the hallowed land that is Belgium, and Achel is bang on the border. Their low strength beers are lovely, and I have a few 8 per centers hidden away. I have never yet tracked down Bink beers from Limburg, they are apparently quite good.
Had a couple of Rochefort 8 before dinner. Very, very good. Now on cheap French red wine

specialgueststar

just had a load of this tonight - what you looking at

hommelbier

BelgianBeerGeek wrote:

I have really enjoyed Gulpener beers before,

With the Amstel Gold Race passing through Gulpen it's probably a better choice for next Sunday than Amstel. This is the brewery that dedicated a wheatbeer (Gulpen Korenwolf) to a hamster indigenous to Limburg.

(Tonight's choice is Kloster Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel)

EKIMIKE

hommelbier wrote:

(Tonight's choice is Kloster Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel)

Ah I picked up a bottle of that when I was in Berlin. Only the one but i remember it being delicious.

It's good to see some new beers (for me) on this thread so thanks for sharing! I'm off to Belgium next weekend so hoping to land a good haul.

blazing_saddles

Just a heads up for anyone with a Waitrose close by.
They have 20% off Westmalle Dubbel (£1-87) and
Tripel Karmeliet (£2-37) atm.

monkimark

And it's on my way home, and I've got not much work to do and no boss and it's sunny in my garden.
I love it when a plan comes together

Mad_Malx

Everyone round to monki's then. I'll bring my own glass.

dsoutar

dsoutar wrote:

I'm amazed no-one has posted about Kwak. I initially tried for the quirky glass / stand combo but the beer is actually very good indeed

My wife and I were at a rowing friend of her's for a meal (she's a senior vet scientist and a most unlikely Belgian beer aficionado) and she had two of these glass / stand combos and very kindly gave me one of them. She said she'd had it for about 20 years or so I think so very grateful indeed. Now just have to acquire the relevant liquid to fill it with !

fleshtuxedo

I agree on kwak - everyone takes the piss cos of the gimmicky glass but it's damn good beer if you get over the vessel.

fleshtuxedo

Anyways I'm loving the German beer atm especially Schneider aventinus - £6 a bottle at my local poncy bar but (just about) worth it. Awesome beer. Prost!

cgrenn

FleshTuxedo wrote:

Anyways I'm loving the German beer atm especially Schneider aventinus - £6 a bottle at my local poncy bar but (just about) worth it. Awesome beer. Prost!

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier is not bad also. There doing it in a spoons in Kingston at the moment. Does like beer and Frazzles in one mouthful mind.

warreng

Thread needs a bump

Just got back from Brugge and stocked up before we left. All the local shops seem to be pricing their bottles at around €2.50 each but found a Carrefour near the ring road that had all the major brands at €1.20 a bottle. Went mainly for Westmalle Tripel and Karmeliet Tripel and a varied selection of things I'd not tried before.

I'm already concerned about running out. I'm not planning on going back to Belgium for a while so can anyone recommend an online store or a London-based shop?

Paul 8v

There are a few in London but I doubt the prices will be anywhere near the same! (Unless anyone knows otherwise)

monkimark

There's a place near the big Sainsbury's at Colliers Wood/South Wimbledon - I think it's called Nelsons - does a selection of Belgian beers but it's a while since I've been there so can't remember exactly what they had.

It's a fair bit more expensive than Carrefour

Strangely, the door was locked when I went last time. Spotted the guy behind the counter and he came and let me in.

warreng

aha! That's a small detour on my route home. I'll give it a whirl - thanks

johnr76

WarrenG wrote:

Thread needs a bump

Just got back from Brugge and stocked up before we left. All the local shops seem to be pricing their bottles at around €2.50 each but found a Carrefour near the ring road that had all the major brands at €1.20 a bottle. Went mainly for Westmalle Tripel and Karmeliet Tripel and a varied selection of things I'd not tried before.

I'm already concerned about running out. I'm not planning on going back to Belgium for a while so can anyone recommend an online store or a London-based shop?

Payday this week so I will be stocking up from the site below. I've not used it yet but there are a good selection and you buy mixed cases.

http://www.beermerchants.com/belgian-beers.html

If you live near Exeter then Dart's Farm in Topsham have a good selection of Belgian beers as well as local ales.

No_Ta_Doctor

CGRenn wrote:

FleshTuxedo wrote:

Anyways I'm loving the German beer atm especially Schneider aventinus - £6 a bottle at my local poncy bar but (just about) worth it. Awesome beer. Prost!

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier is not bad also. There doing it in a spoons in Kingston at the moment. Does like beer and Frazzles in one mouthful mind.

Rauchbier? Arschbier more like.... Of all the beer varieties I've tried, the only one I just can't stomach is that bloody bavarian smoked beer.

monkimark

Took a trip to Nelson's on the way home today, couple of things I noticed:
- I arrived just after 6 and he was just opening up so might be worth checking before you take a Diversion.
- There's a good selection of belgian beers, I'd guess maybe 60 in total.
- It's a bit further down toward Wimbledon south than I thought, well past the sainsbury
- There's a loop to lock your bike to right outside

cgrenn

Humm might have to drop in. Im in sutton and seems like the only decent place to get any beers around.

EKIMIKE

Holy moly! £9.39 for a 75cl of Kwak! At least it's a great tasting brew.

Had a new one tonight, De Koninck Triple D'Anvers. Quite unique tasting so far as my experience goes, interesting stuff. Given that I have a sweet tooth I enjoyed it quite a lot.

warreng

Rode past it last night but didn't have a lock with me

Will drive up there later