OT: Belgian Beer

Pross

blazing_saddles said:

RichN95. said:

blazing_saddles said:

Westmalle Tripel, I would love to find that on a local shelf.
Has to be the best value for money beer on the market.
Cheap as chips compared to some.

£5 large 75cl bottles of Tripel Karmeliet at big Tesco take some beating

Too right. My absolute fav tripel.
Love the 75cl bottle too. £3-20 in Waitrose for a 33cl is a bit steep.
The only problem is my local Tescos aren't big enough and am wondering how big the Tesco has to be!
Don't fancy driving into Cerdiff for just beer.

Big Tescos in Risca and Newport but can't vouch for what they stock.

blazing_saddles

Yes to both of you.
Those were the two Tescos on my Karmeliet radar.
Merthyr is closer but Risca is bigger.
Will see if I can find out if it's in stock in either.

vincesummerskRoxcBTr

Love a Belgian Blonde
Bought mixed cases from Beerwulf before, were good value and quick delivery (from Netherlands , I think)
Just had a look and looks much more expensive than it was, I suspect a combination of Brexit and the pandemic!

blazing_saddles

Pross said:

Big Tescos in Risca and Newport but can't vouch for what they stock.

RichN95. said:

Tesco Extra I think. There's one in Merthyr

Thanks Gents.
Went on a stealth run to Covid Extra in Merthyr and bought a tripple Tripel K.

Noticed that also had Westmarle Dubbel, but can't help but think the are missing a trick with supply of Westmarle.

jimmythecuckoo

RichN95. said:

blazing_saddles said:

Westmalle Tripel, I would love to find that on a local shelf.
Has to be the best value for money beer on the market.
Cheap as chips compared to some.

£5 large 75cl bottles of Tripel Karmeliet at big Tesco take some beating

That's a beauty as well.

bobmcstuff

No_Ta_Doctor said:

bobmcstuff said:

Ooh I'll have to go to the beer shop. Sound like a good excuse.

Like the sound of the Rodenbach Alexander

It's bloody good if you like Rodenbach and cherries.

Think ill pick up a Duchess de Bourgogne as well.

I've gone for a Rodenbach silver (whatever it's called), a Duchesse and also a Slag lager which I have no idea about but it had a good name and it had a lion on the label.

orraloon

I'll just leave this here. You don't need to understand Flemish to get the gist. All looks pretty damn fine to me.

bobmcstuff

The Slag lager is a bit meh

orraloon

You are aware of the Viz?

bobmcstuff

Yes... which is definitely one of the reasons I bought the Slag lager...

bobmcstuff

Rodenbach grand cru is as good as I remember, however

No_Ta_Doctor

*hic*

Think I'm sober again now, just about...

Ran out of beer celebrating Viking Flanders so sent the lad out to fetch some carry out draught.

He came back with the Chocolate cherry Duchess de Bourgogne.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/641/380422/

For those with a very sweet tooth, knock yourselves out. I wasn't impressed at all, even though I love the Duchess and the Rodenbach Alexander (with cherry).

Hadn't been able to pick up a Duchess, so the Flanders menu ended up:
Bolleke, Cornet, Chimay Blue, Westmalle Tripel, Rodenbach Alexander, Driefontein gueuze, Duvel.

takethehighroad

My review of my Flanders beer selection

Started out with a Jupiler - Classic, enjoyable and is a nice starter with a (relatively) low %

Moved on to a Ch'ti, which technically is from Northern France and I was saving for Paris Roubaix - Goes down easy and is a nice blonde

I had a Kwaremont the 2nd time they went up at 50 k to go - Absolutely excellent, and somehow tastes better when they're cycling past where it is made

Tripel Karmeleit - Did not enjoy this, it was too cloudy and slightly too strong for the point in the race I was at

Westmalle Dubbel - Much more enjoyable than the Tripel and got me back in the game

Kwak - Finished off the race well, had a good kick (but not as good as Kasper Asgreen's)

Then repeat with a Jupiler, Ch'ti and Kwaremont to finish the day

blazing_saddles

Monks living life in the very slow lane.
Half a year ago, Rochefort added a new brew for the first time in 65 years.

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/09/30/brouwerij-rochefort-lanceert-triple-extra-eerste-nieuwe-bier/

Anybody tried it yet?

bobmcstuff

Not seen that yet, will keep an eye out...

My reviews as follows:

Slag lager - a bit meh, nothing wrong with it but I'd not go out of my way to have it again

Bourgogne des Flandres - Dependable (it wasn't the Duchesse I picked up as it happens)

Rodenbach Grand Cru - better than the Bourgogne, I think the extra 1% ABV gives it a much better body.

I then opened a Rhone Grenache, which was very good...

No_Ta_Doctor

blazing_saddles said:

Monks living life in the very slow lane.
Half a year ago, Rochefort added a new brew for the first time in 65 years.

https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2020/09/30/brouwerij-rochefort-lanceert-triple-extra-eerste-nieuwe-bier/

Anybody tried it yet?

Yeah, had a single bottle. Can't say it stood out from the other strong blonds /tripels, but it was drinkable

itboffin

What’s the best place to source Belgian beers in the uk?

bobmcstuff

Cheapest - a big supermarket
Best selection - a bottleshop or importer. Not sure which the absolute best would be, I've used Beer Merchants before https://www.beermerchants.com/ (they're an importer), they usually have a good selection, and do national delivery which is very quick. I like to order from one of my local bottleshops as they do next day local delivery and also have a good selection (and I don't want them to go out of business), but they are a bit dearer than beer merchants https://store.beermoth.co.uk/collections/belgium

I also had a look at https://www.thebelgianbeercompany.com/ , but they seemed much of a muchness with beer merchants who I already had an account with.

Sure someone else has good suggestions too...

Pross

takethehighroad said:

My review of my Flanders beer selection

Started out with a Jupiler - Classic, enjoyable and is a nice starter with a (relatively) low %

Moved on to a Ch'ti, which technically is from Northern France and I was saving for Paris Roubaix - Goes down easy and is a nice blonde

I had a Kwaremont the 2nd time they went up at 50 k to go - Absolutely excellent, and somehow tastes better when they're cycling past where it is made

Tripel Karmeleit - Did not enjoy this, it was too cloudy and slightly too strong for the point in the race I was at

Westmalle Dubbel - Much more enjoyable than the Tripel and got me back in the game

Kwak - Finished off the race well, had a good kick (but not as good as Kasper Asgreen's)

Then repeat with a Jupiler, Ch'ti and Kwaremont to finish the day

Were you watching Carry On Cycling?

blazing_saddles

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket
Best selection - a bottleshop or importer. Not sure which the absolute best would be, I've used Beer Merchants before https://www.beermerchants.com/ (they're an importer), they usually have a good selection, and do national delivery which is very quick. I like to order from one of my local bottleshops as they do next day local delivery and also have a good selection (and I don't want them to go out of business), but they are a bit dearer than beer merchants https://store.beermoth.co.uk/collections/belgium

I also had a look at https://www.thebelgianbeercompany.com/ , but they seemed much of a muchness with beer merchants who I already had an account with.

Sure someone else has good suggestions too...

Some eye watering mark ups and that's using the link you reckon is the cheaper option.
For the casual drinker I think a combination of Tesco Extra and Morrisions might suffice until travels ceases to be science fiction.
Not much variety, but a more than decent half dozen or so, plus a Kriekbier.

RichN95.

blazing_saddles said:

Morrisions

What do Morrison's have on offer?

blazing_saddles

RichN95. said:

blazing_saddles said:

Morrisions

What do Morrison's have on offer?

Nothing world shattering, much the same as Tesco (but no TK or Westmalle Dubbel) plus the Kriekbier and Duvel Citra.
There's the not quite Belgian, La Goudale, but don't think that's great.

Aldi have a blonde Abbey beer called St Pierre, although I haven't tried it as yet.
It's £2-99 for 75cl and 6.2%, traditional cork etc.

jimmythecuckoo

After all the build up and planning for drinks and hot tub watching of Flanders Sunday I sunk 0 bottles after having my AZ jab the day before.

Roll on RVV2022 !

bobmcstuff

blazing_saddles said:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket
Best selection - a bottleshop or importer. Not sure which the absolute best would be, I've used Beer Merchants before https://www.beermerchants.com/ (they're an importer), they usually have a good selection, and do national delivery which is very quick. I like to order from one of my local bottleshops as they do next day local delivery and also have a good selection (and I don't want them to go out of business), but they are a bit dearer than beer merchants https://store.beermoth.co.uk/collections/belgium

I also had a look at https://www.thebelgianbeercompany.com/ , but they seemed much of a muchness with beer merchants who I already had an account with.

Sure someone else has good suggestions too...

Some eye watering mark ups and that's using the link you reckon is the cheaper option.
For the casual drinker I think a combination of Tesco Extra and Morrisions might suffice until travels ceases to be science fiction.
Not much variety, but a more than decent half dozen or so, plus a Kriekbier.

Compared to a supermarket? I think the only way to compete with their pricing would be to go to Belgium and buy it yourself. But then you only have access to whatever the supermarket has negotiated to buy in bulk. So it depends if the question is what's the cheapest or who has the best selection - I did say:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket

blazing_saddles

bobmcstuff said:

blazing_saddles said:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket
Best selection - a bottleshop or importer. Not sure which the absolute best would be, I've used Beer Merchants before https://www.beermerchants.com/ (they're an importer), they usually have a good selection, and do national delivery which is very quick. I like to order from one of my local bottleshops as they do next day local delivery and also have a good selection (and I don't want them to go out of business), but they are a bit dearer than beer merchants https://store.beermoth.co.uk/collections/belgium

I also had a look at https://www.thebelgianbeercompany.com/ , but they seemed much of a muchness with beer merchants who I already had an account with.

Sure someone else has good suggestions too...

Some eye watering mark ups and that's using the link you reckon is the cheaper option.
For the casual drinker I think a combination of Tesco Extra and Morrisions might suffice until travels ceases to be science fiction.
Not much variety, but a more than decent half dozen or so, plus a Kriekbier.

Compared to a supermarket? I think the only way to compete with their pricing would be to go to Belgium and buy it yourself. But then you only have access to whatever the supermarket has negotiated to buy in bulk. So it depends if the question is what's the cheapest or who has the best selection - I did say:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket

I agree, as that's my rational.
It's just that as an occasional, rather than a serious Belgian beer consumer, I would be very reluctant to pass over nearly £4 for a say a 33cl Westmalle Trippel, (much as I like it) when it retails at not much more than £1 in Belgium.

itboffin

i wish i had some Belgian beer right now

itboffin

https://www.beerhawk.co.uk/perfectdraft-tripel-karmeliet-6l-keg

Pross

jimmythecuckoo said:

After all the build up and planning for drinks and hot tub watching of Flanders Sunday I sunk 0 bottles after having my AZ jab the day before.

Roll on RVV2022 !

Surely the Worlds will be a suitable occasion?

No_Ta_Doctor

Pross said:

jimmythecuckoo said:

After all the build up and planning for drinks and hot tub watching of Flanders Sunday I sunk 0 bottles after having my AZ jab the day before.

Roll on RVV2022 !

Surely the Worlds will be a suitable occasion?

And Roubaix the week after. If it all works out October is going to be a great cycling month

bobmcstuff

blazing_saddles said:

bobmcstuff said:

blazing_saddles said:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket
Best selection - a bottleshop or importer. Not sure which the absolute best would be, I've used Beer Merchants before https://www.beermerchants.com/ (they're an importer), they usually have a good selection, and do national delivery which is very quick. I like to order from one of my local bottleshops as they do next day local delivery and also have a good selection (and I don't want them to go out of business), but they are a bit dearer than beer merchants https://store.beermoth.co.uk/collections/belgium

I also had a look at https://www.thebelgianbeercompany.com/ , but they seemed much of a muchness with beer merchants who I already had an account with.

Sure someone else has good suggestions too...

Some eye watering mark ups and that's using the link you reckon is the cheaper option.
For the casual drinker I think a combination of Tesco Extra and Morrisions might suffice until travels ceases to be science fiction.
Not much variety, but a more than decent half dozen or so, plus a Kriekbier.

Compared to a supermarket? I think the only way to compete with their pricing would be to go to Belgium and buy it yourself. But then you only have access to whatever the supermarket has negotiated to buy in bulk. So it depends if the question is what's the cheapest or who has the best selection - I did say:

bobmcstuff said:

Cheapest - a big supermarket

I agree, as that's my rational.
It's just that as an occasional, rather than a serious Belgian beer consumer, I would be very reluctant to pass over nearly £4 for a say a 33cl Westmalle Trippel, (much as I like it) when it retails at not much more than £1 in Belgium.

Yeah, fair.

I don't actually drink a lot of Tripels etc.. The only Trappist beer I regularly drink is Orval, which isn't common in supermarkets in my experience. Prefer the sour ones really, Flanders reds etc.

I've seen beers in Tesco priced at below what the brewery is selling the beer at direct - they have a massive advantage in terms of bulk buying and pricing - so I think it's a bit of an unfair comparison. But I agree, for the average punter it makes no sense to buy the same beer for more, the reason to use a specialist would be for stuff you can't get in the supermarket.