Belgian/Trappist Style Beers

[Ralph]

A friend turned me on to Chimay Grande Reserve (Blue Label) a few years back and I was forever hooked. For those who have never tried the Belgian/Trappist style, the beer is usually extemely malty with some fruity undertones and flavored with spices like corriander. Not for the feint of heart. Most run about 7%-8% ABV with some of the triples even more! Recently I've been drinking some great Belgian style ales that are brewed right here in North America.

Unibroue is the maker of some fantastic Belgian Ales such as Fin du Monde, Trois Pistoles and Terrible.

Ommegang is a small brewery located in, of all places, Cooperstown New York. I recently toured the brewery on a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame. They brew five fantastic beers from a lighter White beer (Witte), to a great hopped ale (Hennepin) to a heavy duty triple lambic (Three Philosphers). Ommegang was bought by the Belgian Giant Duvel, so it's no wonder they are pumping out some of the best "Belgians" out there.

I'd love to hear about some others.

 

[Jan Primus]

I'm a diehard trappist fan.

The very best (and most elusive) is the Westvleteren
12 and 8, simply amazing but if ya find some it'll likely be about $10 per bottle, I think the 12 is 10% and the 8 around 8%. Consensus is that the 12 is the world's best beer, having tried many I agree wholeheartidly..they also have a nice blonde in the line-up. These are produced in very small numbers and only intended to be sold at the abbey St-Sixtus or their cafe across the street.

Rochefort 10 comes in a close second, like the Westy 12 & 8, words won't do justice, too complex to describe, 11.3% alc, the r 8 and r6 I find somewhat bland next to their big bro..I have 5 or 6 cases of this stuff in my cellar.

Chimay makes a blue/red/white...the blue (aka grande reserve is my fave by far). This is a more mass produced trappist and has recieved flak for being too commercialized...whatever, the blue will always be a staple of my diet.

Westmalle, makes a nice dubble and triple. These would be a good intro to trappists as they more subtle and are not overwhelmng in complexity.

Orval makes only one 1 beer, I think it's about 6.7%. Very hoppy and dry, instead of malty and fruity like most belgians. For most, it's a love it or hate type beer...but gets respect from true beer connoiseurs.

Achel is the youngest trappist brewery, I think started in the very late 90's. They are quite nice too, though not in the league of Westy and Rochefort.

To have a "trappist" designation, there are some conditions that have to be met. I don't remeber them all, but basically they must be brewed within the monestary and the profits should be used to sustain the monestary and local charities.

I find that trapppists are too sweet and fruity to mate with any cigar, and for food only simple stuff like cheese or a nice deli-style sandwich.

From Unibroue, try the "terrible" it is anything but..

The abbey des rocs is a trappist style beer, and to me comes only behind the Westy and Rochefort.

Find more out at www.ratebeer.com

 

[bmd34202]

I've recently had some of the Ommegang beers and thought they were very good. I didn't know they were Belgian owned now, thanks for that info!

Chimay's are always tasty also.

I used to (years ago) like "La Trapp" beers but haven't found them in any stores in ages. They were supposedly not one of the official Trappist ales, but I'm not really an expert on Trappist beer so I don't know. They made a double, triple, and quad and were all good in different ways.

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

Some additional comments from the CP archives: Link

:thumbs:

 

[cigarsarge]

I was about to blast an order off to Ommegang. They don't ship to Tennessee. :angry2:

 

[Lopaka]

I love Chimay.

 

[Ralph]

I was about to blast an order off to Ommegang. They don't ship to Tennessee. :angry2:

[snapback]204278[/snapback]​

The tour guide said Ommegang is available in 37 states. Those states where they are not available have restrictions on a beer's alcohol content. He mentioned that the majority of them were southern states.

One cool thing I learned from the tour was that 90% of all hops grown in the USA at the turn of the 20th century was grown in the Cooperstown area. There is an August Busch Estate in Cooperstown and it took me a while to make the connection.

Thanks for the other tips and links fellas!

 

[Corona Gigante]

Ah, Chimay! "Heaven in a bottle"

I like the blue and the red labels. Some places in town have the white label on tap.

Corsendonk.

They do a pale ale and a brown ale. I don't care for the brown ale very much but I love the pale ale. I used to see great flakes of yeast floating around in the bottle but I haven't seen those for a few years.

DeKoneck(sp?)

Expensive. Seven or eight bucks for a four pack of 16oz bottles. Good, though. A little more tart than Chimay or Corsendonk.

I've tried a few US "Belgian-style ales". All I can say is "keep trying".

 

[alexgtp]

Over the weekend I had the pleaseure of trying this particular beer.

Delirium Tremens Belgian Ale. brewed by huyghe brewery in ghest.

great looking bottle ..LOL!!

Upon opening the bottle i noticed a big fruity aroma..than i took my first sip.. delicious...spicy with a but of honey taste to it..nice bitter end to it.. Very refreshing and great tasting.

 

[junkman_56]

One word; Duvel.
I love this beer. :thumbs:

 

[chewbacco]

Delerium Tremens...the pink elephant beer.
That's the first beer to get me hooked on Belgium trappist style beer.

And this other beer...name I can't remember...something like Double Enghen...

And of course Chimay.

 

[Matty_Vegas]

Over the weekend I had the pleaseure of trying this particular beer.

Delirium Tremens Belgian Ale. brewed by huyghe brewery in ghest.

great looking bottle ..LOL!!

Upon opening the bottle i noticed a big fruity aroma..than i took my first sip.. delicious...spicy with a but of honey taste to it..nice bitter end to it.. Very refreshing and great tasting.

[snapback]217013[/snapback]​

I know where we can get that here in vegas alex....