Belgium

       Belgium Beers (Ales)  

Here are some important facts about Belgium Ales

Trappist beer is actually made by Trappist monks , dating back to 530ad
Dubbel  Rich malty beer with some spicy  characteristics
Tripel  Three times the amount of malt than a standard Belgium beer
Quadrupel   Great strength with bolder flavor,  Full bodied, rich and malty
Others  include Lambics, Witbier, Saison and Gueuze to name a few styles

The Trappist monks at The Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren, Belgium, aren’t in the business of brewing beer for the riches or glory — they brew only enough to support themselves and their abbey.  In the mid 2000’s, the made a Westvleteren  XII, a dark, quadrupel-style belguim ale. This  was rated the best beer in the world.   I’ve tasted it a couple of times and quite frankly, I wasnt all that impressed.  But then again, I am not a big fan of Belgium style beers.  I do have one more that I am cellar aging to try in perhaps another year.   This brewery is relatively small, producing  about  126,000 gallons a year, as compared to Chimay, which produces about 3.2 million gallons a year.  There was so much hyped when this was first released, people stood on lines to get this ale.   Some people were willing to spend $50 a bottle just to get one!

 

 

 

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