A Primer for Belgian Beers: Trappist to Ambers

When it comes to what beers from Belgium you should be trying you will soon discover there are plenty to choose from. In fact a quick search online and you will soon discover what a diverse selection of beers are being brewed in Belgium today. Today there are many breweries in Belgium and between them they are producing around 500 different standard beers along with numerous ones that are considered to be one offs.

So what types of beers are regularly being produced and drunk in Belgium and around the world today? Below we take a look at just some of the wonderful beers from Belgium that are available and which you may want to consider trying.



# Trappist Beer - This is brewed by monks in their monasteries. In order for such beers to be classed as this the whole brewing process must have been carried out or supervised by the monks at the monastery. Today there are now only six monasteries in Belgium that can legally call their beer a Trappist.

I've had some, they're good, especially the one I had with candy sugar added to the mix....

# Abbey Beers - These are actually brewed by commercial breweries but are allowed to license the names of abbeys on them. These beers were produced after the Second World War to take advantage of the public's interest in Trappist beers and often imitate the beers that come from the monasteries.

# Amber - This particular type of Belgium beer was developed during the first half of the 20th Century by making modifications ales from Britain. However, as tastes have changed unfortunately the popularity of such beers from Belgium have declined but its popularity still remains high in Antwerp.

# Blonde Or Golden Ale - This is not only the most popular of all beers from Belgium but is one of the most well known as well around the world. This is a very light beer in taste and colour and comes with some very strange names. The most popular of them all being Duvel which means Devil. Also there are some versions which come with a slightly spiced flavour to them.

# Flanders Red Ale - This beer has a very distinctive colour and flavour to it compared to many of the other beers produced in Belgium today. The main ingredients used in the creation of this beer are roasted malt, several types of top fermenting yeasts along the bacteria found in yoghurt known as lactobacillus culture. To further add to its distinctive taste and colour the beer is matured in oak vats. When drunk the beer has a slightly acidic, sour but fruit taste to it.

Personally my favorites are the white beers, just a preference of mine. Good ol fashion Hoegaarden is the name of the game.

As you can see there are a huge number available to choose from, the great thing is that most of this belgian beer is available to buy online.