Beer in Belgium (trip report)

[turnipmonster]

nice trip report, makes me want to go back to belgium. my inlaws used to live in antwerp, so I've spent the most time there and it's a great place. a lot less touristy than brussels but still a great city with lots going on. there is a place in the back of a cathedral that makes their own kriek and has it on tap, it is divine and I don't usually like kriek.

antwerp is also the home of the dekonnick brewery which is a solid everyday beer (i.e. not trappiste).

one weird thing about belgium is many of the restaurants have very similar food. like, most every place I've been to has potato/cheese croquettes, some type of spaghetti bolognese, etc.

[gumpzilla]

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an IPA (Dogfish 90 minute)

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90 Minute is likely to be a bit much. I like IPA's - 60 Minute is really good, in my opinion - but I don't really subscribe to the "MORE ALCOHOL = MORE AWESOME!!!" school of beer drinking/snobbery. High alcohol beers haven't done it for me, historically.

[StevieG]

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KB4Z, I'm going to have to disagree with you about the Ommegang Belgian-style beers. They're certainly decent beers, but I wouldn't consider them in the same league as the real thing.

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They're quite good, and Ommegang is owned by the same company that makes Duvel.

[StevieG]

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Very good trip report. Hoping to go to Europe next year, and this definately put Belgium on must-see list.

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for those who want to go to Belgium (and are interested in beer), I would say you should spend time in both Brugge and Brussels. I think Brugge is a whole lot nicer, but Brussels is worth a stop for a few days as well.

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And since it is home to so many politicians and lawyers with expense accounts, it is also home to some really good restaurants.

[Spy Dog]

Great trip report. My wife and I try to take a long weekend to Belgium every year. Food is great and the beer is amazing.

[cbloom]

Brussels is crazy expensive though.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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Brussels is crazy expensive though.

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yeah, it's the problem with almost all of Europe now (for Americans). London is just stupid expensive.

stupid USD

[lacticacid]

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KB4Z, I'm going to have to disagree with you about the Ommegang Belgian-style beers. They're certainly decent beers, but I wouldn't consider them in the same league as the real thing.

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They're quite good, and Ommegang is owned by the same company that makes Duvel.

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From what I understand Ommegang uses better ingredients then Chimay. I'm not sure the details but this was coming from someone who is getting a PhD in Philosophy of Science, is a writer for a couple of beer magazines/Blogs/etc. and is teaching a class at Indiana on the history of Brewing. Is less massively produced. I personally prefer it better.

[Kneel B4 Zod]

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KB4Z, I'm going to have to disagree with you about the Ommegang Belgian-style beers. They're certainly decent beers, but I wouldn't consider them in the same league as the real thing.

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They're quite good, and Ommegang is owned by the same company that makes Duvel.

[/ QUOTE ]

From what I understand Ommegang uses better ingredients then Chimay. I'm not sure the details but this was coming from someone who is getting a PhD in Philosophy of Science, is a writer for a couple of beer magazines/Blogs/etc. and is teaching a class at Indiana on the history of Brewing. Is less massively produced. I personally prefer it better.

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the ingredients question is actually a tricky one. the recipes the breweries use are proprietary, and changes are often made for various reasons without being disclosed. Orval, for instance, let it be known that they were using less malt/more sugar a couple years ago, which is a huge shortcut. some say most of the Trappists have made similar changes in recent years, but not many know for sure.

[kurti]

Belgium beer is the [censored] NUTS. I say this as a German. Strangely it was on an extended stay in Hungary I discovered it (there are 2 excellent Belgium restaurants in Budapest).