Belgian Beer

spartacus

Guest
My partner spent a good many years in Belgium in a previous marriage and her two children live just outside of Brussels. Now, when her daughter and husband come over to see us they always bring a crate of Belgium beer over for me to drink :D It's called "Jupiler" and is considered (apparently) one of the better drinks over there. Oddly enough, Stella, which is marketed as an upmarket (and expensive) beer here in the UK is frowned upon as a mediocre drink in it's home country and think we're being duped in to buying it by overhyped marketing. Well, there's a first :rolleyes:
Me being a fan of warm English beer all the cold fizzy stuff tastes the same to me although I am partial to a cold Kriek on a warm day. Of course when we go to Belgium we can't find any warm flat beer :confused:
So what's the view on here regards the beer, are you for the cold fizzy stuff or the warm flat stuff?
And should I cancel the crates of Jupiler that keep coming my way???

Stephen
 
Give me a locally brewed ale any day of the week!As for Stella "act a t**t" we have many names for it in my part of the country but none of them are appropriate for such a fine site as this one.:eek:
Have always had a dream of brewing my own and taking my harvest off to some quiet spot with the dog (and maybe the other half-but definatly the hound;))now that we've bought the van I feel like I'm half way there to accomplishing!:D:D:D
 
spartacus said:
My partner spent a good many years in Belgium in a previous marriage and her two children live just outside of Brussels. Now, when her daughter and husband come over to see us they always bring a crate of Belgium beer over for me to drink :D It's called "Jupiler" and is considered (apparently) one of the better drinks over there. Oddly enough, Stella, which is marketed as an upmarket (and expensive) beer here in the UK is frowned upon as a mediocre drink in it's home country and think we're being duped in to buying it by overhyped marketing. Well, there's a first :rolleyes:
Me being a fan of warm English beer all the cold fizzy stuff tastes the same to me although I am partial to a cold Kriek on a warm day. Of course when we go to Belgium we can't find any warm flat beer :confused:
So what's the view on here regards the beer, are you for the cold fizzy stuff or the warm flat stuff?
And should I cancel the crates of Jupiler that keep coming my way???
Stephen
Click to expand...

At least a subject on which I can reply without afterthoughts :p
1. "Stella" says to be # 1, most of us 'aborigins' like it to be exported, so we don't have to drink it for we call it 'hang-over beer' :eek:
2. "Jupiler" is brewed by the same company but gives less headaches. But these are 'pilses' and piss-away beers
3. 'White' beers: "Hoegaarden" should be chilled, excelent in summer
4. Real good are the darker stronger beers: e.g. 'Trapist, Gueuze'...
5. Even better are "De Koninck", "Palm" or "Duvel" :)
6 Stronger still are "Mort Subite" "Rochefort" "Kasteelbier" all above 10%; if you could stand them !:eek:
Belgian beers should be drunk cold (about 10°C) and with a 'collar' of 2cm.
Flat warm beer is considered here a a slap in the face and a disgrace.Ough:eek::eek:
Strangely enough I drink more wine than beer :confused:
Yours,(still sober)
Leo
 
Re Belgian beer,,,

Well Stephen, as a stalwart of good draught beer, it's a no contest with the Belgian equivalent. The beer on the continent does taste very similar to each other brand and it's only the 'younger crowd' who seem to go for the very cold fizzy type. The English 'warm' beer is so much full of flavour and all the different ales are all so differing in taste and texture. In answer to the question of, ' should I carry on taking the odd case of Jupiler,' personally i would just take it and pass it on to friends, who prefer the cold fizz and who call by the house, it saves you having to go buy something you don't really enjoy. I also brew my own beer from kits and my own red wine.
Cheers, Jack 'brewer and Motorhomer'
 
Leo, thank you for your informed comments -

1 Stella is also known over here as "wife beater" :mad:
2 So Jupiler is on a par with Fosters/Heineken etc?
3 Yes I have tried Hoeegarden, nice flavour but very very gassy :eek:
4 I was also "gifted" some Trapist beers - all above 9% and far too strong for my taste
5 Crikey - does that mean sronger than the above :eek: Who drinks these??
6 Maybe best drunk, like wine, with food?

There is a shool of thought over here that chilling "lager" is required to disguise the fact it has no flavour. Unlike warm english beer ;)

I also drink more wine than beer, but so far tonight I've had a bit of both :D

Is that one all???

Stephen
 
when first put in pubs draught english lager used to be cheaper than beer but did not sell well
so they made it more expensive then froze it and the youngsters thought it was better
fosters is weak heinikin is bitter
warm english beer is best at least for me
like a good red it has to be at room temprature
 
I love a good British cask bitter - but I also love Belgian beers - especially Leffe Blonde and Duvel. To say they all taste the same is crazy - there's an amazing range of tastes in Belgian beers. Mind if you've had 4 or 5 Duvels you'll not taste anything!!;)
 
have a pint

spartacus said:
Leo, thank you for your informed comments -

1 Stella is also known over here as "wife beater" :mad:
2 So Jupiler is on a par with Fosters/Heineken etc?
3 Yes I have tried Hoeegarden, nice flavour but very very gassy :eek:
4 I was also "gifted" some Trapist beers - all above 9% and far too strong for my taste
5 Crikey - does that mean sronger than the above :eek: Who drinks these??
6 Maybe best drunk, like wine, with food?
There is a shool of thought over here that chilling "lager" is required to disguise the fact it has no flavour. Unlike warm english beer ;)
I also drink more wine than beer, but so far tonight I've had a bit of both
Is that one all???
Stephen
Click to expand...
Hi Stephen,
on 1 completely agreed
2 No no, Heineken is Dutch (more catpiss :eek:) this is an insult to a Belgian :eek:
4 amber and dark beers (Kriek, Gueuze, Trappist..) are never chilled here (and so much flavour)
5 stronger have not to be drunk but 'digested ' slowly (Mort subite says enough: instand death :p)
Sorry, but your warm beer makes me vomit :eek::p:D
And Solwaybugger: I agree about 'Duvel' (= devil)
Here in Antwerp we have a house-brewery with 'Bangelijke' (=dreadfull) should try that !
 
Best Beer in the World

British Traditional Ale & Belgian beer are the best beers on the planet. There are hundreds of different varieties so everyone should be able to find several that suit their personal taste.

As for Stella :( - the stuff we get in the UK is even worse than it is in Belgium as it's brewed in Northampton along with loads of other fizzy C--p.

As for "warm" British beer, when you say room temperature you have to realise that long ago when these beers were first brewed rooms were a lot colder. You'll find that most of them are best with a very slight chill.

Rant Over - and for those who were bored into sleep --WAKE UP:D:D:D
 
As an ex publican I too vote for "warm" beer over any lager, however, now entering my more mature years, I prefer well kept Guinness any time,
 
There are some Belgian beers that are not available outside of a small radius. For example at Merkenvelt near Bruges there is a micro brewery that only suplies about 6 outlets.
Trappists are a silent monastic order is it due to drinking the strong beer? My personal favourite is Westmalle,it is only about 20k from where my aunt lives.
In Brussels there is a bar wher you leave one of your shoes to prevent you nicking the glass.
Each beer MUST be served in its own special glass.
The micro breweries make for an interesting tour and,if asked,will let you stay overnight after imbibing.
 
Well, all this has certainly convinced me there is more to Belgian beer than I hitherto thought or experienced. There's been some great comments and information passed on. Seems the wildies are very knowledgeable and expert drinkers :D

We plan to travel to Belgium around the middle/end of April and would hope to check out some of the options suggested by everyone. I'll report back on my research :D :D

Thanks again - what a great bunch of people on here.

Stephen
 
spartacus said:
Well, all this has certainly convinced me there is more to Belgian beer than I hitherto thought or experienced. There's been some great comments and information passed on. Seems the wildies are very knowledgeable and expert drinkers :D

We plan to travel to Belgium around the middle/end of April and would hope to check out some of the options suggested by everyone. I'll report back on my research :D :D

Thanks again - what a great bunch of people on here.

Stephen
Click to expand...
Hi Stephen,
Yes it really seems 'wilders are very knowledgeable and expert drinkers' :eek:
Good luck with your beer-research in Belgium, don't keep it sober :)
(Mainwhile I hope Inbev will send me a cheque with a lot of zero's behind the first figure for propagating Belgian beer in the UK and beyond :D:D:D)
Bottoms up !
 
Next item; what about:
- Belgian chocolats
- Chicory
- Frites
- Hasselt geniever
- Horse beef
- Brussels sprouts
- ???
;):D:D:eek::p
(don't be shy fellows; it's crisis. I'm hoping for some bribe money ...:D)
 
Hey, steady on, I've got my hands full with the beer :D

- Belgian chocolats - too rich for me, prefer Cadburys :p
- Chicory - don't like it :(
- Frites - yes but we could start another thread here Belgian frites/English chips :D
- Hasselt geniever - what's this? Even my semi-Belgian half doesn't recognise it :confused:
- Horse beef - no way - never be eaten over here :(
- Brussels sprouts - love them :)

And don't forget the mussels ................
 
I still remember my days at Ghent University when we stumbled, early in the morning, out of our favourite pub , the "Amber" in the "St Pietersnieuwstraat" and my good friend Marcel (alias Mr Peeters), looked up to the the western sky, pointed to the brigthest star (planet actually) and exclaimed : Oh look, how beautiful : Jupiler !!!

Greetings
 
spartacus said:
Hey, steady on, I've got my hands full with the beer :D

- Belgian chocolats - too rich for me, prefer Cadburys :p
- Chicory - don't like it :(
- Frites - yes but we could start another thread here Belgian frites/English chips :D
- Hasselt geniever - what's this? Even my semi-Belgian half doesn't recognise it :confused:
- Horse beef - no way - never be eaten over here :(
- Brussels sprouts - love them :)

And don't forget the mussels ................
Click to expand...
What do you think of this menu:

Starter: a choice of mussles, caracollen, escargots with Hoegaarden
Between: waterzooi
Mean dish:
Horse steak (seignant) with frites and fried chicory
or:
Mechelse Reus (rabbit) with prunes matured in Trapist
or:
Waterrabit (muskusrat) in a circle of Brussels sprouts
All of this with a choice of heavy beers (or wine)
To fill-up the holes:
Hasselt-café with pralines and other chocolats
And one for the road:
Geniever (jenever, ‘gin’, schnapps)
A kilo of Alka-Seltzer buuurp :eek::D:D:
 
How about this instead:

Prawn cocktail for starters :D
Roast beef with yorkshire pudding, or roast lamb with mint sauce, roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots
Spotted dick and custard or bread and butter pudding

All washed down with a couple of pints of black sheep :D :D

Followed by a nice cup of tea :)

I know which I'd prefer ..........
 
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