As we discussed in Canada beer
is more than just a beverage, it is a culture, and the same applies in Belgium!
In many cases the Belgians not only make their beer; they also make the glass
for it to be served in! Depending on the size and shape of the glass it can
enhance the flavor and make the beer and make drinking it an even more
enjoyable experience. And did you know that they even call driving through the
country side the Beer Route? Let’s dive deeper into this fascinating culture of
BEER!
Photo Credit: Albert Bridge
In Belgium brewing beer is not just a job, it is a way of life. On visitbelgium.com's website they say,
“There are almost as many beer
styles as there are
breweries in Belgium. With your choice of geuze, brown,
lambic, white, chocolate, and cherry beer, you can't go
wrong. Lambic beer,
which Belgium is famous for, is
made with an ancient style of brewing, relying
on
spontaneous fermentation to produce a bone-dry,
profoundly tart, and
naturally effervescent drink that
improves with years in the bottle - much like
wine. “
Sounds like my kind of place!
On their website they also define what each of these foreign
beers are like!"Blanche or White Beers- Sometimes called a wheat beer - it is light, cloudy, and with a hint of citrus.
Lambic- A
non-malted wheat beer naturally fermented by wild, airborne yeasts. A draft
beer specific to the Brussels area.
Gueuze- A
blend of two or more Lambic beers to create a secondary fermentation and a
Champagne-like sparkle.
Faro-Lambic
light, if you will. A sweetened variety with some of the flavor but less
intensity
of other Lambics.
Kriek- A
Lambic beer in which further fermentation is brought about with the addition of
cherries or raspberries - refreshing in summer!
Brown
Beers- These
beers interplay caramel-like malty sweetness and a sourness gained
from several
months of maturation.
Red
Beers- Produced
from red barley, these beers are aged in oak. Fruity, sweet & sour,
very
thirst-quenching!
Golden
Beers- These
beers are similar to Pilsner lagers using very pale malts and hops,
while
retaining ale yeasts"
In
addition to their astounding variety of beers they also have many different
beer tours! Some of which include; The Best Damn Farmhouse Ale Tour of Belgium & France, The Lonely
Monks Trappist Beer Tour of Belgium & the Netherlands, The Essen Christmas
Beer Festival Tour of Belgium, and many, many more! Details for all these tours
and more can be found at Belgian Beer Me!
Now for our next destination, Germany!
Hey Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that Belgians were so into their beer; I thought it was only the Germans. As an avid beer drinker myself I think that I may have to make a trip Belgium to try out their vast amounts of beer. I found it very interesting that the shape of the glass actually changes the taste of the beer, I guess in a way it makes sense since beer usually tastes different in a can compared to a bottle. I also found it very fascinating at the amount of beer styles that the Belgium’s have. After going through the list it seems as though they specialize in sweet fruity citrus beers, which usually taste very good. I think in Canada we may need to take some tips from the Belgians to improve our beer styles! Overall a great read and I look forward to reading your blog on German beer.