Belgian yeast comes in many forms, but all have a floral and sweet touch that completely contrasts with the crisp, bitter flavor used in most beers. Another Belgian beer that is well known all over the world is Leffe. It originated in a monastery in Dinant, but nowadays it is also brewed at the Stella Artois brewery in Leuven. Belgians don't even drink that much beer, and they rank 15th in Europe, with around 75 liters per capita, far behind countries like the Czech Republic (14th), Germany (10th) and Ireland (9th).
So maybe they just produce a lot, but they don't want to drink it themselves. Not even. With “only” 16 million barrels of Belgian beer produced per year (10 million of which are destined for export), Belgium is far behind the top 10 beer producing countries in the world: China ranks first, followed by the US. UU.
However, choosing the perfect Belgian beer from more than 1000 brands is like looking for a needle in a haystack. That's why we've reduced it to 5 rising stars and we'll explain why they're so special when you should drink them and who you should drink them with. What? Curtius is a refreshing blond beer made in the province of Liège with top quality ingredients. This Belgian beer combines a fresh, lively and fruity touch on the palate with a slightly bitter aftertaste and a generous glass.
To match the prestigious products used in their creation, the brewers chose a 37.5 cl corked bottle, similar to a small bottle of champagne. Refine your beer tasting with my beer tasting guide, then take notes on individual beers or compare an entire flight. Today, the magnetic attraction has diminished, it's just one brewery among many, and Carroll complements craft and Belgian beer with wine, spritzes, and bitters. When Joe Carroll opened Spuyten Duyvil in Brooklyn in 2003, craft beer “actually meant European beer and Belgian beer,” he says.
So why all the fuss? Well, Belgium is simply the country with the most taste profiles in the world (around 700), with a total of 1,100 Belgian beer brands. Refine your beer tasting palette with my digital, printable beer tasting sheets to record and take notes on each new tea you try. Belgian breweries may be dwindling, but Belgian beers are more present in stores than ever, says John Staunton, of Merchant du Vin's Eastern U. Rate every new beer you try from a brewery to find your favorite with my digital, printable beer flight scorecard.
Few of the dinosaurs from that era still roam bars and beer stores, but Trippel's sales have grown by double digits over the past four years, making it “one of my proudest moments,” says Andrew Emerton, senior manager of brand innovation. Beer culture is so important in Belgium that it was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, which highlights its social value, the craftsmanship involved in its production and the role of beer in the gastronomic world.
