Beers made in the Belgian style
Belgian style
How does one denote the wide range of Belgian style beers that range from table beers to Flanders reds? We choose this waffle symbol to express our appreciation for the waffle street vendors that really enhanced my trip to Brussels. The following is a sample of some of the beer style you will find bearing this emblem.
Dubbels, Tripels, and Quads
How does this single, dubbel, tripel, quadruple thing work anyhow? The start likely came when a bunch of monks got too drunk and decided they needed a way to classify the beers by alcoholic strength. The explanation offered by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas (MBAA) refers back to a mostly abandoned parti-gyle system of mashing. With this historical method, one mash would create different strength beers with the first run off being the highest in fermentable sugars, and subsequent run offs resulting in weaker and weaker beer. The first beer would likely be around 20% sugar by weight, the second beer would likely be 10-15% by weight, and the last run off would likely be under 10% sugar by weight and often be low enough in alcohol for children to drink.
By this explanation, a Quadruple, a Tripel, a Dubbel, and a Single would be similar beers of varying body and alcoholic strength. These days, the style designations refer to very different types of beers with widely varying ingredients. The deviation into today's styles were made famous by the Wesmalle Monastery.
Biere de garde
The style translates to “beer for keeping.” Historically the style of beer was brewed in French farmhouses in the winter and spring when the chances of spoilage were lower and consumed throughout the year.
Saison or Farmhouse Ale
If you have made it this far you already know this is like our thing so we gave it its own page.