Beautiful Belgian Beers

After trying many different beers in Belgium for a few years now, this is my guide to the best out the the best beers in the world. All the beers I will mention are my personal favorites. If you have a local bar that specializes in world beers I would recommend going to try something different from the tasteless lager you get in most pubs nowadays. There are usually a few in every city and yes, it is more expensive but it is something special to savor and really enjoy. It's definitely worth a one off visit.

The place where I have discovered most of the wonderful drinks in Belgium is a bar called Poechenellekelder. It is located in the center of Brussels opposite Manneken Pis so it's very easy to find. Inside it's very quirky with puppets and all kinds of strange things on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Because of this it feels very cosy and it's not very touristy. The beer menu is well over 100 beers! The problem is choosing one from the vast array on offer. Once ordered, the bar staff will bring you the bottle along with the specific glass for that beer. Also some nibbles as well. The prices are reasonable between 2 - 3 Euros for a bottle. If you ever visit Belgium, I would highly recommend going to this bar even if you are not a beer lover. There is a beer for any taste.

If you want to take any of these beers back with you I would recommend finding the shop called "De Bier Tempel" which is also in the center of the city and not too far from Poechenellekelder. This is the only shop I have seen the very rare and illusive beer on sale "Westveleteren". It has no label on the bottle and a case can be seen on the ceiling of Poechenellekelder. The only known way of getting your hands on this beer is by ordering it over the phone from the Monks who make it themselves, however this shop sells it! You just have to ask for it over the counter.

Bush

I will start with my favourite beer and it is not for those who don't like it strong. It is the strongest Belgian beer at 12%. The light version is refreshing with not a very strong taste or flavour, just a nice beer. The amber version is the best. You can taste the strength and it has a very distinctive flavour. The reason I like it is because you have to sip it since it's so strong and therefore it lasts for quite a while. It's not one to drink quickly! If you like this then you should try Troll. It is made by the same people and basically tastes the same but is less stronger at 7%. They also make a Lambic peach flavoured version.

Kwak

This amber beer is well recognized for it's chemistry set glass. It is an enjoyable beer that has a full taste but is still fairly light. I mainly enjoy it for the glass it comes in!

Barbar

This beer comes in a mug style glass and has a taste of honey. It is quite a sweet tasting beer. The light version is sweet and refreshing. If you find the sweetness too much, the dark version has a slight bitterness to take some of the sweetness of the honey away.

Other beers worth mentioning

Leffe - This beer is found on tap everywhere and for me sets the standard for Belgian beer. It is cheap and has a rich creamy taste, just a very nice drink to have a pint of in any bar.

Orval - Another Trappist Monk produced beer. This is more available however and tastes very light and refreshing. Wonderful on a summers day. They also make an Orval cheese!

Belle-Vue - Is a Lambic Cherry flavoured beer. If you don't like beer that much, you will like this. Basically it tastes of cherries as described. You would not think of it as a beer at all!

Please feel free to comment about this article below. Thanks for your support.

News Feed