Belgium is a beer drinker’s paradise – it offers a
plethora of styles with unique flavors that demonstrate the artistry behind
crafting one of mankind’s oldest and most beloved tipples. It's the land of lambics, geuze,
witbiers, sour ales, Trappist ales and other beer eccentricities which are
cherished around the drinking world. The
artistry and variety Belgium offers makes some of its styles among the
best to emulate as a homebrewer. In
a previous post we
explored how easy and fun it is to become a homebrewer; now we’ll look at two
styles that we recently brewed and enjoyed greatly!
There are various levels of homebrewing acumen ranging from
the novice extract brewer to the fervent all-grain guy with all the cool
gadgetry. The following two recipes are
both on the easier side of the spectrum and come from kits that are available
at Northern Brewer:
La Petite Orange: Kit found here
This kit produced the most popular homebrew that the Booze
Whisperer has ever shared with friends.
This Belgian dubbel is the perfect marriage of a smooth caramel malty
body, orange and coriander flavoring and one of the best yeast strains
available on the market (Wyeast 1214 – think ‘Chimay’). Although unorthodox, I left the orange zest
inside the fermenter throughout the entire fermentation period and it helped
lend some additional orange aromas and flavors that hit the palate at just the
right time. This beer was brewed in the
winter and became the star of many holiday parties and events. It goes exceptionally well with cheeses and
compliments hearty and rich dishes nicely.
If you like to brew extracts, this is a fun one that exemplifies the
quirky and fun attitude of Belgian ale.
Patersbier: Kit found here
Heading into summer, it was important to brew a lighter
bodied beer that can be enjoyed on a hot day on its own or alongside summer
food offerings. This kit ended up being
the perfect solution for a great Belgian summer beer. I brewed the kit according to the recipe but
added some orange zest and coriander at the end for a little extra flavor. Having tasted the first brew this weekend, I
was very satisfied. The end product was
crisp, golden and had a wonderful citrusy character brought on by its unique
yeast strain (think ‘Westmalle’) and the light orange and coriander notes that
were added. I am positive that this one
will also be a big hit, but with a wider audience due to its lightness and
approachability.
The flavor profiles of the above beers are unique because of
the exceptional Belgian yeast strains that play such an important role in the
flavor and development of a beer.
Whether you homebrew or not, I highly recommend that you sit back and
enjoy a Belgian beer every chance you get this summer!
Cheers! Prosit! Salut!
