Ale is a type of beer that is produced by top fermentation at high temperature. That is, unlike regular beer, in the manufacture of ale, yeast is collected on the surface, and not deposited on the bottom.
About 500 beers are brewed in Belgium , and you can talk about them endlessly. Ale has been made for a very long time; some varieties have been known for over 600 years.
A bit of beer tradition
Beer, Belgian ale, lambic and other brewing-related drinks are not considered to be part of national traditions in any other country, as in Belgium. Perhaps beer in the life of the Belgians plays the same role as wine among the French.
Drinking this fragrant drink in Belgium is a ritual, despite the fact that on average a resident of this country drinks about 100 liters. Upon sale, each bottle is wrapped in beautiful paper, and the labels are full of brightness.
For some varieties, such as Pauwel Kwak, only certain dishes for serving and snacks are required. A bartender at any beer restaurant must know which grade to pour into what dishes. And if the menu contains 200 types of drink, then there will be the same number of mugs for them.
The tradition of making a special glass is so strong that many breweries, before coming up with a new recipe, first design a glass for it. It is believed that a certain form of dishes affects the taste and aroma.
In Belgium, any fermentation product is called beer, even ale and geeze (carbonated beer). The main feature of the production of the drink is the addition of spices, fruits, herbs and caramel.
In Belgium, beer festivals are also held where you can taste rare beers, ale and lambic.
Belgian Light Ale and Strong Light Ale
Light Belgian ales began to be produced in the mid-17th century as a daily drink. A little sugar, yeast, hops and light malt were used for it. The color of the drink is a light yellow or amber hue, and the taste with a slight hop bitterness. The alcohol content in this Belgian ale is 4-6%. Some varieties use spices. Sometimes their taste is obtained due to a mixture of different varieties of malt. At the bottom there may be a precipitate from yeast or malt, which is not recommended for drinking.
A variety of light strong ale began to be produced recently - after the end of World War II. In appearance, it is no different from simple light varieties, but contains significantly more alcohol (7-15%) and a more saturated flavor bouquet. A very insidious drink, you can not feel the alcohol at all, but quickly get drunk.
A large amount of confectionery sugar and yeast is used in the manufacture, which gives a fruity flavor and sweetness. This variety is somewhat reminiscent of triples, but the Belgian strong light ale is less dense.
Belgian dark ale and strong dark ale
All beer that is darker than an amber shade falls into the category of dark ale. The fortress is no different from light varieties, the number of revolutions is also 4-6%. In general, in fact, this is the same light ale, only fried and caramel malt is used in the manufacture.
Varieties of strong dark ale have a very interesting and complex taste and smell, but all components are balanced. This effect is achieved by mixing different varieties of malt, white and dark confectionery sugar and several varieties of hops. It is also possible to add spices.
As a rule, the taste of alcohol is invisible, but it can be felt. You can feel many shades in the taste of dark strong ales. The most common are dried fruits, sweet and aromatic spices and vanilla. The alcohol content varies from 7 to 15 percent.
Flanders Red Brown
This is a rare fruit flavor. In the manufacture of such ales use a unique mixture of brown malts. Hop bitterness is quite pronounced, but the aroma of hops is almost not felt. It has a light red-brown color and, as a rule, the alcohol content is in the range of 4-6 percent.
The recipe uses a mixture, twenty percent of which consists of old beer and seventy-five percent of young beer. It is made from corn kernels and four varieties of barley malt. Sometimes five different types of yeast are used in the recipe.
At the last stage, the drink is aged in wooden barrels from one and a half to two years to get the finished Belgian ale. The brands that are most famous: Rodenbach Grand Cru, Petrus, Bourgogne des Flandres.
Seasonal Varieties
These are Belgian ales brewed in a small village brewery using craft recipes. It consists in adding spices that are different from hops, although it is also present. Mostly ale is brewed in spring, and drunk in summer. These varieties very well quench thirst and have an unusual taste: sour, bitter, with a pleasant hop aroma. Color ranges from light amber to copper. Sometimes taste is found with sourness - this is due to the village origin. The alcohol content is 5-8%.
Trappist Ale
These varieties are brewed in Trappist monasteries, five of which are in Belgium. This is probably one of the last countries in Europe where church brewing has been preserved.
Trappist ale is not like everyone else. Monk brewers are brewed according to a special recipe. In the manufacture of the type of yeast that causes fermentation at high temperature. In some cases, sugar is added, which makes the drink strong. It comes to the readiness of bottled ale.
Trappist ale has an amber color with a red tint. The taste is spicy, with a slight acidity and an oily-fruity aroma. The strength of the drink varies from 6 to 9 revolutions.
Real Trappist Belgian ales are brewed only under license and exclusively according to old recipes, which have remained unchanged to this day.
Open the bottle with the drink very carefully so as not to shake the sediment.
Abbey Ale
Do not confuse with ale, which is produced by the monks of the Trappist order. As a rule, this beer was previously related to monasteries, but today it is produced under license without their participation.
Belgian ales of this variety can be divided into two categories: the first is legally associated with monastic dynasties, they brew a drink under license from the monastery. The second uses the recipes and names of the now defunct monasteries.
For some time there have been disputes over the legality of the use of the term “abbey beer”. As one of the English newspapers wrote, the reason for the controversy was that the unpleasant image of the monks on the labels negatively affected the number of people entering the monastic orders.
Cherry Ale Kriek ("Scream")
Belgian Cherry Ale is a fruit beer that is famous all over the world. The production uses technologies traditional for the manufacture of Belgian beer. But at the same time, “sharbek” cherries are added to the must. Berries are harvested at the moment when they begin to ripen. Due to this, a strong and pronounced aroma of beer is achieved without the use of flavorings. Before adding to beer, the berries are processed: they are peeled, cut and softened.
Ale is aged in oak barrels, where it undergoes a second fermentation procedure due to the sugar contained in the cherry. The finished drink is bright red, its strength is 5-6%. But you should be careful when using it - ale is drunk easily, but quickly dizzy.
Belgian ale varieties with various additives
Belgian ales are made not only with the addition of cherries, but also with other components in the form of spices, fruits and berries, honey.
Ale is produced under the brand name d'Ecaussinnes Ultramour with the addition of raspberry juice and three other ingredients. The rich taste of the berry is intertwined with beer bitterness, and the result is a unique delicious Belgian ale. The color of the drink is red-brown; cherry, strawberry and raspberry notes dominate in the aroma. The alcohol content in it is 5%.
Lindemans Apple Lambic - Apple Ale A slightly cloudy drink of a dark yellow color. It has a very powerful smell: thick and sweet, with notes of fresh apple and apple jam. The taste is somewhat reminiscent of cider, sweetness prevails over beer bitterness, there is a slight sourness. A very rare drink, it can only be tasted in Belgium.
Barbar is a brand that produces Belgian ale with the addition of honey. This is an amber-colored drink prepared using a special technology, the secret of which is not disclosed. It is only known that hops, malt, barley ears, oranges, coriander and honey are present in the composition. Also, a unique yeast variety is used for cooking, which in combination with honey makes the taste of ale unique and gives the aftertaste spice and sweetness.
Barbar is not the only brand of ale in the preparation of which coriander and orange peels are used. Ale with these additives is also produced under the names Blanche de Bruxelles, Blanche de Neiges, Hoegaarden and Monastère Wheat Beer.
Brown ale
This variety contains less lactic acid, which allows the malt taste to stand out even more than in other variations.
Brown Belgian Ale is available under several brands, for example:
- Gouden Carolus. Very dark in color with an alcohol content of 7.6%. The taste changes depending on the aging time in the bottle.
- Gildenbier. It has a chocolate flavor, the alcohol content is 7%.
- Bourgogne des Flanders is a rare fruit-flavored ale. It is created by mixing dark abbey ale and lambic, and then aged in barrels. The alcohol content is 5%.
Also, some abbot beer makers produce varieties called brown.
Amber Ale
Amber Ale is easy to drink, has a small fortress and is not at all sour. The taste is almost absent hoppy bitterness. The alcohol content in this variety is from 5 to 7%. The color of the drink, as the name implies, is amber, with a slight brown tint.
The most famous brand is De Koninck. However, it is very demanding on transportation, so the farther from the place of production, the worse the quality and taste.