I have loved Belgian beers since my “awakening” in 1988. That was the year I first went to Belgium on business trip. I was mostly a wine drinker at the time, and when I did have a beer, it was usually a Miller Lite (insert chagrin here). On the plane, I had picked up the airline magazine and read an article on Belgian beers. I thought, “These sound interesting; maybe I’ll try a couple.” I did try a couple – dozen – over the next five days, and never looked back. I was hooked on Belgian beer!
Thirty years later I find myself an owner and brewmaster of Bruz Beers, a Belgian-style brewery in Denver. As we are preparing for the second annual Belgian Brew Fest this Saturday, April 28th, I am thinking back to that first trip to Belgium and what I found so compelling about the beers I tasted back then. For me, it all came down to two things – character and complexity. These are the essence of what makes Belgian beers Belgian.
Soft, Spicy, and Refreshing
One of the first Belgian beers I tasted was Hoegaarden (the bartender was starting the American off light).
Hoegaarden
Pale and hazy, with a perfume-y aroma and a soft creamy mouthfeel, it was amazing. Hoegaarden is a Witbier (white beer). I had never had anything like a spiced wheat beer before, but I took to its coriander and orange notes right away. Character and complexity!
A Hell of a Beer
Another of my first beers in Belgium was Duvel (by now the bartender was giving me a taste of higher alcohol beer).
Duvel
They call it “Devil” because that’s who knocks you off the barstool after a few of these 8.5% brews! Duvel was a sleek, clean, golden strong ale with a huge white head and complex flavors of pepper and pears.
Tall, Dark, and Trappist
When I didn’t fall off the barstool, the bartender took that as a challenge and poured me a Rochefort 10 – a strong dark Trappist ale that weighed in at 11.3% alcohol.
Rochefort
It was phenomenal! Big, rich, and malty character, with layers of complex fruit esters, spicy phenols, caramelized sugar, and dried fruit notes. Rochefort rocked my world. It is still my favorite of all the Trappist ales.
The Beer He Didn’t Want to Sell Me
At this point in the evening, having had a few other beers of various alcoholic strengths, it was getting close to bedtime. I was determined, though, to try one more beer that I had read about on the plane. I asked the bartender if he had any Lambic beers – the legendary Belgian sour beers that date back to the middle ages. He told me that he did, in fact, have a Lambic beer – but would not sell it to me: “Americans do not like Lambic beers; I won’t sell it to you.”
Lambic
This only made me more determined, and, after a good bit of haggling, I had a Lambic beer in front of me. It was a Belle-Vue Gueuze – deep and golden with a funky aroma. One sip, and I would never see beer in the same way. Layer upon layer of complexity with a full spectrum of flavors – earthy, leathery, fruity, tart, and absolutely amazing! The bartender was astounded that I liked a Lambic, and for the next four nights before I left, he took me on a tasting virtual tour of Belgium’s finest brews.
The Belgian Brew Fest – This Saturday
Belgian Brew Fest
Lest this seem like an aimless walk down memory lane, let me get to the point.
The Belgian Brew Fest – Denver’s prime Belgian beer event – is going on this Saturday, April 28th!
Just like my trip to Belgium changed the way I would see beer forever, you have a chance to explore a broad spectrum of Belgian-style beers yourself. You’ll no doubt discover some great examples of complexity and character from the eleven amazing breweries at the Fest.
Who will be there? At the top of the list is Brewery Ommegang from Cooperstown, New York. Ommegang is my favorite Belgian-style brewery in the United States, and is owned by Duvel-Moortgat in Belgium. They will be bringing some amazing beers to the Fest. Bruz Beers will be there, of course, as will Crooked Stave, Intrepid Sojourner, Woods Boss, River North, and Paradox. Rounding out the lineup will be Briar Common, De Steeg, Fate Brewing, and Periodic.
Add in two live bands, three food trucks, cool tech from Spigot Labs, great weather, and a few hundred Belgian beer lovers, and the Belgian Brew Fest is an event you can’t miss! See you there!
The Belgian Brew Fest is this Saturday, April 28th, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at 1675 W 67th Avenue, Denver, CO 80221.
Tickets are available at belgianbrewfest.com
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