Belgian Beer (and French, Dutch and German too)

betsmate

betsmate

At the Start
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
5,752
Those of you who have had the misfortune to read many (any?) of my 5,000 posts on this forum may have detected that that I am partial to partaking in the odd glass of something more potent than your average plastic-pub cooking lager.

However it wasn't until this week that I discovered Tripel Karmeliet.

My Dutch friend - well aware of my disposition and equally disposed himself - on voyaging back to the UK, called into that most wonderful of countries (they do mussels too) and picked up a few choice bottles for my delectation.

Over the past week, I am sure that many of you have longed to read my thoughts on the no-show of the Formula 1 safety car, Spanish refereeing appointments for the new season or even just about my enviable record of ante-post Arc winners.

Alas, a heady combination of Yorkshire sunshine and the joy that is Tripel Karmeliet has seen my posting frequency drop to levels not seen since Comrade Ardross ruled this domain with an iron delete finger.

Fear not though, my fridge has run dry of the heavenly nectar, reduced to meagre supplies of Chimay, Erdinger Dunkel and some young leaf spinach. Tomorrow I will return with renewed vigour and full of optimism for an autumn flat campaign.

But let us not wish this fine Friday night away. Join me* in a celebration of all things 8% abv and better. If like me you are are scared to ask your girlfriend or even your dearest friends to join you in a hostelry for the fifth time this week, share on this thread your appreciation for all things wheat, oat and barley based.

Vodka (Shadow Leader), Guinness (all of you delightfully-eccentric Irish) and Blossom Hill drinkers out there, you are of course welcome too.

*I reserve the right not to [be able to] reply
 
I'm sure I've mentioned the amber nectar that is Absolut Pear. I've only seen it on sale in Tesco's so far, and it's good. Mmmmmmm!!!!!
 
Don't be taken in by the TV ads for Kronenberg. I bought some this evening (on special offer) and the 'dynamo système' for making smaller bubbles is nothing more than a widget. I suspect this is a 'normal' canned lager (at 5% it's OK) complete with added CO2, which I usually try to avoid, and it goes very flat very quickly. It doesn't taste bad but I like my beers to keep their head right to the end, which most of the good German stuff from Lidl tends to do.

I was talking to an utterly beautiful Dutch girl in the sauna this morning. I just wish I'd seen this beforehand. I'd have asked her to bring me a consignment the next time she was visiting. (Still, I have her contact details...)
 
In fact Absolut anything is top notch. When it comes to vodka, one prefers to drink Stolichnaya, Absolut, Wyborowa or Finlandia. Zubrowka bison grass vodka is worth a try too - it's very different, but in a good way!
 
I was talking to an utterly beautiful Dutch girl in the sauna this morning. I just wish I'd seen this beforehand. I'd have asked her to bring me a consignment the next time she was visiting. (Still, I have her contact details...)
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Sounds like a dyke. (PS - where did you write her number?)
 
I am a busy boy recently, betsy; hence my no-show on the forum recently.

I am never too busy to drink beer, however. Of the Belgians, you should try a Trappistes Rochefort 10 or 8. The 10 is the classic, although it is very plummy and extremely punchy at 11.something%.

The 8 is a lot lighter and is a bit caramelly. I love it.

Tonight, I am drinking a Celtic Stout from O'Hara's. Good and solid. I will probably run off to the fridge now and dip into the Paulaner Weisse I had earmarked for tomorrow.
 
Was most impressed when Dad came back from Spain and brought back a litre of Stolichnaya for me, without even having received instuctions on which brand to go for!
 
Westmalle is my favourite among the very strong beers. Not too sweet.

In the mid-strength range Corsendonk Agnus is refreshing.

There is nothing to beat Urquell, Staropramen and Budvar in the normal range, apart from a proper pint of Guinness.
 
Very interesting thread,

Which of the European beers in Lidl would you recommend the most ?

Zubrowka bison grass vodka is worth a try too
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Beware the Zubrowka.My sister in-law is Polish, we had this on the tables for the wedding. We also had the traditional apple juice mixer. There where bodies strewn accross the tables by speech time.

I had a bottle of this on Saturday with a meal,Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Marlborough 2007. One of the nicest whites I've ever had.Great stuff and not expensive.
 
Haven't really tried a lot of Belgian stuff - did get a little box of Chimay a few years back along with a 'special edition' glass as a present. Was pretty good if I recall correctly, though I did lose about half of the last bottle and the glass to a drunken eejit at a party (me!) who dropped it....
 
Sheikh said:
Which of the European beers in Lidl would you recommend the most ?
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The one that comes in the half-litre 'easy open' bottle. They used to sell one called Bergadler but have replaced it with a similar one. It's brewed under the official German law which states that only natural ingredients can be used so there's no artificial additives or co2. It's about 4.9% I think.

They also do (at least they used to) a 500ml can, also the 'official' stuff, for 65p but I haven't seen it in my local branch for a while. It was nice enough but the bottled stuff is better.

They're a bit sharper-tasting than the likes of Bud or Miller, so if you like those you might not like the German ones. I just find Miller and Bud too bland.
 
They're a bit sharper-tasting than the likes of Bud or Miller, so if you like those you might not like the German ones. I just find Miller and Bud too bland.
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Thanks, fortunately I like everything except gin and Heineken. Heineken makes me wretch instantly for some reason...something in it. I find the Weiss beers tend to give me a hangover while I'm drinking them :eek:.

Spaten is lovely stuff but difficult enough to get .
 
The one that comes in the half-litre 'easy open' bottle. They used to sell one called Bergadler but have replaced it with a similar one. It's brewed under the official German law which states that only natural ingredients can be used so there's no artificial additives or co2. It's about 4.9% I think
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Grafen Walder beer 4.8%, too early to buy a sample (for them :D)
€1.15 a can.
 
That seems very expensive. Is that in Ireland? Is alcohol heavily taxed there?

The last time I was in a Spanish Lidl it was about 50 cents per can.

The bottled one is called Perlenbacher (4.9%).
 
Don't get me started,they/we don't call it rip off Ireland for nothing, even taking into account the exchange rate we're ripped off ,mostly by the retailer. Tesco actually have sterling and euro prices on items that don't directly convert, the euro price being more expensive, cheeky buggers. Since the Celtic tiger has done a bunk everyone is now tightening up and Lidl is packed. Tesco has been abandoned which has prompted a price war.I Find tesco's fruit and veg to be utter shite anyway.
 
My brother came over last night and we had five beers between two of us.

Orval
Two St. Peter's Cream Stout
Paulaner Weisse
Pilsener Urquel.

Orval is one of the less strong Belgian beers. It was the first time I had drunk it and I was impressed. It is exceptionally dry. My brother explained the science behind why, but I wasn't really paying attention. Apparently it is an acquired taste. But I loved it.

St. Peter's is an absolutely delicious stout. Very chocolately and coffeeish.
 
Bar the Bull said:
Of the Belgians, you should try a Trappistes Rochefort 10 or 8. The 10 is the classic, although it is very plummy and extremely punchy at 11.something%.

The 8 is a lot lighter and is a bit caramelly. I love it.
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Just moved from the 8 to the 10. Pretty good. Try the Karmeliet though.
 
Sheikh said:
Grafen Walder beer 4.8%, too early to buy a sample (for them :D)
€1.15 a can.
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Winner alright !!! I tried this the other day and loved it. I thought it was too good to be true so I tried it again Friday. Love it....what a result at 1.15 a can.
 
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