The belgian tasting

Backtracking a bit, last Sunday night was the Belgian beer tasting that I put together. Some friends of ours got married a few weeks ago, and the groom wanted a tasting as a wedding present. I wasn't sure when we were going to do it, but I started collecting beers immediately. My idea was to pick the highest rated example of each of the main Belgian styles that I could find. Kind of like a Belgian 101. Luckily, I found a good group of beers fairly quick, because the tasting snuck up on me... and what a great tasting it was!

First, the line-up:

Belgian golden/pale - Duvel
Saison - Fantome Saison
Belgian IPA - Urthel Hop-It
Belgian Wit - Steenbrugge wit*
Unblended Lambic - Cantillon Cuvee Des Champions
Gueuze - Girardin 1882 Black Label
Fruit Lambic - Oud Beersel Oude Kriek Vieille
Biere de garde - Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien
Flanders Red - Rodenbach Grand Cru
Tripel - Tripel Karmeliet
Quad - Rochefort 10
Belgian Strong Dark- Maudite

*admittedly not the best available belgian wit, but it was the best I could get on such short notice.

Now the setting. The groom invited us over to his house, where he promised to cook a Belgian inspired dinner. Now the groom is also a well known chef, so I knew I was in for a treat.

We started off the night with a caviar salmon chive creme fresh spread and crackers that was delicious. On the beer side, we started with some of the lighter beers. Duvel, Fantome, and Steenbrugge. We then moved into the Urthel, then the Cuvee Des Champions. By the time the Cuvee Des Champions came out, we were onto dinner. The acidity of the Cuvee was fantastically paired with a pork roast served over a bed of cooked cabbage with a belgian endive salad, and crispy potatoes. As we filled up, and began drinking the beer unaccompanied, the Cuvee was a bit too much for some of the palates in the room, so we backed off the more sour styles, and opened up the Tripel Karmeliet. Everyone enjoyed this while dessert was being prepared. For dessert, we had pan seared peaches cooked with spices in a splash of Rochefort 10, served with a spoonful of chocolate ice cream, a belgian waffle cookie, and some fresh whipped cream. Fantastic, and awesome accompanied by more Rochefort 10. After dessert, the guest list dwindled, and the host and I got back into some of the other styles. With the flavor and scent of dessert still fresh in our minds, we opened the oud beersel oude kriek vieille. This went over well. Then we opened the Girardin 1882 Black Label. Although I was enjoying all these great beers, this one seemed to go down a little less easy for my host.

At this point of the evening, we ended the tasting, saving the rodenbach grand cru, the abbaye des saint bon-chien, and the maudite for another time.

I think the tasting went well. My friend was very interested in the different styles, and expressed an interest in having me meet with his sommelier to discuss the possibility of offering more Belgian styles in their restaurant. Predictably, I think he enjoyed the safer, lighter styles a bit more than the sour and heavier beers, but I think having sampled some things outside of his comfort zone, a major bridge has been crossed. I had a fantastic time beer geeking out and sharing all my knowledge with everyone. This is definitely something I'd do again.

new beers!

Last night after work I swung by belmont station to pick up a couple of bottles for an upcoming belgian beer tasting that I'm putting on. The idea is to have one beer to represent each of the various belgian styles, and to have that beer be the absolute best possible example of each style that I can get my hands on. The list is as follows:

Strong pale - Duvel
Witbier - Allagash white
Saison - Fantome
Unblended lambic - Cantillon Cuvee des Champions
Fruit Lambic - Boon Oude Kriek
Gueuze - Girardin 1882 black label
Tripel - La Fin Du Monde
Quadrupel - Rochefort 10
Flanders Red - Rodenbach Grand Cru
Belgian IPA - Urthel Hop-it
Belgian Strong Dark - Gouden Carolous Carolus D'or Cuvee van de Keizer
Biere de garde - Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien

Last night, I picked up the Cantillon cuvee des champions, and the girardin 1882 black label. I already have the Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien, the Urthel Hop-it, the Rodenbach grand cru, the rochefort 10, the la fin du monde, and the carolus d'or cuvee van de keizer. I'll pick up the rest this week. I was especially excited to pick up the Cuvee Des Champions. Only 420 bottles of it ever made it to the US, and it was only brewed once as a special release. There's more info about the beer from the importers if you click the picture of the bottle:



Anyway, while I was over at Belmont Station, picking up the bottles, I had a chance to stop in the bier cafe and try the Bruery Hottenroth Berliner Weiss. Absolutely delicious. Here's my favorite review from beer advocate:

pours a cloudy straw color with three fingers of tight pillowy white head. great retention and no lacings.

aroma is of funk and wet hay mainly with a subtle sour/sweet note that fades behind the funk. little else.

taste is very crisp and fresh on the palate with less funk and only a touch of sweet yeast on the back end. very well put together and refreshing. the light funk gives way to a subtle sour note on the back of the palate. excellent.

mouthfeel is light bodied, lightly effervescent and so crisp it cleanses the palate. the texture is lightly tart after a bit of warming.

drinkability is excellent. perfectly proportioned with a crisp, refreshing profile. an excellent summer beer with the perfect balance of funk and sourness. cheers!

The only thing I don't really agree with is his description of the sour notes, which I felt were quite strongly pronounced.

All around, I very good beer that I'd seek out again