Belgian Style Aless for Delivery or Pickup

Belgian beers have a rich history in Belgium, and brewers often experiment to find new methods and flavors they can add to make their Belgian beer a unique tasting experience. Experimentation is a large part of Belgian beer culture, which is a contrast to the standardized methods brewers followed in other countries when Belgian beers first began. Most Belgian beers, however, tend to have a spiced, fruity, or sweet flavor with little bitterness and a balanced flavor palate. They usually have a higher alcohol content as well.

Another large part of the Belgian beer culture is the glass a beer is served in. Beer is often served or sold in bottles, but in a Belgian bar, you can expect a variety of glass shapes, each intended to bring out the best flavor in the beer. Bottles may also have distinct shapes, often because the bottles or glasses used to serve the beer is also an advertisement for the type of beer. For example, Trappist-style Belgian beers are often served in a chalice, which hints at its origins in a monastery.

There are many types of Belgian beer options, but some of the most well-known include the Trappist, Dubbel, Tripel, and Quadrupel. The Trappist beer began when monks fled to Belgium and brought their knowledge of brewing beer with them. They brewed beer to fund their monastery, and today any profits still go to the monastery or to charity. True Trappist beer must be brewed by monks who are supervised by Trappist monks in a monastery. Eleven monasteries are qualified to produce Trappist beer in the world.

Trappist beers, along with other Belgian beer styles, are classified as Dubbel, Tripel, or Quadrupel. Dubbels often have a strong malty flavor with notes of fruit, and they are one of the oldest style of Belgian beers in history. Tripels have a higher alcohol content and more of a hop taste. Quadrupels have a much higher alcohol content, as high as 11.2% alcohol by volume (ABV), and taste like fruit or brown sugar. Generally, a Dubbel will have a much lower alcohol content than a Quadrupel, while a Tripel will fall somewhere in the middle of these two.

You may also hear of a Singel style of Belgian beer, but these are extremely rare and only produced in monasteries for monks. Members of the general public don't have access to Singels.

One of the first things you should consider when choosing a Belgian is how much ABV you want in your drink. If you're interested in something you can savor with a rich and sweet taste, look for a Quadrupel-style Belgian beer. If you'd prefer a drink with a lower alcohol content, look for a Dubbel instead.

Also, consider the flavors you'd like in your drinks. Dubbels have more notes of fruit, while Tripels have a more distinct hops taste. Belgian beers have a wide range of flavors and aroma profiles to choose from. You can explore grassy to sweet to fruity to floral notes, depending on which beer you drink. Belgian brewers love to experiment and offer unique tasting experiences to their consumers, so you're likely to find something new even if you're a seasoned Belgian beer drinker.