I love how the beer smells of fresh dough and lemon. It pours a hazy straw yellow and bubbles forever.
Abbey beers take advantage of the name that Trappist has built by implying that the beers are made by monks or have some affiliation with the church when in fact neither has to be true. These beers came about after World War II and imitated the Trappist styles beers by connecting them to an existing saint or abbey ruin. An exception is Affligem Abbey, which was an actual monastery until World War I, but is now owned and brewed by Heineken in Holland. Despite the imitation, the beers are extremely well-funded and well-made. A great place to start is with "Ename" from the brewery Abdij Sint-Salvator. Exercise caution, as sometimes these beers are what I call “self pouring” and often come gushing out the bottle, so have your favorite chalice ready to receive the libation. Pour it right down the middle and let the foam rise to a thick white cloud. I love how the beer smells of fresh dough and lemon. It pours a hazy straw yellow and bubbles forever. This one isn’t for the faint of heart as there is a definite alcoholic burn in the finish. But before the burn is an amazing complex taste of orange, bubblegum, wheat, and again fresh dough. This would be a perfect beer for deglazing a pan of mussels, though the tradition is to do so with a white beer containing coriander and orange peel.
Finally, there are what I call Belgian-style beers that are American twists and variations of existing styles. By far one of the most drinkable comes from Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, New York. The brewery's Belgian pale ale (BPA) comes in draft, and in 750 mL cork and caged bottles. It is an American style pale ale fermented with the brewery's house yeast and hopped with American cascade hops. The result is a quaffable, delicately bitter and balanced beverage. This would make an excellent crossover beer for those who are already enjoying the US craft beer scene and have yet to delve into the realm of Belgian beers. I’ve paired the BPA with aged cheddars, spicy Thai curry, and avocado driven salads with great success.
The take home message is that Trappist beers are brewed by monks and must meet certain qualifications to be deemed Trappist (of which there are only seven Trappist breweries – you might impress your friends if you can name them by heart). Abbey ales are primarily produced in Belgium, but are not necessarily affiliated with the church. Lastly, Belgian-style beers are produced in America and vary from being very true to style, to being completely off the wall yet delicious. Salut.
[Lead image by Smabs Sputzer]
