Belgium's Great Beers
Understanding the styles
Golden Ales
In seeking to compete with Pilsener lagers by using very pale malts and Czech, Slovenian or German hops, while retaining ale yeasts, Belgium has created a wide range of aromatic, fruity-tasting, golden specialities. Some of these are at a conventional alcohol content, like the Special made by Anne De Ryck at her brewery in Herzele, near the hop-growing town of Aalst, in East Flanders. Others are stronger, like the 6.0 per cent Straffe Hendrik Blonde, which has its own brewery-restaurant, in Bruges (26 Wal Plein). The most famous are the very strong ones like the deceptively drinkable classic Duvel, at 8.5 per cent. This has a very complex regime of four temperature stages in its fermentation and maturation. The name (pronounced Doov'l) is a corruption of the Flemish for Devil. This beer has many competitors, usually with Devilish names. A good example is Hapkin, named after an axe-wielding Count of Flanders.
