[Trappist]

Written by Trappist   
Thursday, 23 October 2008
Hi,
Remarkable evolutions are notice in the last couple of years here in Belgium concerning Belgian Beer.
One of the most remarkable turns is that USA "priming - mingling" that is happening for several years already, and that is still continuing. A slow but sure process.

First, there was that barrel age evolution. An American demand thing wanting to bring Belgian breweries to age their beers into wooden casks. The delivering of Calvados barrels to De Dolle and De Regenboog by B.United is already one example. It gave wood aged top-quality beers, mainly for export to the US. This also lead towards Belgian beer NOT available anymore inside Belgium.
Words like Oak Aged, Wood Aged, became common label descriptions, and a lot of breweries followed that concept.
Shortly after we noticed an Imperial Stout trend. Black, roasty, high alcohol beers were brewed, and are still available today. Again the influence from the States is obvious.

Second, another new trend is seen these days.
Belgian IPA ! Hoppy variants of already good Belgian beers, but with that bit MORE hops to satisfy the American market, and as so, also influencing our national Belgian beer scene.
Interesting to mention that, let's say three years ago, the word IPA was unknown/unused here in Belgium.
A three letter word which was unseen on Belgian beer labels. We all know that this is the abbreviation of India Pale Ale, a beer brewed long time ago to survive the long trip to India. Extra hopping was the main preservative.

But see, these days, already A LOT of Belgian breweries are producing those hoppy beers, and put the label IPA on them.
This is quite remarkable, and sure has to do with the mighty medium called, "The Internet".

Belgian beer gets more and more American influenced.
There are already so many examples of new hoppy Belgian beers. A hoppy trend that gladly captures the sweet trend noticed a five years ago. Indeed, a most wonderful evolution.

It seems that today, a majority of Belgian breweries are following that hype.
Beers like Over the Edges IPA (Van Steenberge), Brigand IPA (Van Honsebrouck), Buffalo Belgian Bitter (Van Den Bossche), Houblon Chouffe (Achouffe), Urthel Hop-It (De Leyerth), Smisje Dubbel IPA (De Regenboog) are already a couple of examples, and there's so many more to mention here. 5 years ago, those beers were non-existant !
Belgian IPA doesn't neccesarilly have to be brewed with American Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, whatsoever hops. Already an extra hopping is more than enough and the word IPA is trendy, so it's put on the label.
Also interesting to mention that American hop varieties are in a embryonal stage to be cultivated in the Poperinge region !!! Reliable sources !

I can only show my amazement about this movement these days. A movement the Belgian Beer Board can only encourage.



Cheers,
Filip