The Best Belgians (October-November 2015)

For a riff that goes beyond pumpkin pie, this tiramisu made with a splash of Belgian strong dark ale is ready to take center stage at your holiday gathering.

As grilling season begins in earnest, this burger brings a different dimension with Middle Eastern flavors and a splash of Belgian-style dubbel.

There may be no beer or brewery more respected by brewers around the world than Orval. Here, we’ve asked brewers to share their thoughts about why this beer means so much to so many.

Here is an attempt to create something almost, but not quite, entirely unlike Brouwerij Dilewyns Vicaris Tripel.

This Belgian dubbel, provided by Andy Mitchell of New Belgium Brewery, has an aroma of toasty malt with dried dark fruit and background subtle clove and pepper phenols.

Jester Goldman, one of our beer judges, designed this beer to be a little bigger than is typical for the style, approaching a Rauchbock. He’s brewed this recipe at home and in 2013 at a commercial scale with Equinox Brewery (Fort Collins, Colorado).

Just follow the example of the monks at Mount Angel Abbey and ask yourself these nine questions before you tackle your first abbey-style beer.

Choose your twist(s) on this Westmalle Tripel-inspired beer.

This recipe stays close to the historical interpretation: dark brown, sweet, smoky, with a noticeable herbal flavor—a tasty Scottish holiday beer.

In The Cellar columnist Patrick Dawson doesn’t just brew beers to age, as evidenced by this flavorful fruit-forward IPA that he’s designed and brewed.

Belgian specialty malts make The Reverend the perfect beer for homebrewers who love malty beers.

Do-it-yourself tap handles are fun and easy.

What makes the hops that Monastery of Christ in the Desert sells most interesting is not necessarily that monks grow them, but that they are bred from native American hops, otherwise known as neomexicanus.

A deep understanding of flavors and a passion for brewing are behind all of the brews at South Carolina’s Westbrook Brewing.

Brothers Walt and Luke Dickinson of Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing are producing some of the most cutting-edge and talked-about beers—both clean and sour—in the country.

Hefeweizen yeast creates the compelling aromas of bananas, citrus, and cloves. This is a super-easy recipe, which is how Hefeweizen ought to be.

Despite huge milestones and growth, Funky Buddha Brewery’s Ryan Sentz is still a homebrewer at heart who continues to focus on “culinary-driven” beers.

The resurgence of the saisin style is in full swing, driven by new-school brewers building on the past but pushing in creative new directions.

Learn the four cornerstones of an ideal cellar and how the more popular beer-cellar options stack up.

Here are the three beer bars that we explored in Issue 9 (October/November 2015) of Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine®.

Is nothing sacred? Certainly abbey beers aren’t. Not even in Belgium.

Whether you’re tasting or brewing beer, understanding off-flavors can help you appreciate well-made beer or identify flaws in your own. Here’s a handy reference for recognizing 17 of the most common off-flavors found in beer.

San Diego brewing legend Tomme Arthur embraces the Belgian disdain for beer styles in a continentally inspired six-pack.

Many American brewers are influenced by Belgian brewing traditions, and they’re eager to rave about their favorite monastic, or monastic-inspired, ales.

Belgian style is less about classifying beers into discrete categories than it is about uniting them under a common umbrella.

Here are 3 ways to improve the quality and presentation of your bottled beer.

Braising for 3 hours in a tripel and then deep frying are the secrets to tender but crispy pork ribs.

Pair this tasty flatbread with your favorite Belgian-style dubbel.

Belgian-style tripel adds depth to this Tuscan-style salad.